The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-01-07
HIGH HANDED
PROCEDURE
OF SpaniardS in Cuba Described by
Eminent Authority.
PITIFUL CONDITION OF PRISONERS.
The Loud Bill to Amend the Law Relating
to Second Glass Mail Matter Passed
the House by a Vote Of 144 to
1O5-sample Copy Priv
lege Prohibited.

WASHINGTON, Jan THE speech Of
Senator Call, of Florida, on Cuba. yester-
day served as the medium of making pub
lie letter giving a graphic description Of
the Cabanas fortress at Havana, and the
surroundings OF the American citizens
imprisoned there The circumstances
surrounding the letter attracted marked
interest to it, as Mr.. Call said It came
from public man of high standing in the
United States who would shortly occupy
place in the legislative branch Of the
government. This led to the impression
that the letter was from Senator-elect
Money, whose recent visit to Havana has
attracted attention, but later Mr.. Call re-
moved this impression by saying that the
writer was a prominent man from a
northern state and a Republican, This
exempted Mr.. Money, who is a Missis-
sippi Democrat
The character of the writer was in
dicated from his frequent references to
visits in company with Consul General
Lee, The letter dealt with the'immediate
present, and described visit made by the
writer and General Lee to Cabanas fort
ress on the morning Of Dec. 30. 1t told Of
the pitiful condition Of the prisoners, some
Of them Americans, including Julio San"
gully and young man who was the COM
panion Of Charles Gown, the American
newspaper correspondent, killed in Cuba.
The recital of these prisoners was given in
full
The writer also gave the particulars of
another arrest which had not thus far
been reported. He said that while at GEN
eral Lee office on the Monday previous
(Dec. 2S) he saw a son of DIR. Battencourt,
an American citizen, who had been prac-
ticing dentistry at Havana for the last
year. The son, also an American citizen,
stated that his father had mysteriously
disappeared on Saturday night. He was
traced to the CHbanas fortress, where the
son, on paying fifty cents to a Spanish Of
fetal, was allowed to send in food, and
later on paying $3.50 to the official, was
allowed to send cot to his father.
No charge was preferred against DIR.
Battencourt but it appeared that while
listening to a band concert in front of the
Hotel Ingleterra on Saturday evening the
doctor heard that some one had circulated
the report that he sympathiZed with Cuba.
He set of to find the author of the report
and contradict it, That was the last seen
of him, and it was supposed the false
rumor had led to his arrest and close con-
finement MIR. Call referred also to letters
received from the wife of one of the sail
ors on the ship Competitor, now impris-
oned at Havana.
During the day the senate passed house
bills amending the laws relating to tim
Der culture, and authorizing brevets to ac-
tive or retired officers of the army or navy.
The joint resolution requesting the
| British government to pardon Mrs, Flor
ence May brick was indefinitely postponed.
| The bill exempting settlers on public lands
! from paying the original government
/ price fixed on lands was debated, Mr.. Pet
| tigrew Of South Dakota and Mr.. Carter OF
| Montana speaking in it's favor, but final
vote was not reached.
The Loud bill, to amend the law re-
lating to second class mail matter, was
passed by the house yesterday by vote
Of IA to 1O5. The opposition to the bill
made strong fight against 1t. The state
ments made on the floor as to it's effect in
certain particulars were very conflicting
The most important provision Of the bill
denies the serial publications admission
to the mails at one cent per pound rates
The bill also denies TO newspapers thu
sample copy" privilege and the privilege
enjoyed by newsdealers Of returning un
sold publications at the second class rate
The only other important change in tn,
present law provides that publishers who's
publications are admitted as second clas
matter shall be required before depositini
such mail matter in the postoffice to sep
arate the same into United States mai
sacks or bundles by states, cities, town
and counties, as the postmaster genera
shall dirpct