The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-03

Spain and Captain.G General of Cuba, 10 a typical
representative of Spanish fanatioism and
cruelty. lie was born in the island Of Palma de
Mallorca ffty-eight years ago. and entered
the military service as an officer OF infantry.
Until 1873 his career was not marked by any
uncommon fact, but in that year, In tho prov
inco OF Puerto Principe, in Cuba, he began to
commit tho series Of crimes which had given to
him q worldwide reputation. only equalled in
history by that OF Torquemnda and Alva.
1t was at n place called Encoibos do Caban-
iguan where Weylcr, then n Lioutenant-C0lone
under the Count of valmnsoda, Captain-General
of tho island. encountered a Cuban camp in
which were over 300 women and children OF the
best families Of the city Of Puerto Principe,
mothers, wives, and SONS and daughters Of in
surgent leaders and soldiers.
He ordered his men TO take the children from
their mothers and keep them apart. He then
ordered the women to dance naked before tho
Spanish soldiers in order to save the lives Of
their little ones. He himself brandished a whip
and chastiscd those women who tainted or re.
fused to yield to the soldiery; and. after the
fendish revcl was over, neither women nor
children were spared. A few hours later a heap
of the corpscs OF the hapless victims was
burned by the assassins with the miserable
huts in which they lived.
That awful butchery, and many others ascribed
to him by Cuban writers, Weyler never denied.
| When he was appointed Captain-General Of
Cuba in December. 1895, he wrote n letter to
Ell McrcantH rdlcnciuno. a newspaper of Va.
cuse for these crimes that he acted only as u
subordinate officer. obeying orders from tho
valmaseda was really. .Weyler's model rs q
warrior and a ruler; Valmtseda laid waste
with fire and sword the eastern part Of Cuba.
He marched surrounded by heavy columns Of
5000 soldiers at least. avoiding fights with the
Insurgents: but ;acs'ro Osnn property srn i and mas mas:
har less animals were killed by his columns.
1t was a fayorite maxim with him that even the
paign in Puerto Principe and Santiago was one
OF crimes against women and assassination. He
set the pace which WSyier has kept in the last
When in 1894 Weyler asked for the Captain
Generally from the Cabinet, Of SaEasta the
expecting reforms from the Liberals, which
they never granted. The people protested as
one man against the nomination Of ,Weyler'
The Minister Of the Colonies, Senior Abar2uza
was ready to sign the decree. when the outcry
from Cuba reached Madrid. Fearing a genera
T ES.p,s- in o the lf ;mna the sn Ti ,Se s fsss Is ,S MaiT SSt
Liberals, who now recall Weyler., were the firsi
10 think OF intrusting 10 the butcher the fate o.
Weyler resented as an insult the attitude o.
the Cubans. lie kept. in an album all the arti
cies published against him in Cuba in 1894. Tn
album can be seen now on the Captnin-ienerali
desk at Havana. His chance for wreaking hi
vengeance arrived. and he kept his word. Afte
s sas sas S Sens w ie e ta' 70 t Cub" to put Sfld down nth IL
What Weyler has done we all know. Owe
have been murdered by his orders. His. guer
rilleros, like Alba's murderers in the Neither
lands ID. nay nave made E FOOD the crimes mes az sd GSIm 9nse y
the fl me Of Cuba's hatred toward the mothe
country. Famine stalks over the island. Tn
revolution is stronger than ever. and the day
of Spanish rule are short in the island.