The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-24

From the New York Journal.
MIS-. jill a Ward Howes noble appeal to
the pope, and Mrs Jefferson Davis petit
ton to the queen regent of Spain, asking
for the release of Evangelina Cossio Cis-
neros, the beautiful relative of President
Cisneros of the Cuban republic, who has
been kept for nine months In an Havana
prison for harlots, and is now threaten
ed with a sentence of Imprisonment for 20
years, have stirred the savage captain
general and yesterday the New York
World assisted him in an attempt to
damn the efforts being made to save the
innocent girl from a fate worse than
death.
The outburst Of horror evoked by the
publication of the facts in this case has
frightened even the pitiless butcher who
has the fate of Miss Cisneros in his
hands. In the attack upon the poor cap
tive which the World procured from him
General Weyler says:
For judicial reasons there Is on trial
In the preliminary stages-a person named
Evangelina Cossio Cisneros who, deceit
fully Turing to her house the military
commander of the Isle of Pines, had men
posted secretly who tied him and at
tempted to assassinate him. This case
is in the preliminary stages, and has not
as yet been tried by a competent tribu-
nal, and consequently no sentence has
been passed or approved by me-"
Miss Cisneros is eighteen years old,
and is, according to all who have seen
her, the most beautiful girl in the island
OF Cuba. Being of Spanish blood and
good BIRTH she was reared in seclusion,
and, almost a child in years, Is as ignor-
ant of the world as a clustered num- The
gentlest blood in Cuba flows in her veins.
For purely political offence her father
was exiled to the Isle of Pines, a penal
colony off the coast of Cuba. Miss Cis-
neros went to the colony to be near her
unfortunate parent
NOW, mark the facts, practically ad-
mitted by Gen. Weyler! Miss Cisneros'
innocence and beauty excited the lust of
Col. Berris, military governor of the isle
or Pines, and nephew of the prime minis
ter of Spain. He offered protection for
her fat her at the price of her honor She
turned from the brute in horror and told
her friends the story. Weyler admits
that Cob -Berris went to her room and
was sliced and bound by brave men who
came to her rescue. What was Spanish
military governor doing in the chamber
of the helpless Cuban girl? What would
have been her fate if her friends had not
heard her outcry? If the Spanish COVER
nor had desired to see her for any inno-
cent purpose, would he not have sum-
moned her to his office in the day time
instead of invading her apartment at
night?
But the governor was the prime minis
ter's nephew. To save himself he had
his intended victim arrested and accused
her of the crime of rebellion. And for
nine months this pure girl has been held
in prison with swarm of the vilest wo-
men in Havana.
She was put on trial before military
court. The proceedings were kept secret
for awhile, but the correspondents of the
Journal and New York Sun In Havana
| made the facts public. The Spanish
prosecutor asked the court to fmprison
her for twenty years. SO far the court
has not made its findings public. 1t Is
| for the captain-general to approve them
or otherwise. There can be no doubt that
the military Judges have condemned Miss
| Cisneros, or she would be free now.
Wey1er says that the victim has not been
| tried by, a competent tribunal" That is
quite true. Her brutal and cowardly
prosecutor had influence enough to in
sure a secret trial.
The only chance for saving this gentle
born daughter of Cuba from a doom
worse than death lies in an appeal by
the women of America to the pious queen
regent of Spain. Mrs. Jefferson Davis in
her cable dispatch to Queen Maria
Christina assured her that IL she would
send Miss Cisneros to live among the wo-
men of this country they would offer
| themselves as surety that her life would
| be one long thank-offering.
| The World has made a mistake. This
| is not a case that admits of its methods.
The women Of America will save her yet
in spite of Weyler AID the World.