The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-01
HAVANA PAPER HOT HEADED.
ITS ATTACK ON CALHOUN AND THE
CORRESPONDENCE UNJUST.

Mr.. Pepper Sent to the Island on Ac-
count of His Reliability and Con-
serVatisn-The Charge That He
Has Been Unfair 10 the spanish
Side Refuted by the Fact That He
Sent in a Letter Giving the Spanish
Side of the Situation-Many Insur-
gents Killed During May.
Washington, May 31.-The attempt of
Havana newspaper to impugn in advance
the report that will be made to the Presi-
dent by Special Commissioner Calhoun, by
means of an attack upon the letters which
have been printed as coming from Mr..
Pepper, has had the effect to arouse the
friends of the newspaper man to his de-
fense.
Mr.. Peppers letters have been printed in
the Washington Evening Star, so they
have fallen directly under the eye, not
only of congress, but of the members of
the diplomatic corps resident in Washing
ton, and have doubtless been used as the
basis for reports to their own governments.
They have attracted more attention than
would have been accorded to similar COM
municauons from other sources because
of Mr.. Peppers high character among
newspaper men, and his reputation for i'm
NN'efAAANt--'s
The proprietors of the Star were led to
select Mr.. Pepper to visit Cuba and report
upon the conditions there for this, and no
other, reason. They state that as their
special correspondent during the last
heated presidential campaign Mr.. Pepper
showed such a spirit of impartiality and
| fairness, and so much GOODNESS in times of
excitement, that unbalanced the judgment
of many other men, that they felt sure
that his Investigations would bring TO
light, at least so far as it could be con-
veyed through the impressions made upon
a trained and unbiased newspaper man,
the real situation in Cuba. Therefore Mr..
Pepper was not chosen out of considera
ton of his relations to the President and
Mr. Calhoun. As for the former, they
| were those that might exist between any
newspaper man that had been much in
| contact with the President through
| campaign and had earned his good opin-
| ion through his accurate and fair work,
| while, as for the friendship of Mr.. Cal
houn for Mr.. Pepper. it is the confident
| belief of Mr.. Peppers employers that his
| work could not be influenced in the slight
est degree from considerations growing
| out of that connection.
In answer to the criticisms that Mr..
| Peppers work has been unfair toward
| the Spanish side, it is pointed out that in
! last Saturdays Star is one of his letters
devoted entirely to an exposition of the
| merits of the Spanish cause, the basis be-
| ing an interview with one of the largest
| planters on the island, who presents his
| strongest argument by the aid of Mr..
| Peppers pen to show that Cuban denomi-
nation would mean anarchy and ruin for
the best interests of the island.
Havana, May 31.-W. ]. Calhoun, the
United States commissioner, who Is in
vestlgatng the death in the prison at
Guanabacoa of DR.. Ricardo Ruiz, a nat
uralized American citizen. was interview
| ed to-day with reference to the article in
the Diario de la Marina, making an indi-
rect attack upon the commissioner by
critcising articles, which have appeared
| in a Washington newspaper over the sig
nature of Mr.. Pepper, who accompanied
| Mr.. Calhoun to Cuba.
Mr.. Calhoun said: MIR. Pepper Is in no
way connected with the commission On
| the contrary, he came to Havana on his
| own account, as other correspondents
might have come No secrets of the com
mission have been divulged, nor has any
special Information been supplied to him.
which was not obtainable by other cor
| respondents. | suppose Mr.. Peppers in
| formation was gathered from personal in
| formation or fam hearsay."
G. w. Fishback the secretary of Mr..
| Calhoun, was also interviewed, and ex-
pressed opinions similar to those of the
| commissioner.
Gen. Lee, the United States consul gen.
| eral, disclaims exercising any influence
| over newspaper reports sent from Havana
| to the United States and resents the insin-
uation of the Diario de la Marina that res
| ident American correspondents draw their
Inspiration from him.
| Mr.. Pepper says he is much amused by
the attack of the Diario de la Marina. He
returned last night from Guanajaya
/ where accompanied by Mr.. Fishback he
had been on a visit yesterday. He says
his trip was highly interesting. While re-
turning to this city. the car in which he
was travelling was derailed by a railroad
accident, but all the passengers escaped
without injury.
The Bourbon regiment of cavalry, under
the command of Col. Perol, 1t Is officially
reported, has engaged pursued and dis
| persed at Novedad. province of Havana, a
force OF insurgents believed to have been
| commanded by Gen. Albert Rodriguez The
enemy left eleven men killed. In addition,
the insurgents are believed to have suffered
| a heavy loss IN killed, and wounded who
we're carried away. Documents which fell
into the hands OF the spaniards upon this
occasion show that Gen. Albert Rodriguez
! died on May IS.
| II Is officially announced that during
skrmishes which have taken place be-
tween the Spanish troops and the insur-
| gents, within the last ten days the latter
| left 327 men killed, the troops captured
ten prisoners and 1856 fire arms. and 50
armed insurgents surrendered Among the
insurgents killed. IL Is further stated, were
one colonel two lieutenant-colonels, and
seven officers OF miner rank The Spanish
forces during these engagements, the Of
fetal continues. lost two officers and twen-
| ty-fve soldiers killed and had six officers
and ll3 soldiers wounded.
Captain General Weyler has arrived az
Sancu Splrtus, province OF Santa Clara.
|
LYONS FIGHTING MAD