The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-06-08


Mr.. Calhoun was accompanied by George
W. F'shback. his secretary, and Charles
NJ. Pepper. Washington newspaper cor
respondent who went TO Cuba with tho
commissioner Ramon O. Williams. form
ery United States minister 10 Cuba, came
On the same steamer
MIR, Calhoun said that tho commission
held three sittngs between May 90 and |
June / a, Havana Reruias and Guiana
bacoa The papers examined in the case
were chiefly military records. The final |
report will be made to Washington by |
General Lee
Mr. Calhoun said In response to a re-
portcrs question. I'VE examined several
Witnesses. hut when you ask me If they
were plentiful can only say that they did
not run after us and We had to use no force
to keep them away. They We're composed Of
Spaniards and Cubans. The Spanish wit
nosses aud, in fact. all Of those who testl-
fed were so surrounded with safeguards
tina, Il was impossible 10 get at the naked
truth one person whom we would like
to have heard could not he found This
was Ponds de Viola, who commanded the
Span SD in the Guanabacoa territory. He
disappeared and it was impossible 10 tlnd
him. Captain General Wcyor did not put
IN an appearance at the investigation. We
inspected tho Jail at Guanabacoa, and it
was suspiciously clean.
we learned ,hat pr, Ruiz was arrested
on February L. charged with haNinE soius
connection with some assault which took
place on d railway. lie was placed In soil
iary confinement or. as II is known there
he was iucommuuicado. Thirteen days
later he was taken out OF his cell on &C
count of his mental and physical eonai-
linn If was thon found that he was SUI
fering from q severe wound on tine hea1
and died Two hours after he had been re-
leased from the cell in which the secret 10
his injury is buried The question OF tho
deceased's American citizenship was never
denied. The autopsy showed that he dled
from congestion of the brain. His remains
were Inferred at Gunnahacoa.
We had no possible direct proof of any
assault whatever and the conclusion ar
rived az must be based on she detailed evil
dence in the report Of Consul General Lee,
which is now on it's way to Washington.
T. myself, viii make no report and prefer
not to say anything as to my idea of The
affair until the report is made public by
the prorer authorities at Washington. l
shall go 10 Washington tomorrow morning
at 30 O'clock
MIR Calhoun said that he had been treat
oi courtoously while in Cuba by all those
with whom he came in contact. His visit
was very pleasant, but owing TO the bad
weather which prevailed during his stay
he WAS unable TO visit the anterior.
In a later conversation he said:
The island Of Cuba is rapidly being
ter civil war. so that in short time IT
Will not be worth anything TO anyone. II
is difficult to get at the exact situation
there In the first place there is a severe
censorship of the press and those who are
naturally friendly to Cubans hardly dare
to express their opinions, Furthermore,
the adherents OF both sides are exceedingly
intense. They tell stories Just as they
want YOU 10 believe them. From the Span
.
pacincd. and from that Of the Cubans the
insurgents never were in such excellent
shape as they are now"
Did you so into the interior OF the
island?" asked the representative.
YES / went from Havana 10 Matanzas
While beth are on the seacost, still 10
go from one point TO the other by rail takes
yor through large RarSof the interior
country. | also made several shore trips
from Havana in other directions"
What is the condition of The country"
ct seems TO be entirely dopopulated,
and there are no signs OF any buildings
standing except at the railway stations
These, by the way. arc practically forts.
was generally Informed that the same
condition OF affairs exists throughout cuba
from Havana TO Pinar del Rio. except IN
the extreme eastern end. There is where
the Cubans get their supplies and their
cattle. They control that section now
IT vas the portion Of the island which held
out ten years in the last war.
CUBA is undoubtedly magnificent
country. 1t IL rich aud beautiful and the
soil responds beautifully TO the seed.
while ! am not called upon TO make a
formal report OF tho matter 10 the Eresl-
dent, because | acted merely as counsel 10
General Lee In the Ruiz case, still may
be asked TO tell Mr.. Mckinley and the sec
rotary Of state Of the things which | have
seen and heard In my brief trip 10 Cuba. |
In that case ] readily will do So
Mr. George w. Fishback. who Is Mr.. |
CalhouI's secretary. was reticent when
spoken To In regard TO his trip. hut he
made one Significant statement, I'VE did
not go within the insurgent lines: but all
The Insurgents are not within the lnss."
Mr. Williams said he had been travelling
through Mexico and had very enjoyable
trim. When informed that his name had
been mentioned for the Spanish mission.