The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-08

New York, June William ]. Cal
houn. who was sent to Cuba as special
commissioner to investigate the cause
of the death in prison of DR.. Ruiz, an
American citizen, reached this city on
his return today. accompanied by
George W. Fishback, his secretary, and
Charles Nj. Pepper, Il Washington
newspaper correspondent, who went 10
Cuba with the commissioner. Ramon
o. Williams, formerly United States
consul-general TO Cuba, came on the
same steamer.
Mr.. Calhoun said that the commits
sion held three sittings between May
20 and June l at Havana, Regulus and
Guanabacoa.
The papers examined in the case were
chiefly military records. The final re-
port viii be made to Washington by
General Lee.
AT the sessions of the commission"
Mr.. Calhoun said, in response TO re
porter's questioning, we examined
several witnesses. but when you ask me
If they were plentiful, 1 can only say
that they did not run after us and we
had TO use no force TO keep theln away.
They were composed of Spaniards and
Cubans. The Spanish witnesses. and
in fact all of those who testified, were
so surrounded with safeguards that it
was impossible to get at the naked
truth. One person whom we would
have liked to hear could not be found.
This was Fonsdevilla, who COM
manded the Spanish in the Guanabacoa
territory. He. disappeared and it was
impossible to find him. Captain-Gen-
eral Weyler did not appear at the in
vestigation. We inspected the jail at
Guanabocoa and when we were there
it was auspiciously clean.
ARREST OF RUIZ.
we learned that DR.. Ruiz was ar
rested on Feb. 4, charged with having
some connection in an assault which
took place in a railroad train between
Guanabacoa and Havana. He was
placed IN solitary confinement-or as
it is known there. he was incommuni-
caGo. Thirteen days later he was taken
out of his cell on account of his men
tai and physical condition. It was
then found that he was suffering from
a severe wound or the head and he
died two hours after he had been re-
leased from the cell in which the secret
of his injury is buried. The deceased
doctors American citizenship was
never denied. The autopsy showed
that he died of congestion of the brain.
His remains are inferred at Guanaba-
Goa. We had no positive or direct proof
of any assault whatever, and the con-
clusion arrived at must be based on
Consul-General Lee. which is now on
its way TO Washington. 1 myself wiz
make no report and I prefer not to say
anything as TO my idea of the affair
until the report is made public by the
proper authorities at Washington.
shall go to Washington tomorrow
morning"
COURTESY IN CUBA
Mr.. Calhoun said he had been treated
courteously while in Cuba by all those
with whom he came in contact. His
visit was a pleasant one. but owing to
the bad weather which prevailed dur
ing his stay he was unable to visit the
interior.
c. w. Fishback. who is Mr.. Calhouns
secretary, was reticent when spoken
TO in reference to his trip, but he made
one significant statement: we did net
go within the insurgent lines. but the
insurgents, however, are not all within
the lines"
Mr.. Williams said he had been travel
ing through Mexico and had a very
enjoyable trip. When informed that
his name had been mentioned for the
Spanish mission, he expressed surprise
and said he had not received the offer.
In a later interview Mr.. Calhoun
said:
The island of Cuba is rapidly being
devastated 10y a relentless cruel and
iflNNEi A4NlA Ndi. 81 llldl III q time
IL will not be worth anything to any
one.
1T is difficult to get at the exact stu
alton there. In the first place there is
severe censorship Of the papers and
those who are naturally friendly to
Cuba hardly dare express their views
and opinions.
Furthermore. the adherents Of beth
sides are exceedingly intense. They tell
their stories just as they want you to
believe them. From The Spanish point
of view the island is practically paci-
fed, and from that Of the Cubans. the
insurgents never We're in such excel
lent shape as they are now
HAVANA TO MATANZAS.
Did you 80 to the interior of the
island?" asked the reporter.
Yes, / went from Havana to
Matanzas. While both are on the sea-
coast, skill TO go from one point to the
other by rail takes you through a large
part Of the interior country.
4 also made several short trips from
Havana in other directions"
What is the condition Of the
countrv2"
1T seems to be entirely depcpulated.
and there are no signs of any buildings
except at tie railroad stations.
These. by the way are practically
forts. 4 was generally informed that
the same condition Of affairs exists
throughout the Cuban island from
Havana to Pinar del Rio. except in the
extreme eastern end. Thera is where
the Cubans get their supplies and their
cattle They control that section 1t
was the portion Of the island which
held out ten years in The last war.
Cuba is undoubtedly a magnificent
country. 1t IS rich and beautiful and
the soil responds bountifully TO the
seed.
While I am not called upon to make
any formal report to the president, be-
cause J AGED merely as counsel TO
General Lee in the Ruiz case, still
MAJ be asked to tell Mr.. Mckinley and
the secretary Of state of the things
which I have heard and seen on my
brief trip 10 the island Of Cuba. In
this event ] viii readily do So"