The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-11-22
STARVATION IN CUBA.
Pitiable Condition Of Reeonoentra-
.a- dos in Matanzas. I'd
OPPOSING AID TO THE DESTITUTE

The Chief OF Police Would Prevent
the Charitably Inclined From Giving
6uccor to Stricken Ones = Soldiers
Suffering For the NeeessarIes of Life.
Havana. Nov. 22.--La Lucha In a re-
Gently published editorial expresses
doubt as to the sincerity Of the friend
ship for Spain professed by the Ameri-
san government. and says: "If the
American government cannot prevent
the sailing from the ports Of that coun-
try of expeditions in aid of the tnsur.
gents. and does not respond in other
ways to Spains efforts to come to fa-
yorable terms. It is useless for Spain
to maintain friendly relations with
America"
Reports from Mantanzas say that
ahe conservatives, having become en-
ragged at the change in the govern
ment's policy. are disturbing public Or
Ger. Ex-Mayor Crespo initiated the dis
orderly conduct by publicly giving Of
Tense to Senor Armas. the new civil
governor Of the province. The chief
of police followed Crespo's lead by en-
deavoring to prevent aid being given
to the suffering reconcsntrados by
newspaper correspondents and others.
Or the reconcentrados In Matanzas.
numbering less than $4,000. 70 died In
two days, 81 perishing from hunger.
Saturday II deaths were reported, a
large proportion of which were the re-
suit of starvation. In Jaruco about 65
per cent of the deaths are caused by
starvation, and the same Is true of
many other towns. Owing to the lack
OF proper clothing and Of blankets the
situation Of the reconcentrados Is be.
Soming worse as the winter season ap-
proaches. despite the efforts made to
relieve them.
Horrible episodes are Of daily oc-
currence among the reconcentrados Az
ter lying Tor three days on the sidewalk
In front of house In Matanzas a poor
negro woman. who, was suffering ter
T.bly and was unable to move, was car
r1ed away by flood caused by heavy
downfall of rain. A short time after
ward her dead body was discovered a
MW blocks away, and at last reports
was still lying in the gutter.
A cab driver who was carrying q
sick man to hospital. observing that
he was dying. dragged him from his
cab, leaving him on the curbstone,
where he finally died. Cases similar to
siese are Of frequent occurrence.
Reports from Candelaria say that a
man who was suffering from smallpox
was driven by the authorities into the
tnsurgent camp at Ceja del Negro, in
Pinar del Rio province where threats
were made to hang the man If he was
not taken away.
Sixty persons employed about the
docks and others in various parts of the
island have Joined the revolutionsts,
and a number of prisoners at Guines
who were pardoned under the recent
proclamation have returned to the in
surgents.
Smallpox is ravaging the neighbour
hood Of the insursent headquarters
IN Pinar del Rio, and there are In the
hospitals in the hills 1.70O persons suf-
fering from the disease.
The financial situation OF the mill
tary administration is bad The SOL
eiers have not been paid in eight
months There is a scarcity in the
meat supply for the hospitals. and In
many towns no meat has been OBJ
tainable for many days.
General Losada. sub-inspector Of the
hialth department, said recently that
there were actually $4,000 soldiers In
the hospitals in Cuba, and that about
$4,000 of this number were not suf-
fering from any disease, but simply
from need Of nourishment.