The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-07

Letter from a Consressman-EIect
Telling of Outrages ON Amerfcans.

Telling of Outrages On Americans.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 6-The speech OF
Senator Call. OF Florida. on Cuba to-day
served as the medium for making public a
letter giving "A graphic description OF the
Cabanas fortress at Havana and the sur
roundings OF the American citizens impris-
oned there The circumstances surrounding
the letter attracted marked interest 10 It.
as Mr. Call said IL came from public man
of high standing in the United States. who
would shortly occupy place I'm the legisla-
tive branch of the government. The letter
dealt with the immediate present and de-
scrhed a visit made by the writer and Gen.
eral Lee to Cabanas fortress only seven
days ago. namely. on the morning OF Dsc.
30. 1t told of the pitiful condition OF the
prisoners. some of them Americans. :nclud-
ing Julio sanguilly and a young msn who
was the companion of Charles Gown. The
American newspaper correspondent killed in
Cuba. The recital of these prisoners was
given in full The writer also gave the par
ticulars of another arrest. He said that
while at General Lees Office on the Monday
previous dec. PSI he saw OF DIR.
Betancourt. an American citizen who had
been practicing dentistry at Havana for the
last year. The son, also an American citi-
zen, stated that his father had mysteriously
disappeared on Saturday night. He
traced to the Canabas fortress, where the
son, on paying 80 cents 10 a Spanish OFF,
cial, was allowed TO send "A cot to his father
Mr. Call referred also TO letters received
from the wife of one of the sailors on the
ship Competitor, now imprisoned at Hs-
Senator Calls speech was based on his
resolutions introduced yesterday concerning
the condemnation of Julio Sanguilly at
Havana. Mr.. Call referred to the report
from the State Department yesterday as 10
the killing OF Charles GOWN and said that
the report omitted many important features
which would have disclosed that Consul
General Lee believed GOWN had De<p- tied
to tree and chopped TO pieces. As SHOW
ing the facts I'm the case Mr.. Call then read
the letter referred to above. IL described
Havana in company with Consul General
Lee Access TO the fortress was secured
with difficulty, IL being open TO outsiders
only on Wednesdays and then after twenty
four hours notice. The writer said that he
and General Lee were escorted within the
prison, where eight OF ten prisoners. some
a circle about them was ranged 100 Spanisf
soldiers, heavily armed. One or the prison-\
ers was a man who had been with Charles
Gown at the time OF his capture The pris-
oner stated that the Spaniards tied him
and Gown together. Gown attempted to
show his United States citizenship papers
and his credentials as an American news
paper correspondent but the Spanish COM
mander struck these from his hand and
other prisoner was sent to the Cabanas
fortress. The writer stated also that from
other reliable sources IL was established
that Gown subsequently had been tied TO
tree and chopped TO pieces. julio SanguilIy
was another of the prisoners seen during
this visit 20 the fortress. The writer de-
scrfbed him as an old man whose hair had
turned gray and who appeared TO be over
sixty years old. Sanguilly told pathetic
story 10 the visitors 90 the injustice OF
his trial and conviction. and begged that
the United States investigate the case with
a view of establishing that he WAS prose-
cuted for what he might have done and
not what he had done Mr.. Call again
stated that this letter came from a promi-
Northern man and "A Republican who had
been highly honored i'm this country and
would soon return 20 a high public place.
After reading other letters reciting the
cruel methods employed in Spanish prisons,
Mr. Call declared that these prisons were
stained with the blood OF American cfti-
zens. II needed but an investigation 10 un-
The senator asserted that "A nation which
failed TO protect its citizens justly deserved
the execratiOn OF the civilized world. Mr..
Call spoke of the reports that the powers
of Europe would coerce the United states.
What effect. he asked. would such con-
cert OF European nations have when the
sympathy of mankind and the sentiment OF
the Christian world was with the strug-
Cling patriots of Cuba IL would be a futile
Intervention, even IL attempted. for no
statesman OF Europe could successfully ap-
peal 90 the masses of his people TO strike
at those engaged in struggle for inde-
pendence and liberty. Ii the United States
remained passive while such outraSes as
those on GOWN and Sanguilly proceeded.