The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-13

New York, June 12.-Among the pas
sengers who landed in New York to-
day on the steamer Valencia. from Gu
ban ports. via Nassau. N P, was DR..
H. w. Danfcrth of Milwaukee. Wis,
who for 10 months has been the per-
sonal physician of the president of the
Cuban republic, Salvador Cisneros, the
marquis OF Santa Lucia. The doctor is
in the United States on six months
leave of absence. having left Cuba in
a 16-foot open boat on May 20 for the
island of New Providence. After much
suffering and exposure he reached Mas
sau, and there awaited the arrival Of
the Valencia.
According to Spanish reports, Presi-
dent Cisneros died in February last, and
this news" was semi-officiaHy con-
firmed in March last. But Mr.. Dan
forth was with the president as late as
April last, and has a letter which he
showed TO the representative OF the
Associated Press dated April %, from
the president. When Danforth left him
he was full Of enthusiasm and animated
by the most confident feeling for the
eventual success of the Cuban cause.
Mr. Danforth said the seat of govern
ment of the Cuban republic is at
Augura, Puerto Principe. where the in
surgents have erected a capitol. The
president. however, is not now at
Agura, but in the province of Santiago
de Cuba.
Mr.. Danforth was asked to express
an opinion as to the numerical strength
of the Cuban insurgents, being in
formed that late advices from Cuba
placed the number at 5000 men.
He said
1T is difficult, if not impossible, to
arrive at a correct estimate. But YOU
can say that the Cubans for certainty
have at least $4,000 to $4,000 today,
armed and in good shape The Cubans
have been importing arms and ammu-
milton right along. They are fighting a
desperate fight and are in good condi-
ton to continue it. The Spaniards are
also engaged in a desperate contest,
but they are~exhausted, or almost so.
''I certainly think the Cubans will
succeed, not by reason of numerical
strength, for the Spaniards have about
15O. coo men in the field All the Cuban
leaders are sworn not to give up until
they are all dead. They are bound by
oath to fight until the last, and they
will do So
LAS to Spanish atrocities. what do
YOU know of them of your own per-
SOudl H.
asked.
THE position which l occupied with
the insurgent forces necessarily pre-
cluded my obtaining personal knowl-
edge of the atrocities comolained or
But from the reports received al head
quarters there is absolutely no doubt
of their existence. | remember one IN
cident. Last September 5000 or 4,OOO
Spanish soldiers had been sent to re-
lieve Cascarrio. In the fight which fol-
lowed the Spanish column killed, among
others, an insurgent captain. When we
secured his body il was horrible sight,
covered with bayonet
wounds and machete cuts. hacked and
stabbed with the most horrible and I'M
necessary cruelty.
But from good sources. l have heard
and feel justified in asserting men,
women and children have been most
outrageously treated by the Spaniards
in nearly all the devastated parts or
Cuba. Homes have been burned, prop
erty destroyed and the prisoners have
been relegated to Weyler's zones of
protection-zones of starvation is what
they should be termed
What in your opinion, viii be the
next steps taken by the Spaniards in
Cuba?"
1T is difficult to answer that ques-
ton. But it is to be presumed that
Weyler will continue wandering about