Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-06-12
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MR. CALHOUN ON CUBA.
Presidents Special Commissioner
Talks Of DR.. Ruiz's Death.
WOUNDED WHILE IN HIS CELL.
Mr.. Calhoun Tells or the Great Diff1-
Guilty In Getting at the Facts Regard
ing the Doctors Death. and Dis
cuSSeS the Rufn of Crha

Mr.. Calhoun Tells OF the Great Diffi-
Guilty in Getting at the Facts Regard
ing the Doctors Death, and Dis
cusses the Ruin of Cuba.
New York, June S.-William J. Cal
houn, who was sent to Cuba as a spe-
cial commissioner to investigate tho
circumstances of the death in prison OF
DIR. Ruiz, an American citizen, reached
this city on his return yesterday. He
was accompanied by George w. Fish
back, his secretary, and Charles M. Pep
per, Washington newspaper CORE
spondent.
AT the sessions Of the commission"
Mr.. Calhoun said to an interviewer,
I'VE examined several witnesses, but
when you ask me If they were plentiful
l can only say that they did not run
after us. and we had to use no force
to keep them away. They were COM
posed 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 Fonds-
deviela, who commanded the Spanish
in the Guanabacoa territory. He dis
appeared, and it was impossible to find
him. Captain General Weyler did not
put in an appearance at the investiga-
ton.
I'VE inspected the jail at Guanaba-
Goa, and when we were there it was
suspiciously clean. We learned that
DIR. Ruiz was arrested on Feb. 4, charg-
ed with having some connection in an
assault which took place in railroad
train between Guanabacoa and Ha-
vana. He was placed in solitary con-
finement, or. as it is known there, he
was incommunicado Thirteen days
later he was taken out of his cell on
account of his mental and physical
condition. 1t was found that he was
suffering from a severe wound in the
head, and he died two hours after he
had been released from the cell, in
which the secret of his injury is buried.
1.-THE question of the deceased doctors
American citizenship was never de-
MED. The autopsy showed that he died
of congestion of the brain. His remains
are inferred at Guanabacoa. We had
no positive or direct proof of any as
sault whatever, and the conclusion ar
rived at must be based on the detailed
evidence in the report of Consul Cen
eral Lee, which Is now on its way to
Washington. /, myself, will make no re-
port, and prefer not to say anything
as to my idea of the affair until the re-
port is made public by the proper au-
thorities at Washington.
'The island of Cuba is rapidly being
devastated by a relentless, cruel and
bitter civil war, SO that in short
time 1t will not be worth anything to
anyone. 1t is difficult to get at the exact
situation there. In the first place, there
is severe censorship of the press, and
those who are naturally friendly to the
Cubans hardly dare to express their
views and opinions Furthermore, the
adherents of both 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 pacified, and from that of
the Cubans, the insurgents never were
In such excellent shape as they now
are"
What is the condition of the
country"
ut seems to be entirely depopulated,
and there are no signs of any buildings
standing except at the railroad sta
tions. These, by the way, are practi-
cally forts. I was generally informed
that the same condition of affairs ex-
lists throughout Cuba from Havana to
Pinar del Rio. except in the extreme
eastern end. This is where the Cubans
get their supplies and their cattle.
They control that section now. 1t was
the portion of the island which held
out ten years in the last war"