Birmingham state herald., 1897-06-08
CALHOUN BACK FROM CUBA DecIRs.S to Talk Until Gen, Lee
 Is Has Spoken
 gGARDlNG RUIz'S DEATH
Between the Lines, However, Can Be Read the Opinion of Foul PIay-Signfcant Re-
 mark of His Private Secretary.

New York, June William J. Calhoun, who was sent to Cuba as special com missioner to inves igate the circum- stances of the death in prison of Dr. Ruiz, am American citizen, reached this city on his return today. He was accom- panled by George W. Flshbaek, his sec- reoary, and Charles M. Pepper, Wash ington newspaper correspondent, who went to Cuba with the commissioner.
 MT. Calhoun said that the commission held three sittlngs be .ween May and June 3, at Havana and anabaco The witLiesseS examined in the case were mosely military officers.
 Ina conversation, MT. Calhoun said:
 The island of Cuba is rapidly being devastated by "a relen-l less, cruel and bit- ter civil war, and in a short time it will not be. worth anything to any one. IL Is difficuNe to get at the exact situation there. In the first place, there is a severe censorship, and they are naturally friend- ly to the Cubans. hardly daring to express their views and opinions. Fur hermore, the adherents of beth sides are exceed tngly intense. They tell their stories just as they wana you to believe hem. In the spanish point of view, the island is practically pacified, and from that of the CubanS the insurgents never were in such excellen. shape as they now are"
 Did you go into the interior of the island?' asked the reporter.
 Yes, l went from Havana to Matan- gas. While both are on the sea coast still to go from one point to the other bN rail, it takes you through large part of the interior. l also made several short trips from Havana in other directions"
 What is the oond ton of the country?"
 'It seems to be entirely depopulated and there are no signs of any buildings standing except at the railway stations. These, by the way, are practically forts. I was generally informed that the same condition of affairs exists throughout from Havana to Pinar del Rio, except in the extreme west end. That is where the Cubans get their supplies and their cattle. They control that section now. It was this portion of the island that held out ten years in the last war.
 Cuba is undoubtedly a magnificent country. It is rich and beautiful and the soil responds bountifully to the seeds.
 While l am not called upon to make any formal report to the president, be- cause l merely acted as counsel to Gen. eral Lee in the Ruiz case, may be asked to tell MT. MsKinley and the secretary of state of the things which have seen and heard in my brief trip to the island 90 so sups' n ''a' 'aSs e''''s W''' ao
 At the sessions of the commission" MT. Calhoun said, in response to re- por.er's question, i've examined several witnesses, but when you ask me if they were plentiful I can only say that they did ri-t run after us and we had to use no effort to keep them away. They were composed of Spanfards and Cubans. The Spanish witnesses, and, in fact, all of these testified surrounded with safe- guards 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 Fonsdeviel, who conn manded the Spanish in the Guana bacoa territory. He disappeared, and it was impossible to find him. Capt. Gen. Wey- Ter did not put in an appearance at The investigation. We inspected the jail at Guana acoa. and when we were there 1t was suspfciously clean. We learned that Dr. Ruiz was arrested on February 4, charged with having some connection in an assault which took place in a rail- way train between Guana bacoa and Ha- yana- He was placed in solitary con- finament, or as it is known shere. he was incommunicado. Thirteem days later he was taken out of his cell on account of his mental and physical condition. It was Then found that he was suffering from severe wound on the head and he died two hours after he had been res leased from the cell in which the secret of his injury is buried.
 The question of the deceased doctors American citizenship was never denied. The autopsy showed that he died from congestion of the brain. His remains are inferred al Guana bacoa We had no positive or direct proof of any assault whatever and the conclusion arrived at must be based on the detailed evidence in the report of Consul General Lee, which is now on it's way to Washington l, myself, will make no report and pre- fer not to say anything as to my idea of the affair until the report is made pub- lie by the proper authorities at Washing ton. I shall go to Washington tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock
 MT. Calhoun said he had been treated courteously while in Cuba by all those with whom he came in contact. His visit was pleasant one, but owing to the bad wea ther which prevailed during his stay he was una ble to visit the interior
 MT. George W. Fishback. who is Mir. Calhouns secretary, was reticient when spoken to in reference to his trip, but he made one significant statement:
 We did not go within the insurgent lines but all the insurgents, however, are not, within the insurgent lines.