The San Francisco call., 1897-11-22
StarVatiOn'S Sway on the
Island Remains
Unchecked.
RocOnCentradOS Continue to
Perish at a Fearful
Rate.
To Add TO the Horrors of Warfare
and Hunger, smallpox Has
Broken Out.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL,

HAVANA (via Key West, Fla.), Nov.
! 21.--La Lucha in a recently published ed
itorial expresses doubt as 10 the sincerity
Of friendship for Spain professed by the
| American Government, and says: IF the
American Government cannot prevent the
sailing from the ports of the country OF
expeditions in aid of the insurgents and
does not respond in other ways to Spain s
efforts to come to favorable term 8 It Is use
less for Spain 10 maintain friendly rela-
| tions with America"
Reports from Matanzas say that the
Conservatives having become enraged
at the change in the Government s
policy are disturbing the public order.
Ex-Mayor Crespo initiated :he disorderly
conduct by publicly giving otfense to
Senior Armas, the new civil Governor OF
the province. The Chief of Police fol-
lowed Senor Crespo's lead by endeavoring
to prevent aid being given to the suffering
reconce trados by newspaper corre-
spondents and others. OF the reconcen-
trados in Matanzas, numbering more
than so, 900. seventy-nine died in two
days, thirty seven perishing from hanger.
Yesterday seventeen deaths were re-
ported, large proportion of which were
me result 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 becoming worse as
the winter season approaches, despite the
efforts made to relieve them.
Horrible episodes are of daily occur.
renee among the reconcentrados. After
lying for three days upon the sidewalk in
front of house In MatanZas poor negro
woman, who was suffering terribly and
was unable to move, was carried away by
a food caused by heavy downfall of
rain. A short Iime afte-ward her dead
body was discovered few blocks away
and at last reports was still lying in the
gutter.
A cab driver who was carrying a sick
man 10 a hospital observed that his pas
senger was dying, dragged him from his
CAB, leaving him on the cur bstore, where
he finally died.
Reports from Candeiaria say that man
who was suffering from smallpox was
driven by the authorities into the insur-
gent camp at Cojadal Negro, Pinar del Rio
Province, where threats were made to
hang the man ii he was not taken away.
On Wednesday evening the remaining
canefelds on the plantation Portugalete
owned by Manuel Gaivo, were destroyed
by fire.
Marshal Blanco has appointed thirty
four new EN- ployes at the custom-house
OF these five are native Cubans and t @
remainder SpaniardS and reformists. The
autonomists are greatly disgust ted by
their appointments. Sixty per>ons en-
II ,o1 a
various parts of the island have Joined the
revolu.ionists. and a number OF prisoners
at Guines, who were pardoned under the
recent proclamation, have returned to the
insurgets.
Smallpox is raging in the neig hborhood
of the insurgent headquarters, in PInar
del Rio, and there are in the hospitals
and The hills 100 persons suffering from
the disease.
1t is stated by a prominent citizen of
Pinar del Rio according to an official re-
port that there are 1900 armed insurgents
in the province, including the bands
which have recently entered the province
under Maria Rodriguez and other leaders.
General Hernandez Velasco confirms
the statement that the nsurgents in Pinar
del Rio are abundantIy supplied with am
munition. Seventy of General Velasco's
men have arrived at Pnar del Rio suffer-
ing from wounds received in the recent
engagements
TIE financial situation of the militar ry
ad minislration is bad. The soldiers have
not been paid in eight months. There is
a scarcity in the meat supply for the hos.
pitals and in many towns no meat has
been obtaiuable for many days.
General Losada, sub-inspector of the
Health Department, said recently to the
CORES pondent of Ell Impartial in Madrid
that there were actually 80, coo soldiers in
the hospitals in Cuba and that about 15.-
000 of this number were not suffering
from any disease. but sim ply from need oil
nourishment.
the town of San Nicolas In Havana prov
s1nce. Rio Selco, province of Havana, re-
ports that fresh band of INSURGENTS
we'll armed and equipped, have appeared
in that vicinity. The leader OF the band
is not known. The police recently visited
the house of George W. Hyatt, chief of
the relief department OF the United States
Consulate at II o'clock at night to make
inquiries as to the destination OF guam
tity of food which had been taken into the
house during the day. The female in-
mates, becoming frightened, refused to
open the door and insisted upon being
informed of the object OF the officers
visit.
The police finally retired upon learning
that the inmates were Americans.
The insurgents. it is reported. have cap
tured $50 mules from the Consacion del
Sur Government reservation.
A dispatch from Madrid says that Senior
Gibera. deputy to the Spanish Cortes and
leader OF the new autonomists, Is on his
way to Cuba, where he will enter The
autonomist party upon condition that
Seniors. Montero, Fernandez de Castro
Cuelo and Zayes leave the board of di-
rectors of the party, it being asserted that
they are too pronouncedIy Spanish to sue
ceeu in inducing the insurgents to accept
autonomy under their leadership. Senior
Jose Galvez will remain chairman OF the
party.