The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-07
Makes Pubic an Interesting
Letter.
THE CABANAs FORTRESS
The Pitiful Condition of Ameri-
can Prisoners Related.
THE LOUD BILL PASSED
THE Most Important Provision Denies
Serial Publications Admission
to the Mails at One Cent
Per Pound.


Washington, Jam 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
surroundings of the American citizens
imprisoned there. The circumstances
surrounding the letter attracted marked
interest to it, as Mr.. Call said it came
from q public man of high standing IN
the United States, who would shortly
occupy a place in the legislative branch
of the government. This led to the I'M
preston that the letter was from Sena-
tor-elect Money. whose recent visit to
Hayan has attracted attention but later
Mr.. Call removed this impression by say
ing that the writer was q prominent man
from d Northern State and Republican.
This exempted Dir. Money, who is
Democrat from Mississippi.
The character OF the writer was indi-
Gated from his frequent references to Wis
the latter dealt with the immediate pre-
sent and described visit made by the
writer and General Lee to Cabanas fort
ress only seven days ago, viz, on the
morning of December 80. 1t told of the
pitifnl condition Of the prisoners, some
of them Americans, including Julio San
gully. and young man who was the
companion of Charles GOWN, the Ameri-
can newspaper correspondent killed in
Cuba. The recital Of these prisoners was
given il full The writer said that while
at General Lees Office on the Monday
previous December 2S,) he saw a son of
DIR. Betanc0urt an American citizen,
who had been practicing dentistry at
Havana for the last year. The son, also
an American citizen, stated that his faith
er had mysteriously disappeared on Sat
urday night He was traced to the Ca
banas fortress where the son on paying
30 cents to Spanish official, was allow
ed to send in food and later ON paying
S1.50 to the official he was allowed to
send cot to his father. No charge, the
letter said, was made against DR. Betan-
court, but it appeared, however, that
while listening TO a band concert in front
of the hotel Ingleterra on Saturday even
ing, the Doctor heard that some one had
circulated the report that he sympathized
with Cuba. He set off to find the author
of the report and contradict it. That was
the last seen of him, and it was supposed.
the false rumor had led 10 his arrest and
close confinement. Mr.. Call referred also
TO letters received from the wife OF one
of the sailors on the ship Competitor now
imprisoned at Havana.
During the day the Senate passed
house bills amending the laws relating
to timber culture, and authorizing bre-
vets TO active or retired officers of the
army or navy.
The joint resolution requesting the
British government to pardon Mrs. Flor
ence Maybrtck was indefinitely postpon-
ed. The bill eyempting settlers on pub
he lands from paying the original govern
ment price fixed on the lands was debat-
ed. Mr.. Pettigrew, Of South Dakota, and
Mr.. Garter, Of Montana speaking In its
favor, hut final vote was not reached.
Mr.. Call (Dem., Florida) was then re-
cognized for a speech on his Cuban resoltl-
fions, introduced yesterday, concerning
the condemnation Of Julio Sanguilly at
Havana. Mr.. Call referred TO the report
from the State department yesterday as
TO the killing of Charles Gown, and said
the report omitted many important fea-
lures which would have disclosed that
Consul General Lee believed Gown had
been tied to tree and chopped to pieces.
As showing the facts in the case, Mr..
Call read the letter mentioned above. 1t
gave description Of a visit TO Cabanas
fortress at Havana, In company with
Consul General Lee. Asccess 20 the
fortress was secured with difnculty, it
being open 10 outsiders only on Wednes-
days and then after "a fours notice. The
writer said that he and General Lee were
escorted within the prison where eight or
ten prisoners, some Of them Americans,
were brought out.
In a circle about them was ranged 100
Spanish soldiers, heavily armed. One Of
the prisoners was q man who had been
with Charles Gown at the time of his
capture. The prisoner stated that the
Spaniards tied him and Gown together.
Gown attempted to show his United
States citizenship papers and his creden-
tials as an American newspaper CORES
pondent. But the Spanish commander
took these from his hand and turned
GOWN over to the cavalry, while the
other prisoner was sent to the Cabanas
fortress.
The writer stated also that from other
reliable sources it was established that
GOWN subsequently had been tied to a
tree and chopped to pieces. Julio San
gully was another OF the prisoners seen
during the visit to the fortress. The
writer described him as an old man whose
hair had turned gray and who appeared
to be over sixty years old. Sanguilly
told pathetic story to the visitors as TO
the injustice Of his trial and conviction
and begged that the United States in
veetigate the case with q view OF estab-