Evening journal., 1897-02-25
LEAVE CUBA IN A. PANIC.
Americans Terrorized by the
Situation In Havana.
FEAR THEIR LIVES ARE IN DANGER

dier and every scamp in Havana knows o
the threatened breaking off OF relations be
tween the United States and Spain, ane
they are prepa '0g for It, The work upoi
defenses is being pushed on with great en-
ergy. and it is rumored every FIVE minutei
Of the day that General Lee has rcceivee
his passports and that war Is declared.
Americans are iocking IN from th,
country, and IL one-half the American,
who want to leave for the United Statei
on the Mascotte this noon board her sh,
will sink and this letter mover reach tn,
cable Office in Key West
The position of our citizens Is most crit
ical The rumor, whether true or false
has gone abroad that the American gov
ernment would not intervene; that Amer
leans can be murdered with perfect i'm
munity so long ms the trade interests o.
the country are not interfered with.
Unless something firm and decided ant
strongly American is done by our govern
ment in Washington, Americans are IN
great danger of their lives. The murder ol
Ruiz and the demand for the release oi
Scott are the sole topics of conversation.
Tho government and palace people herr
tried % change the subject Of conversation
by giving out late last evening news o
an alleged skirmish with Gomez, but tn,
attempt was a failure.
The amusement and the great hilaritl
which were 10 be observed at the palac,
for the past few days have changed Min
lister de LONE, always accurate as a new
gatherer, has cahled the captain genera
that Lee will not be recalled; that his res
ignation is not accepted, and that he may
be sustained.
Congratulations to Lee.
Hundreds of cablegrams are pouring H.
on General Lee from every quarter of tn,
globe. congratulating him upon the stanc
he has taken, those from the United State,
promising patriotic action in congress
Even at this critical moment and Will
many heavy cares and responsibilities
which the administration should shar,
Weighing upon him, General Ice View
the question from q calm, dispassionat,
standpoint, and he authorizes mo TO ox
pross the hope that the situation created
by the murder of Ruiz and his own deter
mination not TO submit TO another similal
atrocity should not be exploited by parti
san advocates OF any particular body TO
ward the island Of Cuba.
He has acted as dispassionately ang
without personal prejudice in this matter
as though the outrages had occurred In
Crete or Korea, and he trusts and believes
congress will do the same. The issue, he
thinks, is clear. It is whether law abiding
American citizens residing abroad are q
be protected OF whether we are To serv
notice that they can be murdered and tor
tured with impunity.
The position of General Leo Is so clea
to us all here on the island who have wit
u fs,.t -. ..F fl4. Nua HanH
months that / am afraid we do not tax
enough time in explaining 10 and maxim
it clear to all those who are farther ava
and less acquainted with the facts an
that perhaps we are taking too much fo
] granted For many months past Genera
/ Lee has satisfied himself and placed over
whelming facts before our governmen
that not single provision of the treat.
rights secured to our countrymen by tn
genius and ability of Gushing and Pink
ney is being observed by the authoritie
of this island
/ No Word From Washington.
These incidents have been suppressed a
they occurred by the executive branch O
our government, and General Lee coull
do no more than fulfil his duty, whicl
was to place the facts before the responsi
]
single one of these violations of treat
rights, not TO speak of the humane law
which bind us all has ever ELECTED from
the state department a sign Of life OF ever
an acknowledgment that it has been re
ceived. The Cuban section of the state dc
partment shut up with a snap and grow
some weeks ago when Juan Bravo burnel
the cane of the Trinidad Sugar company.
Actuated by feelings OF loyalty to Mr
Cleveland. General Lee submitted in dig
nified silence TO the situation so little Z
his liking that was thrust upon him, am
the matter would have drifted on unit
March 4, when General Lee, like so man
Others purposed returning to his nativ
state, a sadder and wiser man for his con
sular experience.
Notified MT. OIney.
This was the situation when the mur
der of DIR. Ruiz took place In the case O
Ruiz, General Lee had notified the depart
ment that no charge had been brough
against the man within "a hours Of hi
arrest, as the law requires, and he furtho
notified the department that Ruiz was be
ing kept incomunicadO for a longer perio
than the Spanish code allows. He took tn
same steps in the case of Scott. and in ey
cry incident, step by step, has pointed on
the illegalities that have characterized
each and every proceeding Of the Spanis
authorities here in their treatment q
American citizens
These cablegrams have never been an
swerod one way or the other. Urgent IN
quiries addressed to the department ask
ing for the opinion Of the proper law off
Ger of the government upon the legal ques
tions Of the cases as they arose have neye
been noticed, until the conclusion wa
forced upon General Lee that in fulnllin
his oath of Office TO protect the lives an
property of American citizens in this tei
ror stricken country he would have TO rel
only upon his own resources and the rg
spect and confidence of his fellow citizens
At this juncture the Ruiz murder
which he had foresccn and Of which he ha
forewarned the secretary Of state. too
place General Lee investigated the terri
bic facts Of this tragedy on the spot, and
as / informed you, without delay cable
the department For three days he receive
no roply.
At this inncture Mrs. Scott called upo
him and with tears in her eyes told hir