The record-union., 1897-12-31


was my duty to order verbal court
marital, which tried Lieutenant Colo
mel Ruiz and had him executed.
The said Lieutenant-Co entered
our camp guided by two Spanish
guides, who were deserters from our
forces, and without any flag of truce
or documents of any kind other than
what has already been said. And as
soon as he came into my presence he
commenced, before my officers and
troops, to make US promises of pardon
and amnesty and to offer us autonomy.
leave it TO the people Of the great
American nation TO say what was the
duty Of a soldier of the country.
1.-The details of this event are ex-
pressed with accuracy in the newspa-
per 'E Yara," published on the I'D in
slant.
Country and liberty.
I'm the field, December %, 1897.
yours respectfully,
"NESTOR ARANGUREN,
Brigadier-Genera1 r. de c. Army OF
Liberation, Sixth Corps Division"
HAVANA TO BE OPENED TO EX-
PORTATION.
ATLANTA (Ga.), Dec. 30.-A special
to the Constitution from Havana, via
Key West, says:
From a strictly private and yet re-
sponsble source comes the information
that tho port of Havana viii be opened
to expectation within twenty four
hours. The port was closed by Captain
General Weyler's edict of May IA, 1896,
for the purpose of cutting the tobacco
industries of the United States, prinr-
cipally those of Tampa and Keywest
off from their supply. General Weyler
did this, he claimed, to insure perma-
nent employment to the cigar makers
in Havana during the troublesome
times of war; but is is known that his
special aim was to paralyZe the Cuban
colonies of the United States, from
which was coming the fostering
strength that made the insurgents for
midable
There are about 10000 bales Of to-
bacco now cholced in the warehouses
of Havana, ready to be shipped to the
States the moment the port is opened.
1t is said that the crop is promising, all
Of which indicates that brighter days
are dawning for the paralyzed COM
merce of Cuba and the waning cigar
factories of the United States.
INSURGENTS ATTACK ESPER-
ANA.
HAVANA, Dec. 30.-According to
report from Spanish sources at Esper-
ANA, Province of Santa Clara, a party
of insurgents fired into that town on
Saturday night. Bullets struck a num-
Der Of residences, and one bullet went
through the sleeve of Senorita Valdez,
6s3l1&rhraY. nf he To of he
WEYLER DEFENDS HIS CONDUCT.
MADRID, Dec. 3O.-General Weyler,
in his memorial to the Queen Regent on
the subject of President McKinley's
| message to Congress, says he is honored
by the attacks made upon him, and that
his conduct as Governor-G General was
that of a soldier animated by honor and
patriotism Such attacks, therefore
Weyler adds, will do him no harm,
as they are aimed at him, he asserts,
simply because he has done his duty.
Nevertheless, "Since the message con-
tanned insulting observations on the
Spanish troops in Cuba" he believed it
to be his duty to address a protest to
the crown.
He claims that the concentrates were
the prime abettors of the rebellion The
protest of the General is couched in
courteous language.
"sI Correo Espanola," la Nacional,"
"El Poca" and other papers that have
published General Weyler'S protest
against President McKinley's message
Will be prosecuted. The publication had
been prohibited on international
grounds
1t IS rumored that Weyler will be
prosecuted. The authorities refuse TO
transmit the protest to the Queen Re
gent through the War Office.