The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-09
DUE TO ATROCITIES.
Editor Attore Of L'Italia
Thinks That the Cuban
War Led Up to Cano-
vas Assassination.

Patrizi Ing Ettore, editor OF Italia,
who keeps himself thoroughly conversaut
with the trend of political and social af-
fairs in Italy, was seen last night in re-
gard to the assassination of the Spanish
Prime Minister by an Italian anarchist.
lie said:
ut might be that the assassination is
due to a feeling of revenge for the execu-
ton OF the anarchists at Barcelona About
three weeks ago We repubIished from an
Italian paper letters from some of the an
archists arrested at that time and
afterward exiled. and who went to
London, England, in which they
gave an account of the fortunes to which
they were subjected in the prison at Bar
celona to make them confess something
of which they were entirely innocent.
They had their nails torn out OF their
fingers and other cruelties were perpe-
trated upon them.
THE publication of these letters in
Italy aroused strong feeling of indigna-
ton, and it is, of course, possible that the
anarchists, blaming Canovas for these
tortures, delegated one of their number to
assassinate the Prime Minister.
i L
the strong sympathy of the Italian ma
ton for Cuba in her patriotic struggle for
independence, combined with the indig-
nation felt of the butcberies perpetrated
upon the Cubans by General Weyler, has
had more to do with the assassination of
Canovas than revenge for the executed
anarchists.
Although these butcheries have been
done by Weyler it is orIy fair to assume
that the Prime Minister must have di-
rected him to commit them, or at least
connived at them, and therefore as head
of the Government must be held respon-
sible.
sThroughout italy there are commit
tees for aiding the Cubans by raising
money and arms, and even sending SOL
diers to fight under the Cuban flag. The
feeling in Italy for Cuba is, in my opin-
ion, more intense than in the United
States, as was shown when General Ma
Geo was killed several months ago.
"In the Italian Senate I'm briani, one of
the Republican leaders, made a brilliant
speech eulogistic of Maceo and sent q sa-
lutte to the Cuban hero. Private meetings
were held of prominent Italian politicians
of the advanced party eulogiZing Maceo,
at one of which Bovio, the Italian philos-
opher, made a speech in favor of Cuba
that reused the utmost enthusiasm
throughout the country.
''Just let me mention an incident that
added fuel to the fame of the Italian ma
ton against Spain. An Italian officer,
Count DirizZa, who was sent to Cuba as
correspondent for a paper in Rome, was
taken prisoner by the Spanish troops.
Weyler sentenced him to be executed. As
soon as we learned this, we sent
a dispatch to the Italian Embassa-
dor at Washington, urging him to use
his influence to save the Counts life. He
replied that he could do nothing, as Cuba
was not under his jurisdiction. Then we
sent a dispatch to the Italian Consul in
Cuba and another to Rome to the Italian
Government, and the result was the
Counts execution was postponed and
finally his life was saved. The action of
the Spaniards in the Counts case reused
the utmost Indignation throughout Italy.
1.-THE name of the assas in is unknown
to me. He may be an anarchist and he
may be an Italian patriot fired with in
dignation at the butcheries of Weyler
upon the struggling Cubans. l am of the
opinion that the latter VIII eventually be
found TO be the fact"