The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-06-09
CALHOUN RETURNS.
Special Commissioner to Cuba Re-
lates His Experience.
Ruiz's Death Was Hard to Obtain
Terrible Effects OF the Relent-
less Warfare Waged by
Both Sides.

New York, June 8-William j. Cal
houn, who was sent to Cuba as a special
commissioner to investigate the cir
cumstances of the death in prison of
DIR. Ruiz, an American citizen, reached
this city on his return Monday. He
was accompanied by George w. Fish
back, his secretary, and Charles M.
Pepper, Washington newspaper cor
respondent who went to Cuba with the
commissioner. Ramon o. Williams,
formerly United States consul general
to Cuba, came on the same steamer.
Mr.. Calhoun said that the commission
held three sittings between May 20 and
June l at Havana, Regulus and Guiana
bacoa.
The papers examined in tho case
were chiefly military records. The
final report will be made to Washing
ton by Gen. Lee.
"At the sessions of the commission" 2"
Mr.. Calhoun said, in response to re-
porter's questioning, 1--WE examined
several witnesses, but when you ask
me if they were plentiful l can only
say that they did not run after as and
we had to use no force to keep them
away. They were composed of Span
iards and Cubans. The Spanish wit
nesses, and in fact all those who testi-
fed, were so surrounded with safe
guards that it was impossible to get at
the naked truth. One person whom
xxyp11l1 hor 1i1ynl f0 hAor oa111l or
be found. This was Col. Fondeviela,
who commanded the Spanish in the
Guanabacoa territory. He disappeared
and it was impossible to find him. Gen.
Weyler did not appear at the investi-
cation. We inspected the Jail at Guam
abacoa and when we were there it was
suspiciously clean.
"We learned that DIR. Ruiz was ar
rested on February IA, charged with
having some connection in an assault
which took place on railroad train be-
tween Guanabacoa and Havana He
was placed in solitary confinement, or
as 1t is known there, he was incom-
municado. Thirteen days later he was
taken out of his cell on account of his
mental and physical condition. 1t was
then found that he was suffering from
severe wound on 'the head and he
died two hours after he had been re-
leased from the cell in which the secret
of his injury is buried. The question
of the deceased doctors American citi-
zenship was never denied. The au-
topsy showed that he died from con-
gestion of the brain. His remains are
inferred at Guanabacoa. We had nc
positive or direct proof of any assault
whatever and the conclusion arrived at
must be based on the detailed evidence
in the report of Consul General Lee.
In a later conversation Mr.. Calhoun
said: 1.-THE island of Cuba is rapidly
being devastated by a relentless, cruel
and bitter civil war, so that in a short
time it will not be worth anything to
any one. 1t is difficult to get at the
exact situation there. In the first
place there is severe censorship Of
the press and those who are naturally
friendly to the Cubans hardly dare tc
express their views. Furthermore. the
adherents of both sides are exceeding.
ly intense They tell their stories just
as they want you to believe them
From the Spanish point of view the
island is practically pacitied and from
that of the Cubans the insurgents new
er were in such excellent shape as they
| now are "