The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-07

4O1A VI ILLS tIl-S~A a i- O0Ax4A44S-6 RAASoii
viler than any OF its wretched inhab-
i.ants. The fallen women and criminals
occupy rooms on the ground floor. open
ing out into court yard. In the middle
OF this court yard are two retiring closets
N fun view Of all the inmates. of the
keepers Office and OF all the visitors out
side OF the grating.
At the end of the yard is a shower
bath. Clothes lines are stretched from
side to side, and today they were cover
ed with womsn's garments drying in the
not Havana sunlight. The political pris-
oners up stairs have one or two little
oil stoves, which they use 70 make their
scanty meals more Acceptable.
Eyangellna was sent for upstairs
There were other women receiving visits
One was well dressed woman who had
murdered her husband Sitting next 10
her was a good looking woman who had
been caught selling ammunition and sup
plies 10 the insurgents. She was polit-
zeal prisoner.
Next 20 her was a woman who kept
a lodging house in Havana and had rent
ed a room to two men whom she did not
know. While their baggage was being
moved into the room the police seized
two OF the trunks and found arms and
explosives The men escaped, but the
landlady was arrested.
In a few minutes Evangelina came
tripping down the stairs and walked
gracefully acress the end OF the court
yard and out through the gate into the
reception room. She was pretty beyond
question. Her black hair was brushed
back from her forehead and hung in a
plat down her back TO her waist. Her
face is pale and thin. 1t has lost its full
ness Of year ogo.
Her eyes are bright, and even defiant.
and they flash under half-closed leyeids
when she speaks OF her prosecutors. Sac
is petite Of figure and graceful. Her
manners are perfect. She says she had
her 18th birthday while in jail. From
her looks she might be anywhere from is
20 %.
she said she die not receive her meals
from outside because she was afraid OF
treacnery and preferred TO be content
with the rations Of the jail. she does not
have to scrub floors OF do any manuel
labor and is in no way ill-treated. In
the upper dormitory where she lives she
has very clean looking cot, with white
sheets and a coverlet, and she mas
big trunk in which 70 keep her clothes
There are about eight or ten other wo-
men in this same big room. All looked
clean and respectable. and were all white
women. One of them was distinguish
ed-looking lady of about so. with hand
some gray hair. She alleged political
offense as the cause Of her imprisonment.
Evangelina is the most animated or
all. She is the star boarder. She said
that the letters which she received from
Colonel Berris on the Isle Of Pines and
which contain evidence of MS guilty IN
tentions toward her were all sent by
her friends TO Austria and are by this
time in the hands OF the Queen Regent.
She says if they could De produced before
a fair court his convictions would be Ger
tain. The colonel says he never wrote
her but one letter. and in that granted
the permit to her father TO travel as a
peddler.
She said that the prosecuting attorney
had said she would be sentenced TO 20
years Punishment.
she would describe the events or the
night Of July 26. 1896. further than 70
say .thatshe knew Colonel Berris was
coming 10 her house that night. because
his secretary had told her so. She open
ed the door when he knocked. As 10 how
ne was seized or by whom she would not
saw. She escaped from the house and
was caught and arrested the following
morning and brought TO Havana.
She says that the greatest favor that
anyone could do for her would be TO Sc
cure for her an interview with General
Weyier. She says: Il could convince
him IL he would only hear me"
During the interview there arrived a
fudge of instruction and two Havana
newspaper men, who took her over 70 an
other corner OF the room and piled her
with questions.
A careful examination Of the case Of
Evangelina shows that there are two
sides. There has been much exaggera-
ton in the report Of her case. She Is
not ill-treated. She is not forced 70 scrub
floors, nor to do anything. She is not
made to sleep in a filthy dormitory with
vile women. She is not sick and con-
sumptive and she has not been tried and
sentenced 10 be hangedwih. ndd .taET1
sentenced 10 be banished 10 penal set
Element Furthermore. the jailer sad
that he knew she was going 10 be par
doned within a short time and released
However. the other side OF the ques-
ton is bad. From July, 1896. to Febru-
airy, 1897. she was kept downstairs in this
miserable Jail with all the low women
and criminals The condition or the
place was so bad the American Consul
asked 10 have il improved because there
we're some American women confined
there. But she has been in jail Is months
without trial.
General Weyler has written 10 Consul
Lee. saying that he trusted that when
the time came ne would see his way 10
pardon Miss C:sneros. but as she had not
yet been tried ne could do nothing q;
present
Rafael Cauto. who made her his ADOPT
ed daughter, died four years ago with
out a will and leaving 81 10000 Rela-
tive ara fighting Miss Cisneros for this
IN the courts, and Il Is SAID that her
imprisonment and plea 70 depoTt her is
part % the scheme 20 get the million
WILD HoR rs 4 Nuisance
Northern Arirooa settlers Want PERMITS