Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1897-04-30
THE SITUATION IN BANES
Weyler viii Attack Cubans
by Land and Sea.
SMALLPOX HAS BROKEN OUT

V
Contracted the Dreaded Disease 7
One Already Dead-Lee Intervenes.
New York, April ga dispatch to
the HeraGa from Havana says:
Smallpox has made it's appearance in
Cabanas prison. Owen Melton, an
American correspondent and menSer
Of the Competitor crew, contrived to
send note to friends here under date
of April is, in which he says:
Smallpox has appeared in cell No.
A, in which there are four Americans
One prisoner has died and three others
have got the disease. nursed friend
named Gonzales, not knowing he had
smallpox, and 80 ! suppose l will have
it. can only hope for the best"
This information was carried to Gen
eral Lee and he promptly informed the
United States government Of the state
of affairs, also wrote Acting Captain
General Ahumada inquiring If there
had been smallpox in Cabanas, and
what steps had been taken to guard the
health of the Americans imprisoned
there. A reply was received making
no statement Of the prevalence of the
disease, but stating that the Americans
would be vaccinated at once.
1t is thought here that the appear
ance of smallpox will make the Amer
lean government press for the release Il
Melton and others, as it is understood
Spain has practically decided to libeis.e
them. General Weyler is an obstacle
to the release OF any Americans. He
said last week in Santa Clara that
Americans were set at liberty without
good cause.
General Weyler's recent declaration
that Santa Clara is pacified means that
newspaper fighting there will be meager.
Nevertheless he admits that within
three days of his declaration of tran
guilty more than ninety rebels were
killed in the province. He says he will
no longer require any troops to fill the
places OF his killed and wounded, which
! means simply that he has been told to
\ expect no more soldiers from Spain.
The situation in Banes, seaport
/ town in Santiago de Cuba, now cons
mands much attention here. The gun
boat Galicia and the cruisers Nueya
Espana and Reina Mercedes are waiting
outside the narrows until three columns
sent by General Weyler have had time
to move on the rebels by land. The
insurgents have held the town since
Roloff's expedition landed there on
March 25. The harbor is one naturally
capable of easy defense, and it is said
the insurgents have placed torpedoes in
the channel. It is most difficult tc
learn any definite news of the recent
operations there, but it is plain that
the Spanish recognize the necessity o.
moving in force against the town and
attempting to attack it simultaneously
by land and sea, for the purpose of pre-
venting the rebels from continuing t.
hold the port.
General Gomez, according to the las
reports, has left Arroyo Blanco distrlU
and moved nearer Trinidad. There il
a rumor that he may be elected presi
dent of the republic to succeed Cis
neros. Another idea is that he ha
decided to contest the possession o
Banes, and many who thought his sieg
of Arroyo Blanco was ruse to entic
Weyler into the country where moder
ate force might be attacked to advant
age. now believe that Weyler's move
!. ment toward Banes will meet a stead
resistance which will add to the eyi
! dence already piled UP to disprove Gen
, eral Weyler's declaration of pacitioa
tinn