The record-union., 1897-03-10
Two Hundred Men Sentenced 10 Life In
priSOnment, With Hard Labor.
Most of Them Persons Innocent of ANY
Crime.
Financial Distress is Most Acute
Throughout the Island - Famine
Ravaging the Small Towns OF the
Provinces of Pinar del Rio, Havana
and rlatanZas.

Provinces of Pinar del Rio, Havana
and 1atanzas.
NEW YORK, March "a special ca
Bile dispatch to the sun" from Havana
says: Two hundred prisoners have
been sent to Havana by the Governor
Of Matanzas, Senor Porcet, and are
ready TO sail for the Chafarinas is
lands, where they have been sentenced
to life Imprisonment at hard labor.
They are charged with belonging TO the
secret society OF criminals known here
as Nanigos, but though some of them
deserve this accusation. most of them
are persons innocent of any crime and
whom the Spanish Government is cru
ely maltreating only for political rea-
sons.
And no evidence that they had plot
ted against Spain could be found, and
as the order of banishment to Chafari-
mas or Fernandopo can be given by the
Governors without any formality, Sc
nor Porcet thought it less troublesome
to take this course than to give more
work to the military court martials in
Matanzas, which are already very busy
sentencing to death four persons a day
on an average.
1t is semi-ofIicially declared in Ha-
vana that General Weyler Will remain
while longer in Cuba as Captain-Gen-
eral and COMMUNICATIVE Chief of the
Spanish army. 1t is said in we'll in
formed circles that the central Govern
ment, though considering Weyler's re-
call to be necessary, has decided to
postpone it for some days, thinking
that as General Gomez has not been
driven out of the province of Santa
Clara the recall of the Captain General
just at this juncture would produce
the same bad effect abroad that was
caused by the withdrawal of General
Martinez Campos
There is a report that Major Fonde-
veilla is to be tried by order of the
Madrid Government for his cruel con-
duct in Guanabacoa and the murder OF
the American citizen, DR.. Ruiz.
Financial distress is most acute
throughout the island. Famine is raw
aging the small towns of the provinces
of Pinaa Gel Rio. Havana and Matan-
zas. Smallpox is increasing at an
alarming rate, and most of the victims
die
ANOTHER FILIBUSTER.
NEW YORK, March "a special to
the Times" from Carabelle, Fla, says:
1t was learned last night on good au-
thority that the Cubans got ahead of
Uncle Sam after all, and that q big
load of arms and ammunition escaped
the watchful eyes of the cruisers. The
story is that a vessel was loaded with
baled cotton, the arms being concealed
in some of the bales, which were hol-
low, and under them
This vessel was stopped in the gulf
by a cruiser. but the cargo was so in
nocent looking that she was allowed to
proceed. 1t is said that over .0O0
rifles, 80 sabers or machetes. 100000
rounds of ammunition, six cans Of dy-
Mantle and large supply of medicines
were in the cargo.
WIDOW RUIZ.
NEW YORK. March 9-Mrs. Ricardo
Ruiz, widow of the man alleged to have
been murdered recently in a Cuban
dungeon, arrived here this morning
from Havana. She will so to Washing
ton to lay before the Department of
State her claims as the wife of the
murdered American against the Gov
ernmant of Spain.
Mrs. Ruiz was accompanied by her
two eldest girls. Mercedes, IS years.
and Evangeline. aged II. Mrs. Ruiz
said that she had nothing to add to
what she had already said in relation
to the murder of her husband or his
treatment as an American citizen by
the Spanish Government.
HE was foully murdered" she said.
'and [ will take such action as I may
be advised by my friends I want to
thank the American people for the ex-
pressions of sympathy l have received,
and l cannot say too much of my heart
felt thanks at the kindness of Consul
Lee
Mrs. Ruiz's appearance and manner
indicate that she is in a high state of
nervousness, and in need of much care
before regaining her usual strength and
health. 1t is likely that her case will
be placed before the Administration at
Washington in the form of demand
for indemnity from the Spanish Gov
ernment.
SCOVELL RELEASED.
WASHINGTON, March 9-The
Times" says a message was received
by the State Department from Consul
General Lee at Havana, stating that
Sylvester Scovell, the American news
paper correspondent now in a Cuban
prison, will be released to-day.
WILL PREVENT FILIBUSTERING.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-The con-
viction and sentence of John d. Hart
of Philadelphia on the charge of fill
clustering seems to have greatly en-
couraged the Government in it's effort
TO put a stop to these proceedings. In
formation has reached the Department
of Justice that there is unusual activity
among Cuban sympathizers in Florida,
and in consequence the United States
steamship Marblehead has been fully
informed as to the situation, and in
structed to be on the alert to prevent
the departure of any such craft. 1t is
believed that arms in considerabl BILE
quantities have seen secreted at a num-
Der of points on the Gulf coast. and the
utmost vigilance will be exercised in
their being taken off.
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