The record-union., 1897-02-14
Shooting Down Twenty Men, Women
and Children.
Gloomy Outlook for the Future Pre-
sented to All Those i'm the Island
Who Have Anything to Lose
Their Only Hope Said to Lie in the
Intervention of the United States.

CINCINNATI, Feb. 13.-The Com
mercial- -Tribunes' special from Key
West says:
a letter from Matanzas to-day tells
of the cruel butchery of camp of pa
cificos by a band of Spanish guerrillas
under Major Consartz. The paeiticOs
were encamped near a lake ten miles
south of Matanzas. They were afraid
to come into that city, as smallpox and
other diseases were prevalent. Major
Consartz was sent to bring them in.
Surrounding the camp. his soldiers
burst in upon them with wild yells.
shooting as they advanced. Five fell at
the first fire. two being women. Alarm
ed and scarcely knowing what TO do.
the others rushed into the shallow wat
ers of the lake, endeavoring to hide un-
Ger the leaves of the big lily pads and
other large leaved plants. The troops
selected their hlman targets and began
shooting them, and only ceased when
not a head was visible.
Major Consartzs official report says
that his detachment had been attacked
at the lake. and that they killed ten
insurgents in the fight that followed.
Twenty pacificos, men women and chill
dren, were killed.
a GLOOMY OUTLOOK.
JACKSONVILLE (Fla-), Feb. 13.-An
important Cuban letter practically de-
picting the situation on the island has
been received in this city. The letter
came to Paul Rojo, who is Well known
as being prominent in Cuban circles,
but the name of the author, further
than that he is a Cuban occupying d
high position in Havana, is withheld
for reasons that are apparent. 1t may
be stated, however, that the letter is
of a semi nature, and it is inn
portant for that reason. 1t says:
After dreams of peace through the
reforms, the terrible reality has come.
because il has been found from differ
ent sources that President Cisneros and
General Gomez are thoroughly opposed
/ to coming to any agreemnt that is not
based upon the Independence of Cuba.
| Naturally for myself, and for all
| those people who have something to
| lose, things look very gloomy, as the
only hope for US now is the intervention
of the United States, which would come
like a blessing from God. If this shall
not be done, then l think, and 1 already
hear some talk, that the three parties
on the island, the Autonomists, Con-
servativeS and Reformists. will come
| together and decide the future of the
country, because the soldiers will never
think of peace, when the war is their
sole basis of ambition.
| Il do not think that it will be long
| before the evacuation of Cuba by the
/ Spanish troops will become a reality.
| The reason that l think this is, that
! General Weyler has destroyed every
thing i'll his path through the provinces
of MatanzaS and Havana, and now he
| is finishing what he left in Las Vegas
district. If the parties shall not come
| together and take energetic measures
| to settle the struggle then only God
can save Cuba.
Every day in Havana we hear the
| shots that tell of executions and we
have come to lose our pity. If this ter
rible war shall continue, Cuba will not
only be materially ruined, but morally
as well. l think that the people will
lose all their national feelings, and ev-
| erybody will become Indifferent to cru
city"
GOMEZ MARCHING WEST.
NEW YORK, Feb. ia dispatch to
| the Herald" from Havana says:
Rumors continue to be spread abroad
| that Gomez has extricated himself from
| General Weyler's column, and is on the
| march toward the west. 1t is even said
| that he is near Colon.
Four thousand troops left Havana
| on Tuesday morning for Colon, and
parties of Castillo and Aranguren are
| in Matanzas marching east.
| General Weyler has left Santa Clara,
and is now at Placetas.
| The events which may happen in the
| next few days are awaited here with
| intense excitement. 1t is stated on the
authority of a gentleman who has just
arrived from Jamaica that he had seen
| CaliXto Garcia there.
| An expedition is reported to have
safely landed at Maria La Gorda ON
| the north coast of Pinar Del Rio Prov