The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-07
An American Describes the
Condition of Inmates.
Report That Americans Arrested
Without Reasonable Cause.


Washington, Jan. I'm the senate
yesterday. Call of Florida spoke on
Cuba, and during his remarks presented
a letter containing a graphic description
Of the treatment of American prisoners
In Cabanas fortress at Havana.
The circumstances surrounding the
latter attracted marked interest to 1T,
as Mr.. Call said it came from a public
man Of high standing in the United
States. who would shortly occupy a
place In the legislative branch of the
government. This led to the impression
that the letter was from Scnator-elect
Money, whose recent visit to Havana
had attracted attention, but later Mr..
Call removed this impression by saying
the writer was prominent man from
a northern state and q Republican.
This exempted Mr.. Money, who is DEM
ocrat from Mississippi.
The character of the writer was in
dicated from his frequent references to
visits in company with Consul General
Lee. The letter dealt with the immedi-
ate present, and described a visit made
Ey the writer and General Lee to Ca
banas fortress seven days ago, viz, on
the morrsng of Dec. 80. 1t told of the
pitiful condition Of the prisoners, some
OF them Americans. including Julio
Sangullly and a young man who was
the companion of Charles GOWN, the
American newspaper correspondent,
killed in Cuba. The recital of these
prisoners was given i'm full.
The writer also gave the particulars
OF another arrest which had not thus
fan been reported. He said that while
at General Lees Office on the Monday
previous Dec. 2S) he saw a son of DR..
Battencourt, an American citizen, who
had been practicing dentistry at Ha-
vana for the last year. The son, also
tn American citizen, stated that his
father had mysteriously disappeared
on Saturday night. He was traced to
the Cabanas fortress, where the son, on
paying so cents to Spanish official, was
allowed to send in food, and later on.
paying S1.50 to the official was allowed
to send q cot to his father. No charge
was preferred against DR.. Battencourt,
but it appeared that while listening to
q band concert in front of the Hotel
Inglcterra on Saturday evening the doc
tor heard that some one had circulated
the report that he sympathized with
Cuba. He set off 40 find the author of
the report and contradict it. That was
the last seen of him, and it was supposed
the false rumor had led to his arrest
ard close confinement.
Mr. Call referred also to letters re-
ceived from the wife of one of the sail
ors on the ship Competitor, now i'm
prisoned at Havana.
The Loud bill to amend the law re-
lating to secondclass mail matter was
passed by the house after two days Of
debate by vote Of 144 to los. The op-
position TO the bill made a strong fight
against II. The statements made on
the floor as to it's effect on certain par
tlculars was very conflicting. The most
important provision Of the bill denies
the serial publications admission to
the mails at 1 cent per pound rates. 1t
is as follows:
THAT nothing herein contained shall
be SO construed as to admit to the sec
ond-class rates publications purporting
10 be issued periodically and to sub
scribers, but which are merely books or
reprints of books, whether they be is
sued complete or in parts. whether they
be bound or unbound, whether they be
sold by subscription or otherwise, or
whether they purport to be premiums
or supplements or parts of regular
newspapers or periodicals.
The bill also denies to newspapers the
sample copy" privilege and the privi-
lege enjoyed by newsdealers of return
ing unsold publications at the second
class rate.
The only other important change in
the present law provides that publishers
whose publications are admitted as
second class matter shall be required
before depositing such mail matter in
the postofflce to separate the same into
United States mail sacks OF bundles by
states, cities, towns and counties, as
the postmaster general shall direct.
The debate on the measure yesterday
was devoid of features.