The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-22
RecOncentradOs Dying in the Cutters
and $4,000 Spanish Soldiers in Hos
pitfalls for Lack of Food.
AN EPIDEMIC OF BERI-BERI
THE DEADLY PACIFIC ISLAND DIS
EASE IN MATANZAS JAIL.
Conservatives in Cuba Creating Riots
to Show DisapprOvaI of Spanish
Policy for Autonomy.

HAVANA, Nov. 21.-About seventy of the
recent inmates of the Matanzas jail have
been stricked with what is supposed to be
beri-beri. Three Havana specialists have
been sent to diagnose the disease and the
sick persons have been transferred to more
healthful quarters, where they will be pro-
vided with medicine and nourishment,
while other steps have been taken to avoid
an increase of the epidemic. Captain Cen
eral Blanco has called for public subscrip
ton on behalf of the afflicted persons, and
has himself subscribed 500.
La Lucha, in a recently published editorial.
expresses doubt as to the SINCERITY Of the
friendship of Spain professed by the Ameri-
can government, and says:
IF the American government cannot pre-
vent the sailing from the ports of that
country of expeditions in aid of the insur-
gents and does not respond in other ways
to Spain's efforts to come to favorable
terms it is useless for Spain TO maintain
friendly relations with America.
Reports from Matanzas say that the Con-
servatives, having become enraged at the
change in the governments policy, are dis
turbing public order ExMayor Crespo in
itiated the disorderly conduct by publicly
giving offense to Senior Armas. the new
Of police followed Senior Crespos's lead by
endeavoring to prevent aid being given to
the suffering reconcentrados by newspaper
correspondents and others. OF the recon
centrados in Matanzas, numbering Less than
fifty thousand, seventy-nine died in two
days, thirty-seven perishing from hunger.
Yesterday seventeen deaths were reported,
a large proportion of which was the result
of starvation. In Jaruco about 65 per cent.
of the deaths is caused by starvation, and
the same is true of many other towns. Ow-
ing to the lack of proper clothing and of
blankets the situation of the reconcentrados
is becoming worse as the winter season APP
proaches, despite the efforts made to re-
lieve them.
Horrible episodes are of daily occurrence
among the reconcentrados. After lying for
three days on the sidewalk in front of a
house in Matanzas a poor negro woman,
who was suffering terribly and was unable
TO move was carried away by a food.
caused by a heavy downfall OF rain. A
short time afterwards her dead body was
discovered few blocks away, and at last
reports was still lying in the gutter. A
cab driver who was carrying a sick man to
a hospital, observing that his passenger
was dying dragged him from his cab,
leaving him on the curbstone, where he
finally died. Cases similar to these are of
frequent occurrence.
Reports from Canadelaria say that a man
who was suffering from smallpox was
driven by the authorities into the inSurgent
camp at CejadaI Negro, Pinar del Rio prov
ince, where threats were made to hang the
man If he were not taken away.
On Wednesday evening the remaining
canefields on the plantation Portugalete,
owned by DIR. Manuel Calvo, were destroyed
by fire.
Marshal Blanco has appointed thirty-four
these five are native Cubans and the re-
mainder Spaniards and reformists. The
autonomists are greatly disgusted by these
appointments.
Sixty persons employed about the docks
and 500 others in various parts of the
island have Joined the revolutonists, and
a number of prisoners at Guines who were
pardoned under the recent proclamation
have returned to the insurgents.
Smallpox is ravaging the neighborhood
of the insurgent headquarters in Pinar del
Rio, and there are in the hospitals in the
hills 1,7OO persons suffering from the dis
ease
Pinar del Rio, according to an official re-
port, that there are only 1900 armed insur-
gents in the province, including the bands
which have recently entered the province
under Mayia Rodriguez and other leaders,
General Hernandez VelascO confirms the
statement that the insurgents In Pinar del
Rio are abundantly supplied with ammuni-
ton. Seventy of General Velasco's men
have arrived at Pinar del Rio suffering
from wounds received in recent engage
mentS.
The financial situation of the military ad-
ministraton is bad. The soldiers have not
been paid in eight months. There is a
scarcity in the meat supply for the hospi-
tails, and in many towns no meat has been
obtainable for many days.
General Losada, subinSpector of the
health department, said recently to the cor
| respondent Of Ell Impartial, of Madrid, that
there were actually $1,000 soldiers in the
hospitals in Cuba, and that about 1900 of
this number We're not suffering from any
disease, but simply from need of nourish-
ment.
| A band Of insurgents recently fired on the
! town of San Nicolas, in Havana province.
/ Rico Seco, province Of Havana, reports that
| a fresh band of insurgents, well armed and
equipped, have appeared in that vicinity.
The leader of the band is not known.
The police recently visited the house of
| George w. Hyatt, chief of the relief de-
| partment of the United States consulate, at
| II O'Clock at night to make inquiries as to
| the destination of a quantity of food which
| had been taken into the house during the
| day. The female inmates, becoming fright
| ened refused to open the door and insisted
| Oh pSiIS lI1OIHleu OF the ODJecL OF the OIL
| GERS visit. The police finally retired on
learning that the inmates were Americans.
The Insurgents it is reported, have cap
| tured 100 mules from the Consolation Del
| Sur government reservation.
A dispatch from Madrid says that Senor
| Giberga, deputy to the Spanish Cortes and
| leader of the new autonomiStS, is on his
| way to Cuba, where he viii enter the au-
| tonomist party on condition that Senores
| Montoro. Fernandez de Castro, Cueto and
| Zayas leave the board of directors of the
| party, 1t being asserted that they are too
pronouncedly Spanish to succeed in in
ducing the insurgents to- accept autonomy
| under their leadership. Senor Jose Galyez
will remain chairman OF the party
A small party of insurgents last night
| raided the farm San Nicolas Blanca, near
| here. and captured number of horses and
| carried off quantity of rifles. The Ha-
| vana police, assisted by inhabitants of the
| district, pursued them.
General Parade arrived to-day with the
| insurgents, Colonel Jose Cuervo and Major
| AdOlfo Cuervo, who with fifteen insurgent
| cavalrymen and twenty-seven infantry,
| surrendered at Palos.
Views of the Conservative Leader.