The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-09-04
Receives More Attention and More
Callers Than Other Prisoners.
CAN PROVE BERRIs' GUILT
His Conviction csrtsia Before a Fair couf
Says She Could convince General
Keyler II She Could Obtain Audience.

New York. September IA special to
the World from Havana says:
World correspondent went to see
Evangelina CIsneros in her prison. Tues
days, Thursdays and Saturdays are visit
ing days al the womans' jail and the
anteroom on these days Is fun Of people
from l2 10 p. m, who have come to con-
dole with and bring good tidlngs to their
relatives and friends When the Worlds
correspondent asked TO see Miss Cossio
he was allowed TO pass through the out
side iron gate into small room with
stone floor. on one OF the walls Of which
was painted In large letters: "salla de JUS
ticia." Evangelna was sent for upstairs
and while waiting the correspondent had
the opportunity to notice some OF the
other women who were receiving visits.
One was a weil-dressed woman who had
murdered her husband. Sitting next to
her was a good-looking woman who had
been caught selling ammunitions and sup
plies to the insurgents She was poHti-
cal prisoner. Next to her was a woman
who kept a lodging house in Havana and
had rented room to two men whom she
did not know. While their baggage was
being moved into the room the police
seized two OF their trunks and found arms
and ammunition. The men escaped but
the landlady was arrested. She knew
nothing Of the case. but was held respons-
ible. and is now waiting the resll. Of the
full and long investigator.
A few minutes, after the arrival OF the
correspondent EYangelina cane-tripping
down the stairs and walked gracefully
across the end Of the courtyard and out
through the gate into the reception room
She is beyond question pretty. She is
petite Of figure and graceful in all her
movements. Her manners are perfect ana
her self-possession wonderful. She said
she could not make any statement on
paper because her friends had told her
not to. but she talked quite freely OF her
hopes and fears and answered questions
seemingly without reserve She did not
receive her meals from the outside. she
said, because she was afraid Of treachery
and preferred to be content with the
rations OF the Jail.
There are eight or ten other women in
this same big room. All looked clean ana
respectable and all were white women.
One of them was distinguished looking
lady Of about 80, with handsome gray hair.
Some alleged political offense is the cause
OF herimprisonment. Evangelina is the
most animated OF ALL She is the star
boarder and receives more attention ana
has more visitors. She said that the let
tiers she received from Colonel Berris on
the Island Of Pines and which contain evi-
dence of his guilty intention toward her
were all sent by her friends TO Austria and
from there direct TO Spain to the queen
regent She says II they could be pro-
duced before a fair court his conviction
would be certain. The colonel says that
he wrote her but one letter and that
granted the permit to her fathere to trav-
el as peddler.
She would not describe the events of the
night of July %, 1896, further than to say
that she knew Colonel Berris was COM
ing to her house that night. because his
secretary had cold her So She opened
the door when he knocked. AS tohow
she was seized or by whom she would not
say. She escaped from the house and was
arrested the following morning ana
brought to Havana. She says that the
greatest favor any one can do for her
would be to secure for her an interview
with General Weyler. She says:
Il could convince him If he would only
hear me-"
In government circles nothing has been
heard from Madrid in connection with
transferring her to a convent. Opinions
differ as to whether such change would
be Of benefit If her case is let alone for
d while she will be released and per-
haps ordered to leave the island.