The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-08
CALHOUN RETURNS FROM CUBA
FAILS TO BRING BACK MANY NEW
FACTS ARoUT THE SITUATION.

The Mystery Surrounding the Death
of DIR. Ruiz Not FathOmed by the
COmmissiOner-Witn Not In
cIined to Appear Before the Conn
mission TO Give TcstimOny-NIr.
Calhoun Fails TO Penetrate the In
surgent Lines.-Each side Claims to
BE winning.
New York. June 7.--William j. Calhoun,
who was sent to Cuba as special commits
sioner to investigate the circumstances OF
the death in prison Of DR.. Ruiz, an Amer
lean citizen, reached this city on his re-
turn to-day. He was accompanied by
George w. Fishback, his secretary, and
Charles Nj. Pepper, a Washington news
paper correspondent, who went to Cuba
with the commissioner.
Mr. Calhoun said that the commission
held three sittings between May 20, and
June /, at Havana, Regulus and Guiana
bacoa. The papers examined in the case
were chiefly military records. The final
report will be made to Washington by
Gen. Lee.
In a conversation, Mr.. Calhoun said:
"The island of Cuba Is rapidly being de-
yastated by this cruel and bitter civil
war, so that In short time, 1t Will not
be worth anything to any one. 1t rs dlt-
ficult 10 get at the exact situation there.
In the first place there is severe cen
sorship of the press, and those naturally
friendly to the Cubans, hardly daring TO
express their views and opinions. Fur
thermore the adherents of both sides, are
exceedingly intense. They tell their sto-
ries Just as they want you to believe
them From the Spanish point OF view
the island is practically pacitied, and
from that of the Cubans the insurgents
never were in such excellent shape as
they now are"
did you go into the interior OF the
island?" asked the reporter.
eyes, I went from Havana to Matanzas.
White both are on the sea coast, still, 10
20 rom one point to the other by rail' II
takes you through a large part of inte-
rior country. l also made several snort
trips from Havana in other directions
"What is the condition of the country?'
at seems to be entirely depopulated,
and there are no signs of any buildings
standing, except at the railroad stations
These, by the way, are practically iotts.
] was informed that the same condition or
affairs exists throughout Cuba, from Ha-
vana to Pinar del Rio, except in the eX-
treme eastern end There is where the
Cubans get their supplies ana their cattle.
They control that section now. II was the
portion of the island which held out ten
years in the last war
"Cuba Is undoubtedly a magnificent
| country. 1t is rich and beautiful, and the
soil responds bouniifully to the seed.
"While / am not called upon to make
| any formal report to the President, be-
| cause ! acted merely as counsel to Gen.
| Lee IN the Ruiz case, 1 may be asked 10
| tell Mr. Mckinley and the Secretary OF
| State Of the things which | have seen ana
heard in my brief trip to the island OF
| Cuba. Ii such Is the case, l will readily
| do so.
"At the sessions Of the commission Mr..
! Calhoun said, in response to a reporter s
| questions. 1--WE examined several wit
! nesses, but when you asked me If they
| were plentiful, l can only say that they
| did not run after u.s. and we had to use
no effort to keep them away They were
| composed OF Spaniards and Cubans. The
| Spanish witnesses, and, In fact all OF
| those who testified, We're so surrounded
| with safeguards that 1t was impossible 10
| get at the naked truth one person whom
we would have liked to hear could not be
found. This was Fondsdeviela. who com
manded the Spanish In the Guanabacoa
territory. lie disappeared, and 1t was m
| possible to find him. Capt. Gen. Weyier
| did not put In an appearance at the in
vestigation.
ave inspected the jail at Guanabacoa,
and when we were there 1t was suspic-
/ iously clean. We learned that DR. Ruiz
was arrested on Feb. 4, charged with hav-
| ing some connection In an assault which
took place in a railroad train between
| Ganabacoa and Havana. He was plac-
| ed in solitary confinement, or, as 1t is
| known there, he was incommunicado
| Thirteen days later he was taken out OF
| his cell on account OF his mental and phys
! ical condition. 1t was then found that ht
was suffering from severe wound In the
| head and he died two hours after he had
| been released from the cell in which the
| secret of his injury Is buried. The ques-
| ton of the deceased Doctors American
| citizenship was never denied. The autOp.
| sy showed that he died from congestion
of the brain. His remains are Inferred al
| Guanabacoa. We had no positive or d.
rect proof OF any assault whatever. and
the conclusion arrived at must be based
on the detailed evidence In the report ol
Consul General Lee, which Is now on its
way to Washington. I, myself. will make
| no report, and ! prefer not to say any.
thing as to my idea OF the affair until tho
report Is made public by the proper au-
thorities at Washington
II shall go 10 Warrington Tomorrow
morning at 10 O'Clock"
Mr.. Calhoun said that he had been treat
cd courteously while In Cuba by all those
with whom he came IA contact His visit
was a very pleasant one. but owing 10 the
bad weather which prevailed during his
stay, he was unable 10 visit the interior.
George w. Fishback. who Is Mr. Cal.
houn's secretary was frcticent when
| spoken to in reference TO his trip, but he
made one significant statement; I'VE did
not so within the insurgent lines. but al
| the insurgents, however, are not within
| the insurgent lines"
Washington. June 7.-Mr. Calhoun. tho
special counsel for the United States m
the Ruiz case, Is expected here tomorrow
in view OF the fact that the President
leaves Washington the day following foi
Nashville, ~ Is possible that Mr. Calhoun
will be invited to accompany the Presl.
dent on the special train "A part of the
way at least, In order TO AFFORD oDportunl.
~ TO make a verbal report upon the re-.
suit Of his visit 20 Cuba. There Is nC
| expectation at the state department thai
any immediate results will follow Mr.
| Caihoun's return, for the preparation oi
his report or Il Is deemed best 10 put hii
observations on paper subject 20 "a con.
gressiOnai calD, will probably consume
some time.