The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-13
Interesting Talk with DIR. III. w. Dam
forth, the Personal Physician of
President CisnerOs.
INSURGENTS NUMBER 10000
AND THEY HAVE BUILT A CAPITOL
IN PUERTO PRINCIPE PROVINCE.
Reports of Spanish Atrocities Con-
hrmed--The Firing ON the Steamer
Valencia OFF Guantanamo.

NEW YORK, June 12.-Among the passen-
gers who landed in New York to-day on
the steamer Valencia was DR.. H. W. Dan
forth, of Milwaukee Wis, who for the last
fifteenth months has been the personal
physician of the president of the Cuban re-
public, Salvador Cisneros, the Marquis of
Santa Lucia. The doctor is in the United
States on six months leave of absence,
having left Cuba on May 20 in a sixteen
foot boat for the Island of New Providence.
After much suffering and exposure he
reached Nassau and there awaited the ar
rival Of the Valencia. According to Spanish
reports President Cisneros died in Febru
airy last and this news" was semi-oft1cially
confirmed in February last. But DR.. Dan
forth was with the president as late as
April last, and had in his possession
letter. which he showed to the reporter,
dated April 20, from the president. The lat
ter is not only not dead, but when DR..
Danforth left him he was quite full of en-
thusiasm and animated by the most con-
fident feeling for the eventual success of
the Cuban cause.
Questioned as to the seat of the govern
meat of the Cuban republic, DR.. Danforth
said it was at Agura, province of Puerto
Principe where the insurgents have erected
a capitol. The president, however, is not
now at Agura, but is in the province of
Santiago de CUBA.
DR. Danforth was asked to express an
opinion as to the numerical strength of
the Cuban insurgents, being informed that
late advices from Cuba placed the number
at 5000 men. He said: 1t is difficult IL not
impossible, to arrive at a correct estimate.
But you can say that the Cubans for a
certainty have at least thirty to thirty live
thousand men to-day armed and in good
shape. The Cubans have not been idle dur
ing the last few years; they have been i'm
porting arms and ammunition right along.
In brief, the CubanS are conducting deS-
perate hight and are in a good condition
to continue 1t. The Spanish are also en-
gagged in a desperate contest, but they are
exhausted or almost SO. l certainly think
the Cubans will succeed, not by reason OF
numerical strength, for the SpantardS nave
about 10000 men in the heid. But there
is no question but that the CubanS Will ultl-
mately win. All their leaders are sworn not
to give up until they all are dead. Ihey are
bound by oath to tight until the last and
they will do So"
"As to Spanish atrocities, what do you
know of them OF your own personal knowl-
edge?' DR.. Danforth was asked.
The position which l occupied with the
insurgent forces necessarily precluded my
obtaining personal knowledge of the atroc-
tiles complained of. But by the reports re-
ceiVed at headquarters there is absolutely
no doubt of their existence. remember
one little incident, 1t was last september
Some g. $50 or 1900 Spanish soldiers had been
sent to relieve Cascaro. In the fight which
followed the Spanish column killed, among
"a
have been promoted next day 70 the rank
OF major. When we secured his body it
a horrible sight-completely covered
with bayonet wounds and machete cuts
hacked and stabbed with the most horrible
unnecessary cruelty But from good
sources l have heard and feel justified in
asserting that men, women and children
have been most outrageously treated by
the Spaniards in nearly ,9S all the devastated
burned, their property destroyed and they
have been relegated to Weyler's zones of
protectionI'zones of starvation is what
they should be termed.
What in your opinion will be the next
steps taken by the Spaniards in Cuba?''
1T is difficult to answer that question:
But it is to be presumed that Weyler will
continue wandering about the island certi-
flying to the pacification Of the provinces.
According to reports current in the island
when I left, Weyler will be recalled and
Campos will be the man who will succeed
him and he will be instructed, broadly, to
do the best he can under the circumstances.
1T is a shame" continued DR.. Danforth
with energy, that United States citizens
are not more thoroughly protected. AS for
the SpanidrdS, why. they shoot first and in
quire after as to the standing of the man.
American or Cuban, and then they say he
was shot by his own friends.
When i left the PresiderM and his party
they were all filled with hope and trusting
in the United States Should the United
States intervene? Most emphatically yes
/ sincerely hope that the United States will
soon decide TO. recognize the belligerency
of the Cubans.
why by giving the Cubans the right to
float their bonds and compelling the Span
iards to treat their prisoners with some
show of consideration. If the Cubans were
recognized as belligerentS any Cuban TAX
en- prisoner would have a chance to be
treated as prisoner of war"
What is the present condition of the
Cuban insurgents?"
Their condition is satisfactory. It is true
they are hard pressed in the provinces on
account of want of rations but as
whole, they are doing very Well. In Santiago
de Cuba there are no cattle. but plenty of
vegetables and in the province of Puerto
Principe there is an abundance of cattle
and no vegetables. In Santa Clara. on the
other hand, there is plenty of everything
and the same holds, good with the provinces
OF Matanzas and Havana. In Pinar del Rio
AS to arms and ammunition, how are the
Cubans situated in that respect?"
They still want arms and ammunition
and want them very badly