The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-08
The Island Is Rapidly Being Devasta-
ted, He Says, by n Relentless
and Cruel War.
RESULT OF THE RUIZ INQUIRY
TESTIMONY POINTED TO THE MUIR
DER OF THE AMERICAN,
But No Direct Evidence Could Be OBJ
tain ined-Vaporings of the Spanish
Press at Havana.

NEW YORK, June William J. CAL
houn, who was sent to Cuba as a special
commissioner to investigate the circum-
stances of the death in prison of DR.. Ruiz,
an American citizen, reached this city on
his return 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 Raman o. Will
liams, formerly United States consul gem
eral to Cuba, came on the same steamer
Mr.. Calhoun said that the commission held
three sittings between May 20 and June /
at Havana, Regulus and Guanabacoa. The
papers examined in the case were chiefly
military records. The final report will be
made to Washington by General Lee. Mr.
Calhoun declined to give his opinion on the
case
At the session of the commission Mr.
Calhoun said in response to a reporter s
question: I'VE examined several witnesses
but when you ask me if they were plentiful
L can only say that they did not run after
us and we had to use no force to keep
them away. They were composed of Span
iards and Cubans The Spanish witnesses,
and in fact all of those who testified were
so surrounded with safeguards that it was
impossible to get at the naked truth One
person whom we would have liked to hear
could not be found. This was Fondsdevela,
who commanded the Spanish in the GUIANA
bacoa territory. He disappeared and it
was impossible to find him. Captain GEN
eral Weyler did not put in an appearance
at the investigation. We inspected the
jail at Guanabacoa and when we were there
it was suspiciously clean.
ATa lac n1 fh1t nv IOtIi1 rod
on Feb. 4. charged with having some con-
nection in an assault which took place on
a railroad train between Guanabacoa and
Havana. He was placed in solitary con-
finement, or as it is known there, he was
incommunicado. Thirteen days later be
was taken out of his cell on account of his
mental and physical condition. 1t was then
found that he was suffering from a severe
wound on 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 question of the dece9seds American
citizenship was never denied. The autopsy
showed that ne died from congestion of the
brain. His remains are inferred al GUIANA
bacoa. We had no possible direct proof of
any assault whatever and the conclusion
arrived at must be based on the detailed
evidence in the report of Consul General
Lee, which is now on it's way to Washing
ton. l myself will make no report ana l
prefer not 10 say anything as TO my idea
of the affair until the report IS made pub
lie by the proper authorities at Washing
ton. l shall go TO Washington tomorrow
morning at 10 o clock.
In a later conversation, Mr.. Calhoun SAID:
The Island Of Cuba is rapidly being dew
astated by a relentless, cruel and bitter
civil war, so that in short time it VIII
not be worth anything to any one. 1t is
difficult to get at the exact situation there.
In the first place there is a severe censor
ship Of the press and those who are natural
lNy fria tO ba
express their views and opinions. Further
more, the adherents OF both sides are ex-
ceedingly intense. They tel thelr stores
From the Spanish point of view, the island
is practically pacifed, and from that of the
Cubans, the insurgents never were in such
excellent shape as they are now.
Did you go into the interior OF the ISL
and?" asked the reporter.
Yes went from Havana to Matanzas.
While both are on the seacoaSt, still TO go
from one point to the other by rail 1t takes
you through a large part of interior coun-
Havana in other directions"
what is the condition of the country?'
''It seems to be entirely depopulated and
there are no signs of any buildings stand
ing, except at the railroad stations. These,
by the way, are practically forts. l was
generally informed that the same condition
Of affairs exists throughout Cuba. from
Havana to Pinar del Rio except in the ex-
treme eastern end. There is where the
Cubans get their supplies and their cattle
TheV control tlaI SSCLlOD IOW IL was Llle
portion of the island which held out ten
years in the last war. Cuba is undoubtedly
a magnificent country. 1t is rich and beau
tiful and the soil responds bountifully to
the seed. While / am not called on to
make any formal report to the President,
because i acted merely as counsel TO Gen.
Lee in the Ruiz case, still may be asked
to tell Mr.. Mckinley and the secretary of
state of the things which | have seen and
heard in my brief trip to the island Of Cuba
In that case. / readily will do so.
g. w Fishback. who is Mr.. Calhoun s
secretary, was reticent when spoken to in
reference to his trip, but he made one sig
niffcant statement: I'VE did not go within
the insurgent lines but all the insurgents,
however, are not within the lines.
Mr. Williams said that he had been trav-
cling through Mexico and had very en-
ioyable trip When informed that his name
had been mentioned for the Spanish mis-
sion he expressed surprise and said he had
not received the offer.
Mr.. williams was asked what were his
impressions Of the present conditions of af-
fairs in Cuba. He replied: They are just
as I predicted in my reports quarter of
century ago. Spain will have to make con-
cCssions the same as England did to her
colonies The Cubans must be allowed to
make their own laws and have entire con-
troll of the expenditures Of their finance"