The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-01
PAClFICOS LET OUT
WEYLER ORDERS THE RELEASE OF
THIRTY-F0UR.

Than Before, Being without Means to
Get Back to Cuba From Gibraltar,
Whence They are Set Across From ehs
Penal Colony at Ceuta-Their Sufferings
in Prison and Their Liability to Ins ult
and Injury Otherwise Cuban Elections
Battles In Cuba.
| New York, Aug. 31.-The Times says:
| General Weyler, in issuing a recent pro-
| nunciemento declaring that three of the
Cuban provinces were pacified, ardered
that al lpacificos who had been held in
durance as suspects should be released
This order gave freedom to thirty-five
young Cubans, among others, who had
been prisoners for two and half years
| at the Spanish penal colony of Ceuta, on
the coast of Morocco. They were taken
| across the strait to Gibraltar and left
there penniless. Jose PrinelleS, Of this
city, provided with a subscription fund
has just returned here with fifteen of
the released pacificos, this being as many
as the fund enabled him 10 pay passage
for. The remaining nineteen are still in
Gibraltar, some with friends, and all
getting food and shelter as best they can.
None of them, Mr.. Prinelles said, had
ever been allowed a trial or a hearing,
and, being only suspects, they were MT
subjected 10 the full rigor of prison dis
ciplne al Ceuta. They were, in fact, al
lowed the liberty Of the town, but they
found it desirable to avoid encounters
with Spanish soldiers or officials, as to
meet one in the street generally resulted
in their being insulted or knocked down.
They had to return 10 ane prison, or cas-
tie, as ii is called, at a certain hour each
evening and be locked up for the night.
They were fed on beans, onions and very
bad meat-generally tainted. There were
over 400 men in the prison, and many
Of them were sick.
The prison they described as being fl
thy. No attention was paid TO sanitary
conditions. The cells were gloomy, damp
holes, pungent with nasty filth that in
the prison the pacifcos knew nothing
Many Of the returned men do not know
what the fate Of the members of their
families has been. Some have been kill
ed in battle, others imprisoned and tor
tured. Valdez learned last night that
brother had been killed in battle.
CUBAN ELECTIONS.
New York, Aug. 31.-Thomas Estrada
Palma, representative Of the Cuban pro-
visional government, has received the Of
fetal list Of deputies to the next Cuban
constituent assembly, which is to meet
in Camaguey on September 8, to elect
new president, the office of the present
incumbent expiring on Thursday. The
assembly will also revise the present pro
visional constitution, which was adopted
for term of two years on September is.
1895. Each of the six army corps sends
four deputies to the assembly. Accord
ing to private advices which have just
reached here, large bodies of Spanish
troops are being massed in Camaguey
for the purpose Of preventing, if possible.
the meeting of the assembly The in
the district TO protect the convention.
BATTLES IN CUBA.
Havana, Aug. 31.-General Linares, in
the province of Santiago de Cuba, has
been engaged with an insurgent force.
The enemy lost two men killed and the
troops lost thirteen men killed, including
two captains. The horse of General Lin
ares was struck by two bullets and was
killed
A Spanish column consisting of 1900
men of all arms, under the command of
General Luque and Colonel Sotomayer.
recently left Holguin, province of Santi-
ago de Cuba, with the intention of at
lacking an insurgent force which occu-
pied strongly fortified position at Sa-
bana de Becorro. The troops camped
nine miles from the enemy's position
without being observed, and during the
night the Spanish commander ordered
two guerilla companies and three COM
panies Of Spanish infantry to surprise
the enemy. The Spanish forces approach
ed close to the insurgent camp and then
rushed upon II under a heavy fire f--1
two sides and captured IL The insurg
ents were completely taken by surprise
and fled in disorder with the loss of six
ty men killed. according to the officia,
report, and carried away their wounded.
The insurgent general, Estrada, is said
10 have been wounded in both legs. The
troops lost fourteen men killed and had
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