The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-09
PLEADS FOR
MELTON.
Senator Morgan Makes a Strong
Appeal
To the Senate on Behalf Of the
Young Kansan.
GETS BACK AT HALE.
It Matters Not, He Says,
Whether There Are
Twelve Prisoners or Thousands
They Should Be Free.

Washington, April 9.-The senate yes
terday heard Mr. Morgan of Alabama
for the third successive day on his res
olution declaring that a state of war
exists in Cuba. He was severely crit
zeal of SPANS methods against Amer
lean prisoners and went over the de-
tails of the Competitor case. Mr.. Nor
gan said he would close his speech at
the next meeting of the senate, when
he would present a letter from one of
the Cuban officials of the eastern prov
ince of the island showing the complete
civil system of government now main
tanned by the Cubans.
Mr.. Nelson of Minnesota spoke for
two hours on the bankruptcy bill, OPP
posing the pending TOrrey bill as eX-
cessively harsh and designed as a col
lection agency for large creditors, and
urging his substitute as 81 measure
drafted in the interest of thousands of
poor debtors struggling to get on their
feet.
Mr.. Chandler offered a resolution,
which was agreed to, as follows:
Resolved, That the committee on in
terstate commerce be directed to in
vestigate the payments made or agreed
to be made by the interstate COM
Enerce commission for attorneys fees;
and, also, to inquire whether in any
cases the attorneys of the commission
had been employed by railroad cOmpa-
MES in similar cases, and further
whether any additional authority from
congress is required for the employ
ment Of counsel in any pending pro-
ceedings which have been instituted by
or on motion of the commission. The
resolution of Mr.. Earle (Dem., S. Co
for the reorganization of the senate
committees went over, Mr.. Chandler
presenting an amendment to be urged
when the resolution is taken up. The
amendment provides that on Tuesday,
April 20, at 2 p. m, the senate will pro-
coed to appoint its committees.
In resuming his speech on the resolu-
n 1n1l i'm h1f CT 1f fezfa
in Cuba, Mr.. Morgan reverted to the
statement of Mr.. Hale that the num-
Der Of American prisoners in Spanish
prisons was reduced to IL. In sarcastic
tones Mr. Morgan said that such re-
leases as had occurred were the result
of suppEcation by our government and
perhaps it would be appropriate to
adopt vote of thanks to Spain for not
Staying these prisoners outright. Aside
from the official testimony as to the
condition in Cuba, the newspaper press
had piled up a mass of testimony which
esta bHShed beyond question that the
war was being prosecuted by Spain
contrary to all the rules of civilized
warfare.
Mr.. Morgan commented on a letter
written by Dupuy DeLome, the Spanish
minister to Miss Clara Barton, rela-
tive to Red Cross work in Cuba. In
the course of the letter use is made
of the expression during the present
war"
This. declared Mr.. Morgan, was an in
advertent admission by the Spanish
minister. despite all his diplomatic cum
ming, that war was going on. Suppose
instead of "A prisoners it had been only
one, who could say the government of
the United States would stand by while
this American citizen was shot in Spain,
contrary to every principle of ciyiliza-
ton and justice.
Mr.. Morgan spoke Of the Competitor
expedition. He reviewed the circum-
stances of the departure of the vessel
with the nI1TnnGR of CARRYING aid to the
insurgents. He took up the case of
Melton and followed the progress of his
trial and his Imprisonment incOmmun-
1cado in the Spanish dungeons. Mr.
Morgan declared that it was a long
course of violation of treaty rights and
the ordinary methods of judicial pro-
cedure.
Young Melton, said he, was held to-
day in a loathsome dungeon, not be-
cause guilt had been established against
him, but because he is a young Ameri-
can boy. He was held in a miserable
place in which at times 40 other prison
ers were crowded. Three pals of water
were brought to them daily to Quench
the thirst from ratiOns of dry Goldfish.
These facts had been stated to the SEN
ate committee on foreign relations by
two CreditabIe witnesses, including
Rev. DR.. Diaz. Mr.. Morgan then re
viewed the case of DR.. Diaz. While
preaching at Havana bombshells mad
been thrown into his church and he and
his brother were arrested and held for
several days, incommunfcado. The
evidence of such Spanish cruelty came
to the senate from unimpeachable
sources. 1t was, declared the senator,
a record of horror uncomfortable to
decent and civilized ears. 1t could
never be described on the hoorS OF the
senate without shocking all present
and driving people from the galleries.
ETr Morgan read from the laws and
treaties to show the unjustifable char
acter of Melton's Imprisonment.
Then the senator exclaimed, with
great vehemence: Whether there are
u prisoners in Cuba, or $4,000, or
whether it is one, in the person of Owen
Melton. this Kansas youth, the flag of
the United States, if it refuses to shell
ter him. is a disgraced rag"
-we,s,h 1a,s ssu,VS EHTNyC