The record-union., 1897-09-01
CUBANS RELEASED
FROM PRISON.
Thirty-FOur Young Men Held for
Treason Given Freedom,
None of Whom Had Been Given a Trial, or
Even a Hearing.
Tell of the Horrors Attending Com
fnement in Spanish Dungeons
Spanish Troops Attack an In
1.-two Men Shot Down ON the
Streets of aHvana by Police.


Streets of aHvana by Police.
NEW YORK, Aug. 31.-The Times"
says: General Weyler in issuing a re-
cent pronunciamento, declaring that
three of the Cuban provinces were pac-
flied, ordered that all pacificos who had
been held in durance as suspects should
be released. This order gave freedom
to thirty-four young Cubans, who had
been prisoners among others for two
and a half years at the Spanish penal
colony Of Ceuta, on the coast of Moroc
CO. They We're taken to Gibraltar
and left there penniless.
Jose Prinelles of this city, provided
with a subscription fund, has just re-
turned here with fifteen of the released
pacfficos, this being as many as the
fund enabled him to pay passage for.
The remaining nineteen are still in Gil
braltar, some with friends, and all get
ting food and shelter as best they can.
Those who have reached here are Ar
turo Prinelles, a brother of Jose and
nephew of the late General Agremento;
z. Gonzales, son of the late General Ce-
clio; G.. Campos Herrera; NJ. Diaz
Deferia, nephew of the Cuban Briga-
der of the same name; p. Sandoval, p.
Gazeres, S. Noa, r. Casanova, ]. Car
denas, n. Marique, S. Valdez, n. Espi-
noa and r. Barrios. They all came in
on the steerage of the steamship Kai-
ser William II.
None of them, Mr.. PrineIles said, had
being only suspects, they were not sub
jected to the full rigor of prison disci-
pine in Ceuta. They We're, in fact,
allowed the liberty of the town, but
they found it desirable to avoid encoun-
ters with Spanish soldiers or officials,
as to meet one in the street generally
resulted ia their being insulted or
knocked about. They had to return to
the prison, or castle, as it is called, ar
a certain hour in the 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
We're sick, but if one complained he was
confined to a cell and denied medical
attendance instead of being sent to the
hospital.
The prison they described as being
filthy. No attention was paid to sani-
tary conditions. The cells We're gloomy,
damp holes, pungent with musty filth
that incrusted the floors. OF the NOR
tality in the prison the pacificos knew
nothing. They thought of the place,
even as they had known it, with hor-
ror, and Mr.. Prinelles said they did not
like to recall it. They were satisfied to
be free.
Casanova was found with friends in
the Cuban quarter of the city last night.
He was one of the seven who, when
first arrested, were sent to the Isle Of
Pines Gonzales Diaz and Ceasres were
with him. They made a desperate at
tempt 70 escape, and succeeded for four
days in eluding their guards. They had
no food and little water, and were final
ly captured and returned to prison,
where they were fogged. At the end
of six months they were taken to Ha-
vana. and with others were placed on
a transport ship. They were manacled
and confined to a small compartment
between decks during the seventeen
days voyage to Ceuta. ArteunO Pri-
nelles' father and mother were arrest
ed at the same time he was, but they
were subsequently released He has n
brother in the field, and that was his
offense.
Campos was a cigarmaker. He was
arrested on suspicion four times, the
last time at his home near Havana.
Two brothers and a grandfather were
driven from the house at the same time,
and their property was sold. Sandoval
was arrested at Gabriel. and his hands
We're burned with a redhot iron to make
him implicate Campos with the revolu-
ton.
Sandoval said that his uncle was
dragged from his house and hanged on
a tree, while his house was being fired.
Cesares was also put to the torture with
hot irons to extort a confession. In
none of the cases, however, was a con-
fession wrung from the victims.
Valdez was arrested in Pinar del Rio
province. His offense was in having a
brother in the field
Referring to the liberty Of Ceuta
which the pacificos We're allowed, Casa
nova said that each man had a guard
of two soldiers when on liberty, and if
one dared to speak to any one he was
prodded with bayonet and taken back
TO the prison. where ne was subjected to
a beating at the hands of half dozen
soldiers.
Many of the returned men do not yet
know what the fate of the members OF
their families has been Some have
been killed in battle, others imprisoned
and tortured. Valdez learned last
night that brother had been killed in
battle.
RECENT ENGAGEMENTS.
HAVANA, Aug. 31.-General Liner
ares, in the Province of Santiago de
Cuba, has been engaged with an insur-
gent force. They lost two men and the
troops lost thirteen men killed, includ-
ing two Captains. The horse of Gener-
al Linerares was struck by two bull
lets and killed.
The Spanish column, consisting of
] 30 men of all arms. under command
of Colonel Luque and Colonel Solo
MAYER. recently left the Province of
Santiago de Cuba, with the intention
of attacking an insurgent force which
occupied a strongly fortified position at
Sabana de Becorro
The troops camped nine miles from
the enemy's position without being OBJ
served and during the night the Span-