Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-05
CEASE THE UNHoLY WAR.

Of late days the eyes of the world have been directed toward Turkish Ar menia, where butcheries most horrible have been mmitted-butcheries of such nature as to call for denuneations from every pulpit and reputable newspaper of this and other lands. Resolution after resolution has been read and adopted throughout the Christian world Even more, the crowned heads of Europe have gone so far as to raise their voices in protestation against the repeated horri ble crimes daily chronicled by means of cable and private wires.
 Even the congress of the United States has discussed and protested against the wholesale slaughter of innocent women and children, and the gates of the new world have been thrown wide open to the victims of the sultan's paid butchers.
 Not only has all this been done, but re- peatedly have subscriptions, both public and private, been raised for the suffering Armenians. These acts of humanity have been liberally applauded by press and pulpit. The very fact that few paltry dollars had been given by some one in aid of the cause has been the instigation for long editorial favorably commenting upon the liberality of the donor. To this we have no objection to offer. But the time has come when the eyes of the en- frightened world must turn in another di- rection. Another unfortunate country has been laid waste, her brave sons slaughtered, and now even the women, who have devoted their lives to assisting the sick and wounded in hospital wards, have been made the victims of most horrible and unsuitable lust--a lust of murder and rapine. Never before in the history of the civilized world has there been. chronicled such deliberate and dia- bolical outrages as are coming in from the ill-fated Cuba. The very blood of the martyred dead cries out aloud in sten- torian tones for a cessation of the butch- cries now being committed by the dicta- ton of that human butcher, Weyler. whose hellish acts far outrivaI those of Nero. of Rome, or any other fiend whose deeds of debauchery and crime have blackened the pages of history.
 Were his war being directed alone against men fighting for that liberty which all Americans love and prize so dearly we would say hands off, and let the best man win," but when 1t comes to warning upon women, and men lying wounded and stricken with disease in hospitals, and even upon victims of the most dreaded of all diseases, leprosy, then should the very women and children of this and ether lands cry out in shame and demand that this should not be.
 Many times and oft has the State Her ald chronicled reports of butcheries in Cuba. but the following special to the American press exceeds in horrible brut- aIity anything ever recorded in the an- nals of crime in this or any other country under the broad canopy of heaven:
 A horrible story comes from Reme- dios Near Placetas the Cuban insur- gents had a large hospital. where were quartered sick and wounded seioiefs. Near the insurgent camp was also locat- ed the well-known leper hospital of Caf- dosa. in which were about twenty five unfortunates. Guarding the insuisent hospital was q company of Cuban Ana zons, numbering about seventy, under command of Sencrita Inez Alvarez. whose father and brothers had been butchered by Spaniards, and who had taken up arms for revenge.
 The hospital was in q solitary location. and was thought to be safe from Spar. ish rnoles ton. But a colonel of the Spanjsh regiment de Bourbona nperat- ing in that district learned of the hos pitars location and sent 500 men to de- stroy it. The Spaniards attacked at night and fired the buildings. The in mates and Amazon guards awoke to find flames roaring about them. The sick and wounded soldiers could not escape, but the Amaznns rushed out, onty 10 be greeted by murderoIs fire. They fought hravely, but they were only a handful compared to the Spaniards- and were shot down. Many of them were only wounded but even these were butch ered exceylt eight, Ni.os SC peculiar beauty led the Spanish commander to order them saved for. fate vorse thar death.
 In the hospital there were more than seventy sick and wounded soldiers. six surgeons and ten nurses. Not one of these escaped, and. including the Ama- znns, nearly 1Jo people fell victims to Spanish thirst for slaughter.
 EeturninS.- the Spaniards passed the leper hospital which they set on fire, and nearly all the Inmates petished' in tte flames" aH ~ Think of ii s-e leg.slaturssin high pfaces