The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-07
WsyiSr's 0avngory In CHbos
Iondon Chronicle.)

London Chrontc1e-)
A correspondent, writing from aqua.
Santa Clara Cuba. sends US the following
details concerning the un~skeakable sav-
agery of General weyier's attempts to re-
| press the rising Of the Cubans against
Spanish tyranny:
"The more one sees OF the struggle and
the fearful devastation occastoned there
by, the stronger grows the conviction that
Spain Is p~lunging deeper and deeper into
a Slough OF Despond which threatens to
engulf her at every step. and from which
her chances Of emerging VIGOROUSLY
seems hopeless. The accumulated debts
will be a fearful load for a country in
SPANS position. Intrinsically. the island
Is not worth the struggle. h price In
blood and money has been far too high
is an ash heap from Cape Antonio In the
extreme west to the great trocha.
For the present, General Weyler ig-
nores the eastern district. where Cuba
libre' is an accomplished fact. True. he
holds a few towns there. at great cost.
but they are in reality besieged. In the
west. this howling waste. once the best
and most prosperous portion Of the island,
the insurgents roam round at pleasure.
lodging the heavy columns. and the pa
cificos' are still dying of starvation. yell
low fever or smallpox. The position az
these unfortunates is heartrending. 1t
seems impossible to find one redeeming
feature in the barbarous order which COM
pels them, ON pain of death. to abandon
their homes and property to the torches
Of the soldiers and seek protection in the
| Spanish towns; this protection. so-called,
| provided them with reservations. any
waste land near the cities. where they
could build as palatial a residence as they
liked with palm leaves. The ~houghtfu
| care that provided them with these crude
materials for a shelter, after burning
| their homes. took no trouble to provide
| fhnrn NTH food. that waS a Snnarflllifv q
| mere detail. and 1t is In this act, a COM
pulsory starvation of thousands. that Will
add another blot to the bloody escutch-
| con of Spain. and Is disgusting many OF
the leading officers in the colony. who are
not slow now in condemning the fatuous
| policy of the captain general.
The scenes daily to be witnessed in the
filthy. reeking settlements Of the recon-
citradOS' are so utterly revolving that the
Spanish soldiers. hardened as they are
by rough treatment and scenes OF blood.
are often touched by the misery of these
people, and give their sorry ration of
bread to stop the mournful walls of the
children for food. Yet there is no hope
for them, no hope Of the famine being
aSSuaged. Where can food come from
with the barren interior and blockaded
coast?
Smallpox is rife among these poor
w%retches, with every precaution disre-
garded, while yellow fever dances a ghast-
ly attendance. The condition Of the Span
ish troops is nearly as pitiful-poor. rag
ged Spanish boys, enduring hardships,
plodding YEARLY on in straw shoes and
torn harsh linen suits. till they fall ex-
hausted and perish by the roadside for
lack of care in providing ambulances or
proper medical stores by the authorities
and forced them to fight in these noisome
swamps.
Lastly, the insurgents, many of them
| driven to desperation by aggression, their
homes destroyed, their women w%ronged:
they have, perhaps, on the whole, a bet
ter time of it than the Spanish soldiers,
but when captured there is little left for
them. General CampOs, applying the laws
of civilized countries in time of war, shot
no prisoners. He is too lenient,' said his
critics, and so they recalled him Weyler,
nicknamed the butcher entered the
arena to crush out the revolution with an
iron hand. Neither mercy nor quarter
has he shown, and he has turned the
Cuban struggle into a near approach tC
the campaign of Alva in Holland. Every
day prisoners are executed for the crime
Of rebellion, and before the final scene, ]
hear, on the authority of eye witnesses,
that inquisitorial tortures are resorted to
if the victim is suspected of Withholding
information.
1.-The executions axe place with due
ceremony. The soldiers look or it as a
regular parade. The band plays a lively
Spanish quickstep, the doomed men. pin.
Toned strongly, are placed kneeling against
the wall, the priests are in attendance 10
throw a veil of religion over the official
murder. Some die bravely, shouting Cuba
libre' as the signal is given; others die
gladly, sickened of life by confinement
and i'll treatment: others, again, have to
be supported to the place of execution.
Recruits are usually placed on parade to
accustom them to the sight of blood. The
officers sword is r~aised-'Tiran The blade
falls; then Alto! Quien Va!' shouts the
sentinel, as If in irony, as the CHASTITY
burden is allowed to pass, while outside
the walls stricken women are crying and
praying, driven to despair by the volley
hat has robbed them of husband, brother,
son.
And is this ware"