The Irish standard., 1897-06-12
Speculation Regarding Alleged Re-
port OF aen. Lee
An OUTLINE OF PROBABLE ACTOR.
Spain to BE Held Responsible for the
Death Of Ruiz, and His Widow'a j
Claim for Indemnity to Do ri
Supported. q?

publications purpOrtlng 10 De copies O4
the report were accurate. Assuming
however, that the consul generals con-
clusions are correctly set forth, In
brief that Ruiz died while in Jail In vio-
lation of his treaty rights, the question:
before the department of the largest Inn
portance is, what shall be the next
step? The wife of Ruiz has filed with
the department claim for $3.50. 900 for
the death of her husband. The Span
ish contention has been that he was not
killed and that he was not treated
harshly. Gen. Lees inquiry is under
stood to have failed to bring out the
truth on these points, but his state
ment on another, namely, that OF his
confinement in violation of treaty
rights, appears to make the first two
points non-essential and to leave the
case resting on the broad claim that In
confining DR.. Ruiz for more than 70
hours without permitting him to COM
municate with his friends or trying
him, the Spanish officials in Cuba have
assumed full responsibility for the re-
suits of that extra confinement.
The fact being established that DR..
Ruiz kept up his citizenship by regis
tering himself at American consulates
In Cuba from time to time as required
by regulations, is taken as an onset
against the claim that by continuous
residence in Cuba for nearly 20 years.
he had forfeited his rights as an Amer1-
can citizen, so it is surmised that the
next step in the case will be the pre-
sentation Of claim against the Spana
ish government in behalf of the family
of the victim Of this illegal imprison1
ment.
Lees Alleged Report.
The New York Journal publishes
what is claimed to be the full text OF
Consul General Lees report on the Ruiz
case to Secretary Sherman. 1t is dated
Havana, May 81, and says in part:
II deduce from my knowledge Of the
facts tho following conclusions:
'First-Dr. Ruiz was arrested on false
'second-He was placed under IN i'm
proper jurisdiction. and died befofe the
proper tribunal considered his case. there
by giving him no opportunity to prove his
inpooence.
in solitary cell for 81b hours. in violation
OF his treaty rights, which limit such con-
,f1nement for 72 hours.
/ '.Fourth-He died from concussion Of the
brain, produced by q blow on the top OF the
head.
i 'Fifth-There are two theories connected
with the wound. One that in state OF
mental excitement he ran across the cell.
As described by one Of the jailers ana but.
ted his head on the door, in frantic ef-
fort to get out. Another, that he was
struck over the head with one OF the c1una
carried by the jailers-by the immediate
.Watchman. who had probably ordered him
to cease his cries for relief, and for hia
children, and upon his not doing 80, struck
him with more force than he intended, Oh
1t is possible the blow was delivered to
make him confess or give evidence against
Others.
"1t is possible he went mad, and many
causes combined to produce such a result.
Asonies Ruiz Endured.
"rIis knowledge of his own innocence. his
confinement in q gloomy cell, where he was
not allowed to communicate with his family
or friends, or to send or write. Alone, an
alone, the thought douptless lmpresssu S. ~. =.
self upon his mind that he was liable ~
the reign of terror then existing In and
around Guanabacoa to be summarily exc
cuted at any moment. He loved his wife
and children, and In the darkness and lone
1iness Of his cell he was constantly crying
but a few rods away. and yet he m1gh1
never see them again or hear the sound OF
their voices or feel the touch of their lips
and hands maddened him and proved too
much for the mind of the distracted anq
unhappy man. J
Truth VIII Never BE Known. I
.1 thought It not improbable as the Ions
hours passed by 1t may have given way
and left him q madman. Ills wife says
his derby hat was all battered up ana
his clothes greatly torn when returned 70
her: -. o,, 81
inflicted the blows which produced brain
ton9estion. or whether he died at the
hands Of others, the truth will probably
only be known when the hearts OF all are
revealed. The fact remains his up1us9
confinement killed him, and had he been
released from incommunicado by the hano
81 man at the end Of u hours tho hand
81 death might not have released him
at the end Of 815 hours and to-day the
widow would have the support Of her nus.
band and the means Of his father1ess chill.
uren would never have been heard IN the
land.
II therefore conclude saying. as have
done In all previous reports about this case1
that whether DR.. Ruiz killed himself or was
killed by some one else will under the
existing conditions always remain un.
May lie q Change Of Policy. Z
! Washington, June 9.-There was a rei
vival Of Cuban talk about the senate
Tuesday on account Of the return Of Mr.
Calhoun. The republican senators@
some of them members of the foreign
relations committee, say there 10 nd
doubt that the president will take ac'
ton az soon az Mr.. Calhoun's report ID
received. No definite information was
riven concerning the attitude Of the
president, but the impression Of the
ienators from such reports az they
heard was that there would be change
from the present negative policy and
the adoption Of q definite line Of action
with view to endcavoring to secure q
settlement Of the present unfortunate
state of affairs in Cuba.
Must Pay q Tax.
Harrisburg, Pa, June e.-The senats
has passed finally the bill which has
already gone through the house, taxing
each unnaturalized adult male em6
ployed in the state two cents day.
J. J. Dissette, builder and contractor,
office 400 Hennepin avenue. Telephone
500, a..#
John J. McIIale and Ace P. Abel, law-