The morning times., 1897-03-10
.sEN0RA RUIZ EXPECTED
She Reached New York Yester-
day Bound for Washington.
HAS A CLAIM AGAINST SPAIN
The Widow of the Man Alleged to
Relates Her Experiences
Speaks in Highest Praise of Con-
sui General Lee.

New York, March 9.-Mrs. Ricardo Ruiz,
widow Of the man alleged to have been
murdered recently in the dungeon OF the
Guanabacoa Jail by hirelings of the Spanish
morningon the Ward Line steamship Seneca
from Havana. She was accompanied by
her five children; Mercedes, aged thirteen;
Evangelipe, eleven years; Ricardo, nine
years; Reno, seven years; and Gloria, three
years old. After her arrival at the dock
the bereaved family were driven in q
carriage to the United States Hotel, where
they -brcakfasted. Later, they went To
ID West Ninety-eighth street, where Mrs.
RUIZ willlremain until she goes to Washing
ton To lay before the Department OF State
her claims as the wife OF murdered
American citizen against the government
of Spain.
While the Seneca lay in Havana harbor
Mrs Ruiz and her five children were sent
out to the vessel in an ordinary freight
lighter. When they boarded the ship, she
thong mt that her troubles had partly
ceased. 1t was not so, however. From
the moment that her identity was made
mostly Cubens, who knew the curse OF
Spanish suspicion, stunned her. Only one
man sought Mrs. Ruiz and tried to make
her feel that she was again among friends
That was Or. Towle, OF Concord N. H., and
he did everything in his power to cheer the
sorrow laden woman
Mrs. Ruiz this morning looked ten years
Older than her thirty-five years. Her face
was deep scanned with cares, white ana
pinched and her nerve wrecking eX-
perience in Cuba has lert her in highly
cxcitable and nervous state. The widow
and the elder children were dressed in
deep mourning. Mrs. Ruiz said:
My husband was foully murdered, and
GOD knows what would have been our
fate If II had not been for the heroic con-
duct of Consul General Lee. We owe our
very existence to him. Within q few
days I shall go to Washington and sub
mt TO the State Department my claims
against the Spanish government.
The proofs OF my husbands murder
by the prison authorities under Fonde-
viela, in Guanabacoa, are incontestable
do not know. OF course, exactly what my
future movements Will be, but my first
efforts will be in the direction of cnlighten-
ing I he United States Government regard
ing the cruclties practiced on American
citizens by the Spauiards i'll Cuba. We
were not allowed to take away from the
island some Of the strongest proofs against
the authorities there Of my husbands muir
der This is due to the efforts OF Col.
Fondeviela and the Spanish officials in
Havana. l wish to express publicly my
gratitude and admiration to and for Con
sui General Lee. My own father could
not have been kinder or more sympathetic
than lie has been
Dr.. Towle, who spent some time in
Mexico and Cuba, stated this morning
that wholesale executions were becoming
more frequent in Havana. Regarding the
condition in the interior, he said that il
was possible To travel unmolested and
that there was little evidence OF war on
the island except the general desolation
caused by the burning OF villages and
plantations.