The San Francisco call., 1897-07-19
TROOPS FED BY
BOLD PLUNDER|NC
Weyler in Sore Straits
to Provide for His
Soldiers.
Cattle Men Who Protested
Against Robberies Are
Threatened With Death.
Meanwhile the Insurgents Are Well
Supplied and Continue Their
Daring Oper ratIons.

HAVANA, CUBA, July 1S.-rhe situation
in Havana City is very alarming, because
the whole population is threatened with
famine. Cattle from the country can only
be obtained in such small mum bers that
only the very rich can paw the enormous
prices demanded Vegetables and all
other supplies are very scarce and Weyler.
in spite of many appeals from the people,
is strongly opposed to authorize the
importation of cattle from abroad. The
Spanish army all over the island is also
suffering for want of provisions. 10
satisfy the troops, Weyler, on his arrival
at Sanct Spiritus, adopted arbitrary
measures against the property OF resi-
dents of that town. All the cattle IN
Sancti Spiritus, as we'll as those coming TO
town from the neigh boring country, were
seized by order of the Captain General.
When owners complained, Weyler said
that they had not paid taxes. When the
receipts for taxes were shown, he arrested
the complainants. Vicente Cucli and
a. Castelar,, two cattle-owners, offered the
Captain General half of their property If
they were allowed to dispose of the other
half.
They were told their cattle belonged to
the troops, and if they should continue
their protests they should be shot with
out even a court-martial. Weyler issued
orders to the cattle-owners, butchers and
bakers of the town 10 Immediately supply
milk, meat and bread TO the military hos
pital at Sancti Spiritus. Several Spanish
officers called at all private residences and
demanded the immediate delivery OF all
supplies in the house. Weyler says there
is still in Cuba people who live in houses
and eat, and that he has rifles and am
munition enough to secure from them
provisions for the army. Spain cannot
afford to disburse the eighty millions
extra that her army consumes every year
in Cuba. She is Obliged to plunder the
country now to feed the soldiers and to
face dangers of discomfort and revolt in
her own ranks. There is no hope now
that the Government Will be able to pay
the troops even one of the eight months
arrears now due them.
Meanwhile the Cubans, with their stores
full of supplies, maintain a guerrilla war
fare in six provinces of the island. A
train from Matanzas was blown up by in
surgents near Guareras and several Span
ish officers and soldiers killed. Near Ma
the Spanish column of General Molina for
several hours pursued some bands of in
surgents, who, after little firing, retired
until they were mile west of Cocodrilo.
In this way the Cubans succeeded in de-
coying General Molina to a camp where
twelve dynamite bombs had been placed,
all connected by wires with an electric
button some distance sway. When the
Spaniards arrived at the place the button
was pressed and terrible explosion oc-
CURED, killing many men and several Of
ficers. In an engagement at Ell Platano.
Santa Clara province, the insurgents lost
several officers.
NEW YORK, N. Y, July I8.-CIars Bell
Brown, dlrecto1-generai of the Woman's
National Cuban League, Washington, D.
c., has issued an address to mothers,
wives and daughters" in which she says:
with pity and indignation we have
learned from the testimony of eye-wit-
nesses of the horrors OF the InquisItion
that have been revived by Spain, and we, in
the name of God and humanity, ask pity,
prayers, aid and assistance from every
woman in America for the relief of these
women and children and for the inde-
pendence of Cuba. Branch leagues.
headed by welI-qualifed women, will be
formed all over the coun try"
VERA CRUZ, MEX, July IS. - The
Spanish man-ol-war Nueva Espana has
arrived from Tampico and is cruising
along the Mexican coast for Cuban fill
clustering expeditions. 1t is reported that
a large expedition got off under Ter nose
while she was at Tampico.