The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-27

New York, Aug. 26.-Eduardo Garcia.
correspondent of the New York Sun AMI
Washington Times in Havana, whose ar
rest and expulsion from the island has
been reported, arrived here on yesterday
on the steamer Panama.
Garcia is Il native Epaniard and was
born in Madrid. The story Of his wrongs
is, in itself, II striking commentary OH
Spanish misrule in Cuba.
Garcia's statement is fair and impar-
tial, and since he had remained faithful
to his mother country, it cannot be said
that ne voices the sentiments of the Gu
bans in their feelings of bitter luminosity
against the Spaniards.
On my return to this country after
sixteen years residence in Cuba" said
Garcia, ''my first impression on landing
was that had left the fifteenth century
behind me, and, like Rip Van Wrinkle,
awole to find myself enjoying the bless
incs of liberty There is no exaggera.
ton in this feeling. Any person coming
from Cuba, especially if he has resided
there long enough 10 witness the fright.
ful condition of things in the island,
cannot refrain from giving vent to such
expressions.
1.-The wholesale destruction Of property
under Weyler's brutal efforts to deprive
the enemy of all resources, the many
assassinations daily committed the pub.
lie executions raids on Cuban field hos
pitfalls or peaceful non-combatants, fill
the mind with horror and forcibly bring
TO memory the scenes of the middle ages,
and especially those witnessed in the
Netherlands under the domination OF the
Duke of Alba. Spain has assumed n
great responsibility before the civilized
world in allowing the preparation of
such horrors, and when the history of the
Cuban war shall he made public am
sure that my liberal minded countrymen
will protest with the same Indignation
that feel. because such blot has been
cast upon our name"
Garcia was arrested on simple suspi-
con. lie never sent single dispatch
that did not bear the censor's stamp.
Yet to this day he has never been notified
of the charge against him. From the
day he WAS sent to Jail MAY 49, to the
day of his release (three months and
eight days late") he says he was never
given an opportunity to defend himself
"During my stay in JAIL Garcia said
II witnessed the terrible punishment
which is actually being inflicted on six
human beings for no other crime than
their persstency in declaring their
innocence. These poor wretches have
been kept eight months incomunicado
When left the prison they were still
suffering that terrible isolation, kept AZ
they are in small cells with the jailor as
the only witness of the great crime
which is being committed. The sight of
these men is something awful. l shall
never forget one occasion when they
were taken out OF their cells and brought
to the court room to testify before the
judge.
"They presented most pitiful sight.
Their vacant and idiotc stares, their
thin and emaciated bodies, their gar
ments in tatters their faces begrimed
with dirt, their hair bushy and sticky
for lack of washing and told of their
neglect and sufferings. Two of them
had lost their hearing in the long months
they had been solitary and alone. One
was sent to the maj inc hospital in q fit
of lunacy, and the others are in more
or less idiotic state.
AS those who are placed incomuni-
cado are prohibited from having inter
course with anybody, was not able to
obtain their personal testimony, but
from other information of q trustworthy
character I was able to learn that one
of them is Pedro Rivero, who, with his
companions, was arrested Mt San Juan
de Puerto Rico, on December ., 1886
They are accused of robbing safe con-
tanning Il large sum of money, in the
Office of the naval paymaster ut Puerto
Rico. There being strong grounds to
believe that the real criminal was the
paymaster, he was arrested, and is still,
Ill prison, but it appears that be is q
man of influence, and at the same time,
for the prestige of the Spanish navy, the
responsibility is shOuldered upon these
poor wretches
1.-The helpless victims have stoutly
denied the charge, and Rivero especially
has absolute proof of his innocence, but
despite their protests have been tor
tured in order to extort from them the
confession that they are the real authors
OF the crime. In Puerto Rico for seven
days they were fed on salt cod and we're
not allowed to drink q lrop of water,
and this barbarous treatment crazed
them so that they declared themselves
guilty, but the local press got an inkling
of the fact and made n great cutlery
about it, and to hide the scandal they
were transferred to Havana, where an
other judge appointed to examine the
case quashed the proceedings and re.
placed the matter in it's former state.
Nevertheless, the cruel treatment
continues, and in shape too horrible to
describe. | myself SAM the Judge give
one of the poor fellows thrashing with
his cane, and it was pitiable to hear the
cries OF the unfortunate man for mercy
and his declaration that he was inno-
cent.
"After witnessing such frightful
scenes, let anybody say that Napoleon