The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-08-31
flag beside il.

flag beside Il.
On the day of the surrender the
residents, Cuban and Spanish alike,
" ere IN state of nervous apprehen-
sion lest the city should be turned
oyer to the cuban army. \ merchant,
whose store was closed and barred,
asked me whether the city would be
turned over to the Cubans. When to
that they would not even be permitted
to enter, he raised his hands above his
head and said "Thank God :" This
man was loyal Cuban, but he loved
his hard earned money more than ne
hated the Spaniards.
The Cuban soldiers are IN a very BAD
frame of mind because the city, which
they did nothing to capture, was not
turned over to them. The day after
the surrender Cuban captain, who is
in the confidence of both Garcia and
Castillo, said:
''They feel very bad, as do all of US.
We have simply been cheated out of
our rights, sWindled by the Americans.
Santiago belongs to US, and we ought
to be in charge Didn't your president
and congress promise to turn the
island over to US? America is in con-
troll of large part of this province.
Why doesn't 1t be true TO its promise
and give it to us?'
1t was suggested to him that after
the island was entirely conquered and
the Cubans had shown themselves
capable of maintaining a stable govern
ment might be a better time for deliv-
ering the goods.
THAT'S not our idea" be answered.
eve want the island by piecemeal, as
fast as it is taken. Everything on it
belongs to us. We are being sWiudled
/ Windled-sWindled "
When asked whether, had the Cubans
been placed in charge, they would have
conGscated the property Of the citi-
Zeus he said
I'VE would have taken everything
we wanted. Nothing belongs to the
citizens; everything belongs to the
republic"
"Would YOUR army have gone into
private houses and taken away the per-
sOnal belongings of the owners, such as
food, clothing, bedding, etc.?'
"Certainly we would. DO you sup.
pose we would stay out in the street
and lasssO what we wanted through the
windoWs?'
He was so pleased with this piece
of repartee that he laughed uproari~
ously.
Notwithstanding the vigilance of
the American sentries a few Cuban
soldiers manage to sneak into the city
daily. They are not forgotten when
they are gone. Two of them went into
a store, bought machete apiece and
told the proprietor to come out IN the
woods and collect his money. A Span
ish ma or sent a servant to take his
horse to water. The servant returned
without the horse saying the Cuban
soldiers had taken it away from HIM.
Senior Mesa suffered the loss Of two
yesterday. They were fine animals for
this country and cost him 5000 in gold.
They were hitched in front of his
house and watched by 15-year old
servant. Two Cuban soldiers came
along and took both horses and ser
want.
Mesa begged for his property and
was coolly told that it belonged to the
republic. He then besought them to
leave his servant. They cursed him
and threatened to shoot him if he did
not shut his mouth. This morning the
servant returned, having stolen away
from the Cubans in the night. He
reports that they had a lot of other
plumber, which they were taking to
the mountains.
Complaints of this character are be-
coming so common that it is very prob.
able that the guards in the city Will be
strengthened and closer watch kept
to keep the Cubans out.-Press dispatch
from Santiago.