The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-02-14
THEFT oFDE LomE's LETTER.
Stolen From Havana Postofice by al
Employe of Cuban Junta.

EmplOye OF CuDhh
Philadelphia, Feb. 1S.-The Press Will
print tomorrow what it aserts to be
a true version of the publication of the
letter from Senior Depuy De LONE. The
authority cited for it's authenticity is
a Cuban Of the highest standing in the
councils of his party" who receives his
information from headquarters in
New York" The story goes on to say:
1.-The letter was not stolen from the
United States mails, but was secured
by an agent of the Cuban junta in the
postoffice in Havana. Don Jose Camel
jas, to whom the letter was addressed,
never saw the original He did not
know until eight days after the letter
reached Havana that such a letter
from Spain's representative in Wash
ington had been written to him. De
LONE wrote the letter in his private
residence in Washington instead of at
the Spanish legation. The paper, how
ever, was marked with the type and
read in the corner Legation De Es-
pana. The same inscription was upon
the left hand upper corner Of the en-
velope.
"Senor De LONE did not mail the
letter from his house. In fact he had
not quite completed it upon the morn
ing it was written and carried it to
the legation, where it was first seen
and noticed by person who is in the
employ of the embassy acting in sub
official capacity. The letter lay upon
the desk Of the minister in his inner
office, the outer office being his place
of reception to visitors. During his alb
sence of half an hour from the inner
office of De LONE the clerk in question
saw the open letter and read some of
it. The next day the same person sent
word to his Cuban associates in Wash
ington to the effect that he had seen
letter from De LONE to Canalejas in
which President Mckinley was villitied
and autonomy called a scheme. Sew
eral of the Cuban leaders interviewed
and asked the employe of the embassy
to secure the letter. They did not be-
lieve implicitly in his story, although
he urged them to come into the public
print and make charges against De
LONE. Because they did not have the
letter in their possession, the leaders
refused to say anything about it.
1.-THE employe of the legation was
urged to use all means in his power to
secure the letter although it was con-
sidered probable that it was already in
the mails when the Cubans at the
Hotel Raleigh were informed of its ex-
istence. The clerk saw no more of the
letter. His memory written abstracts
were forwarded to New York and it
| was quickly agreed that could posses
sion of the letter be obtained and his
statements proved to be true the letter
would be of incalculable value to the
Cubans. Immediately words of warn
! ing and urgings to be on the lookout
were sent to every Cuban who might be
| in a position to obtain track of or in
| tercept the much sought for missive.
| 1.-THE letter reached Havana five days
after it's postmark in Washington. An
agent of the Cuban party, who is an
employe of the Spanish postofflce, knew
that the letter was on the way and
when it came into his hands it was car
ried from the postoffice and a copy was
| H..
sent to the Cuban leader in Jackson
VILE, Fla, who at once asked the secret
Cuban junta in Havana to secure the
original letter--that copy was not
what was desired. The Havana post
| office clerk was not willing to do this
| at first but afterward consented, as
| he was obliged to account for a GER
tain number of letters to other employ.
es of the department. The original was
then taken and several blank sheets
were substituted of the paper on which
De LONE had written and then finally
| postmarked in the Havana Office ant
sent on it's routine way. Eight days
from its arrival letter addressed tt
Senior Sanalejas was delivered to him
He did not regard the matter as seri
Gus.
'Senor Canalejas communicated al
most Immediately with Minister d.
| Lone and for several weeks letters ant
cablegrams passed between the two
but no trace of the letter could be OBJ
tanned Canalejas shortly thereafte
left Havana, going to Madrid. 1t Il
not explained why the letter was KEEP
by the Cubans for several weeks befor'
1t was given out. An informant, othe
than the person who gave the forego
ing, but who is on the inside in Cubai
circles, declared that the delay was oc
casioned by a desire on the part 0
the junta to be assured that the writ
ing was that of the Spanish minister