Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-08-12
SPANISH ATROCITIES.
FOUL DEEDS OF THE WHITE SOCIETY
IN PORTO RICO. ~

try Who Rob, Cypress and Murder the
Natives - How Omcials With Impunity
Laid Tribute Upon the Weak.
In the New York Worlds recent dis.
patches from Porto Rico another in
stance of Spanish barbarity and oppres-
sion has been brought to light through
the arrest of one Pazo. the accredited
president of the White society.
This organization is none less than a
complete and vigorous Malta of the
worst type. It's tenets and VOWS compel
the most nameless atrocities upon the
native population, and hundreds Of in
nocent persons have fallen through its
direction. Nonative was ever admitted
to it's councils.
In measure the society was on the
plan of the Kuklux Klan, only its
atrocities were far more cruel. It was
founded in 1887, and since then has
dourished continuously. DR.. Julio Hell
ma, president of the Patriotic Porto Ri
can league, recently furnished the New
York World information concerning it..
''The White society, or Blanco, as it
is called in Porto Rico, aims only at
the oppression Of the natives. Its mem
bers range through all grades Of Span
ish in the island, from the common SOL
der to the high government official.
Through it's working the Spaniards rob-
bed the Porto Ricans right and left.
"For instance, a petty official. desir-
ing to curry favor with his superior,
would report that he had discovered
some wealthy or we'll to do native con-
spring against Spain. Following this,
the native, with two or three friends,
would be arrested. Upon arriving at
the prison the officials would begin their
torture. Slender wooden rods thrust be-
tween the fingers would notify the SUBJ
ject what was in store. Then the man
would be told that he had conspired
against Spain. Naturally he would
deny what he had not done.
A twist Of the rods usually admon-
ished him that the answer was unsatis-
factory. The officials would inform him
that everything was discovered and that
So-andso was implicated. If he still
denied, the torture would be renewed,
and if at the end he persisted in his in.
nocence he was cast into Jail.
"In this way complete terror would
be inspired among the inhabitants, and
whatever the Spanish officials chose to
do none would have the temerity to
complain.
"Again, every inhabitant of Porto
Rico is compelled to bear a passport.
Without this document none may
travel through the island. Every police
soldier has the right there to demand a
view Of the passport, and unless he sees
it may cast the unlucky one into prison.
If the native should be SO foolish as to
try to escape, the soldier. by law, could
shoot him down with IMMUNITY.
"For these passports the officials ex-
torted a fee ranging from 10 cents to
$500 year, depending upon the condi-
tion Of the applicant. Under this op-
preston the way Of the Spaniards was
simple. A native wishing to travel out
side a city would be held up by the
Spanish guards
"'It will cost you SO much, he would
be told. The ignorant perhaps would
protest.
Where's your passport?'
"He would show it. Then the SOL
diers would announce that they would
keep the passport till he returned. The
man would go on. AS soon as he was
out Of sight the soldiers, tearing up the
passport, would gallop after him. A
shot, and the tragedy was complete.
Had no passport and tried to es.
CAPE VIC 4 be the official report, and
none ever dared to protest that the dead
mans pockets were rifed.
Here's another way they had. An
officer in need of money would enter a
house and demand, say, 500. If he die
not get it, he would depart with the in
timation that his memory was long.
After that the victim was marked
among the whites The word woulC
be passed along, and in a few days OF
so the victim would be found dead
Had no passport and tried to escape
OVC4 "ACAAAOO NY tACoO SuCC0cSASS
barbarities, the natives formed societies
of their own-for protection purely
They called themselves 'Secos' ant
'Mojados'-dry and wet, in other words
Their name for the Spanish highbinder'
was 'Compontes.
GAS the entire Spanish administra
tion is of this organization one can I'M
derstand the oppression that has rulet
in the island. No native was safe. 1
was used for extortion, oppression ant
murder.
'Do you wonder that the Porto Ri
cans have risen up to greet the Ameri
cans? Our junta has instructed them il
this. The natives know that the advance
Of the Americans is the march of prog
ress and liberty. For this reason thu
world has seen campaign unlike any
other ever known in the history of wars
The end of Spanish barbarity has com.
in Porto Rico, and her people will b.
FREE"
Dewey's Luck.
Somebody has discovered that Admi
raj Dewey has but part of a liver, tn
rest having been removed by a friendl,
surgeon some years ago. This goes tt