The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-10

Aesteruay-Ihe Heiptess Sonoisiou Oh
Anafre In Cuba.
Jose sfarceIia a Cabsu patriot arrives
here yesterday from NorTSak- and left o.
the southern train for Key West. Fla
where ne has a sister and two youaE
brothers who are ~rs<ugees from Cuha
having left there when the r~Scorceitra-
ton manifesto went into effect. requiring
all the non-combatants to leave ne coun-
Try and crowd into the cities in the Span
Eh lines.
Mr.. MarceEs was in the CutHln army
unal he was disabled about fourteen
months ago. lie was badly ounde in
the hip and - a cripple for life. He
says he was on a farm in Havana prov
ince after his wound headed ~. and was
making a comfortable living until he was
forced TO 80 into Havana. At Havana
he got very little employment and could
hardly get enough 10 eat TO keep body
and soul together. When the
TRADES We're given leave TO go back to
the country he ceft Havana, and when
the American b~1ockading heet came or
shore. he ard four others went TO their
boats in a small boat and were sent on a
vessel 10 Norfolk. Through the kindness
Of some gentlemen he got passage TO
Wilmington. and a couple Of drImmers
mede up enough money here 10 take him
TO Charleston.
Mr.. MarceFa says ne was in Havana
several times after the blockade began
to sch what vegetables he couId take in.
He got good prices but everything else
was so high that his money did him lit
tie good. The blockade made the mer-
chants and everybody else very careful
in disposing Of supplies and the pinch
was severely felt from the first week OF
the hLppEaia The xyfrV however. was
relieved once or vice by vessels that got
into Santiago and Cienfuegos with sup
plies. They did not relieve the stress long
at a time and people who are able 10 pay
for something TO eat had nearly as hard
work as the poor people TO get what
they needed Some beef cattle are brought
in from the provinces, but they are high
and according to the supply. beef sells
ait from y to so cents a pound, and flour
is worth so n barrel.
As to the Spanish army. Mr.. Marcelia
says the army has been c~on"entrated
there and they claim to have about $1,000
men. but he does not believe there is
half that number in Havana The sol
dierS are poorly clad and w~retchedly fed.
and hundreds OF them are dirty and rag
ged and harefoted. They are discomfort
ed and despair OF the situation. They
would Throw down their arms and desert,
but if caught by the insurgents it goes
hard with them and when caugh by the
Spanish they are shot. They are afraid
TO complain for fear hat It will be taken
as evidence that they are not loyal and
THAT would get them into trouble. They
are. therefore. waiting in desperation for
the inevitable, as they know. il il coming.
These desperate soldiers are living on
promises. and Mr.. Marceila say they are
ready and willing to fight. even in their
d~eplorable condition. At least they will
make a show Of fight until they see that
the jig is up. Havana, he says. is we'll
fortified and the Spaniards seem to have
plerity of guns and ammunition. but
nothing to eat to amount to anything.
AS for the insurgents. they are also
suffering for clothing and something TO
eat, but they fare better than the aver
age Spanish soldier. They have taken
new courage, and if they had arms, am
munition and provisions. a large and eff
fective army could be raised.
The condition of the rccOncentradoeS
has improved since they were allowed to
go back to the country but in many in
stances they had no homes to 70 to and
nothing to go with. All those who stay
around the cities are suffering terribly
and many are yet starving to death.
Mr.. Marcela says taking the condition
of affairs into consideration all round,
everybody in Cuba. Spaniards and all,
hope the horrors VIII soon end one way
or another. Many Of the insurgents long
ago became disheartened and quit fight
ing. but about 15.00 or 3,6o men still
stay in the field and are determined to
die or conquer. Many men had to QUIT
the insurgent ranks because there were
no arms and ammunition for them and no
supplies to keep the inSurgent armies up
The plan lately has been to keep the ar
mics in the various provinces up 10 a
limited strength, SO they can be taken
care of. As the men are needed they
come in to fill mp the ranks. He states
tina when the Americans are able to get
arms. ammunition and supplies TO the
Insurgents. they will find thousands of
them ready to fight to tie finish.