Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-02-17

FlH W hNAN
sarslon OF the acquisition and publica-
ion OF the letter from Mr.. De Lone to
sapor Canaleias. The authority cited
sor rs authenticity is "a Cuban of the
highest standing in the councils Of his
~narty.'' who receives his information
.from headquarters in New York"
rbe story proceeds TO say:
0The letter was not stolen from the
W ,rnited states mails, but was secured by
IN, agent OF the Cuban juntd in the post
,asce At Havana Don Jose CanaIe5as.
d M whom the letter was addressed. never
,w tha Original. He did not know until
II .Igbt days after the letter had reached
- E.vana that such a letter from SPANS
representative in Washington had been
ruten him. DE LONE wrote the letter
n his private re 3idence in Washington
W instead OF at the Spanish legation. This
5& Daper, however, was marked with the
ufaclai type and read in the corner Lee
X aasion de- Espana.' The same inscription
W was upon the leit-hanu upper corner OF
# the envelope.
nsanor de LONE did not mail the letter
# from his house. In fact, he had not quite
,ompleted II upon the morning II was
H2 written and carried II to the legation.
M where il was first seen and noticed by a
E# person who Is in the employ of the en-
R bassy, acting in a subotficlal capacity.
8# The letter lay upon the desk OF the min
AS ister in his inner office, the outer office
6 hans his place of reception to visitors.
S# During an absence OF nearly an hour
# from the inner office of DE LONE the
W clerk in question saw the open letter
X IND read some of il. The mex day this
<# same person sent word 10 his Cuban as
X& soeiates in Washington that he had seen
vs. a letter from De Lome 10 Canalejas. in
KS which
rs President Mckinley Was Niilihed
H& md autonomy called a scheme. Several
MA 81 the Cuban leaders got together and
&S asked the employees OF the embassy TO
E# secure the letter. They did not believe
&f implicitly In his story. although he urged
Hs them 70 come into the public print and
81 make charges against De Lone. Because
'& .hey did not have the letter in their
|# possession the leaders refused TO say any
z[ thing about il. The employe Of the lega-
ton was urged 10 use all means in his
s2 power 70 secure the letter. although II
vas considered probable that the letter
was already in the mails when the Cubans
AZ At the Hotel Raleigh were informed OF
s. Is existence.
The clerk in the employ OF Minister
H &c Lone saw no more of the letter. His
<H memory written abstracts were forwarded
|M " ENEW lOib III ~ "do Aui1hlg 1SANNA
# that could possession Of the letter be
5& obtained and his statements proved to be
# true. the letter would b. OF incalculable
value 10 the Cuban cause as substantial
Ri ting what Cuban leaders maintained re-
M garding autonomy and the general
Spanish policy, in official circles. toward
this country and its officers. Immediately
words OF warning and urgings to be ON
the alert were sent TO every Cuban who
might be in a position to obtain track OF
or intercept the much-sought-for missive.
The letter reached Havana five days
after its postmark In Washington. An
~ agent OF the Cuban party who is an en-
pIoys Of the Spanish postoffice knew that
the letter was on the way, and when 1t
# a into his hands il was carried from
the postoftice and q copy was made OF 1t.
Word 70 the effec; was sent 70 the Cuban
. leader IN Jacksonville, Fla, who at once
asked the secret Cuban junta in Havana
to secure
81 The Original Letter.
x = q copy was not what was desired. The
havana postoffice clerk was not willing to
40 this at first. but afterward consented,
IS he was obliged to account for a certain
number OF letters TO other employees or
lhe department The original was then
laken, several blank sheets were sub
,ututed IN place OF the paper upon which
- LONE had written. and the letter
hhauy postmarked i'm the Havana office
anu sent IN It's routine way. Eight days
nom It's arrival in the Havana Office, the
sSsaied envelope, properly addressed TO
3shot Canaleias. was delivered at the
l'oeei lhglaterra. Senior Canalejas did
aoe regard the matter seriously at the
,ne, although the hotel boy who brought
~ tue letter and the postoffice employee
S"o mad last charge OF it were arrested.
4 also was the hotel employe who went
ssefai Times daily to the p~ostosice for
= mails. All three were discharged aft
an examination. Senior Canalejas COM
n . : almost Immediately with Min
80 80 ue LONE. and for several weeks let
- anu cahlegrams passed between the
49, put no trace OF the letter could be-
la, ueo. Canalejas shortly thereafter
- havana. going to Madrid.
- Is not explained why the letter was
Sasps oy the Cubans for several weeks be-
lrte.n was given out for publication. An
49, .aHt. other than the person who
IA, tne foregoing. but who is on the in
~ mSoDan official circles. declares that
,hs ue'ay was occasioned by a desire on
so,,, pa't OF the Junta to be assured abb
snsnsas mat the writing was that of the
asva minister. so that he might not
ana any chance to deny its authorship
aouA,..s cause a reaction which I'M
shs .ly would have been the result Of
ropasation OF a fake"