The San Francisco call., 1898-02-01
NO RECENT
 NEWS FROM
 CONSUL LEE So It Is Believed That All Is Quiet at
 Havana. Supplies Sent to Private Individuals Are
 Seized. Goods for Suffering Cubans Should Go to Uncle Sam's
 Representative. RUIZ CLAIM STILL DRAGS. But the Governra ent Intends to Cause Spain to Hasten It's
 Consideration.
Goods for Suffering Cubans Should Go to Uncle Sam's
 Representative.
RUIZ CLAIM STILL DRAGS.
But the Governrn ent Intends tc Cause Spain to Hasten It's
 Consideration.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House.

Call Office, Riggs House.
 Washington, Jan. 31
 No word has been received at the State Department from Consul-General Lee since Saturday last, which Is taken as an indication that all is quiet there, and that the situation remains un- changed. The department has been in- formed that the Spanish authorities in Havana had seized certain supplies consigned to a private individual, but there is no cause for complaint in this incident, inasmuch as the agreement by the department with the Spanish authorities for the free admission of supplies for the suffering Cubans looked to the consignment of all such supplies to Consul General Lee and the exclusion of individuals from the privi- lege of free admission of goods, pro vision necessary to prevent frauds upon the customs revenues.
 Another demand is to be made upon Spain for the payment of s75,000 in demnity to the widow of pr. Ricardo Ruiz for murder of her husband in Guanabacoa Jail. It is understood that the State Department is preparing an instruction to Minister Woodford which will be sent to that official in few days in which he will be directed to call the attention of Minister of Foreign Affairs Sagasta to the fact that this claim was presented last summer, that it has not yet been paid, nor, in fact, has detailed answer been received to the note addressed to the late Minister Canovas. The only re- ply made has been a formal acknowl- edgment of the receipt of the claim.
 There is every reason to believe that the instructions which the department is preparing will be more vigorous in character than that submitted last summer. The original note which ac- companied the claim was courteous in tone and appealed to Spain's sense of justice. Since its presentation the administration has made no attempt to press the claim, partly on account of the negotiations following the ar rival of Minister Woodford in Madrid, which have resulted in the inaugura- tion of autonomy in Cuba and carrying out of a humane policy in the prosecu- tion of the war.
 It is expected by the administration that Spain may take an argumentative course and endeavor to rebut the evil dence produced by the United States showing that Ruiz was murdered. by counter evidence that he committed suicide. The department received a letter from Mrs. Ruiz few days ago, in which she asked to be informed as to the steps taken to procure the pay ment of her claim. She wrote that she is Tn needy circumstances and express ed hope the United States would do all it could to obtain the indemnity de- manded.
 The action to be taken by the de- partment effectually disposes of reports which have been persistently in circu- lation for several months, alleging that Minister De Lome had privately settled with Mrs. Ruiz, as was done by his Government in the Delgado case.