The times., 1898-04-14

New York. April 13.-The Brooklyn
Eagle this afternoon prints the follow
ing:
"A remarkable story indicating that the
insurgents in Cuba are being largely sup
ported by blackmail levied in this coun-
try oy the so-called Cuban junta has
come 10 the knowledge of the Eagle. and
presented.
by lhis recital Of facts if is indicated
that the Cuban Junta has established Il
systematic method Of obtaining large
sums Of money from Americans who
own great plantations and who have
many financial interests in Cuba; that
the people who are victimiZed by what
is practically blackmail have been in
timidated by threats of the destruction
OF their property and of attacks upon
relatives who live in Cuba, and that they
have been afraid and are now afraid TO
appeal to this Government or to make the
fac,s public
1T was learned by the Eagle that a close
relative of a prominent New l.,rk busi-
ness man who lives in Brooklyn is still
I'm Cuba; that he was warned two years
ago by the insurgents not TO cultivate his
sugar plantation. upon which 1850 men
have been employed Tnder threat OF de-
struction t. AL ne property do of death
10 all concerned; THAI an ea'.al!y EN-
phatic order :hat the place should be cul-
tivated came from the Spanish govern
ment Of The province with threats of con-
fiscation if the order was not carried out
that under the stress of two impending
evils the relative made appeal to the
member Of the family then in New York
that he. with the hope of securing protec-
ton from the insurgents, called upon the
Cuban junta, that this protection was
guaranteed. but a demand was made
upon the relative for several thousand
dollars If he wished the Cuban property
10 enjoy perfect immunity: that this
was paid by the broker, and an order OF
immunity was forthwith issued by the
junta TO General Gomez; that in a short
while a threat was received by the owner
Of the property from the insurgents; an
other visit was paid by the relative to the
junta officials and another demand was
made for money which he paid.
This method. il was said, had beer
used in many instances. and il was
through this means of Ievying tribut,
and demanding silence that the juuts
had been able to sustain the insurgenti
in their struggle.
A reporter of the Eagle called upol
the business man this morning
The facts he said, concerning thes
blacSmailing schemes of the iunta ar
true. There is no doubt about il. and /
is in this way that they have been abl
TO keep the rebellion going so long Blu
j cannot talk about this, he continued
4 cannot permit my name to be used il
any way with the article 1t would meal
the total destruction of three million
dollars worth Of property by the middI
OF next week. Ny relative is still il
Cuba in the midst of one of the mos
revolutionary provinces. This relative
has remained there most of the while
and ] believe now he is just as secure a
1 am in my office. However. should
speak out and should it become know
10 the insurgents in Cuba that l ha,
said that blackmaiIing methods had beel
used TO support the cause. it would b.
only a little while before everything
would be destroyed. I would tell jus
how this business has been going on ant
give a full statement OF the methods
used. but / dare not now. The destruc
ton of property would not be the only
danger I would fear: 1t would not sur
prise me If they murdered my relative:
and-the children. have been often ask
ed TO speak out by my friends. and thos,
with whom / am confidential have urget
me 70 tell the papers what ] know Al
] told them / could have written out ;
long account Of the horrors and paInte,
4 different picture probably from tha
which is known, but it would not b.
worth a farthing if it was anonymous
and that is the only way in which
could have told it
The man was asked IL he had som,
friend or acquaintance familiar enough
with the facts to give a good account
OF the methods used to extract none,
from Americans who had property ii
Cuba
! have number OF friends he said
but they are in the same position as
am. They bear the same relation TO The
Junta that ] do, and 1 would not care II
imperil their lives and their property b,
betraying them
Don't you think that some Of then
would care to talk and would at thi.
time be glad TO make an exposure?' wa.
asked.
No: ii is too serious a question ID
think about. II ] could have spoken ol
Il they could have diyulged anything II
would have been done long ago. But We
dare not
Concerning his exact dealing with IN,
Junta the man referred to stated thai
he could not talk