The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-13

Says the Horrors Described by News
paper Correspondents Have Not
Been Exaggerated-COns Cen
erni Lee Is the Idol of All Amer
leans in Cuba-Was Feared and
Hated by the Spaniards,
George Nicholson, a dealer in leaf
tobacco, at 127 East Third street. re-
turned yesterday morning from Hava-
ma, where he spent some time purchas-
ing Cuban leaf tobacco Mr.. Mitchell
son left st. Paul March 10, and travelled
to Havana via Tampa, on the Plant
line steamer Olivette. He returned on
the Mascotte
THE horrors described by the news
paper correspondents have not been ex-
aggerated," said Mr.. Nicholson to a
q obe reporter yesterday "The
sights OF suffering and misery that I
witnessed during my stay In Havana
oeggar description, and I still shudder
at the recollection of my visit to that
CITY OF sickness and death.
ON my arrival at Key West I was
approached by man who claimed to
be a member Of the Cuban army and
said he had been wounded. He asked
me to contribute a few dollars to the
Cuban cause. but, having been advised
regarding the tricky methods employed
by the Spanish police to incriminate
strangers, 1 told him that 1 was in
foreign country and did not propose
to NEEDLE any while I was there, no
matter what my opinions were
Before any of the passengers on the
boat were permitted to leave the ship
they We're all carefully scrutinized by
the Havana chief of police, who board
ed the ship upon it's arrival. I went at
once from the boat to the hotel, where
found the chief of police waiting, for
me, who watched me until I registered.
The next day he entered a store where
I was purchasing some goods and gave
me another general inspection.
THE first day spent in Havana no
ticed a force of men carrying cartridges
and other material from the half-sub-
merged battleship Maine to the shore
The day I left the ship seemed to be
completely abandoned. All of the hull
was under water, and what I saw of
the once gallant vessel was a mass of
twisted iron and the main mast.
81 stopped at the Hotel Inglaterra,
where Gen. Lee slept and dined. The
general occupied a room but few
steps from my chamber. I sat at the
same table with him, and now do not
wonder that he is the idol of the Amer
leans in Cuba He is a man of strong
CHdFdCtGF ana I6aFESSS as d Hon. lie
appreciated the fact that every hour he
spent in Cuba he was endangering his
life. Once, while we "a number of
Americans, including the generaD were
seated at the dinner table, Gen. Lee
said:
Nov, gentlemen. II at any time
should be taken i'll (by this he meant
peisoned), before you send for the doc
tor, shoot the waiter
Ctv,, ,scrt,f r a o.
ries of knoekings near my door. and
looking out I saw a man pounding on
the consuPs door. Pretty soon 1 heard
the voice Of the American official In
quire what was the matter.
General, the Spanish. authorities
have broken into my house and search
ed It, replied the man.
"'Wen,' Numbered the general, If
they come again. kick them out. I'll
see to your case in the morning
Gen. Lee was feared and hated by
the Spanish at Havana and idolized by
the Americans.
"There are fourteen forts encircling
the harbor of Havana, and 1 noticed
that each fertilization has been equip
ped with new guns since my previous
visit to Cuba The city is we'll guard
ed frcm attack by water, but 1 was
told by a naval officer that the United
States men-of-war could soon raze the
city by stationing themselves about
six miles from shore and guard rhe
ships from torpedo boats with smaller
vessels.
"The Spanish in Havana are proud
of their navy, and never miss an OPP
portunity to brag about what they
would do to the United States If war
were declared. While I was in Ha-
vana a troop Of 500 soldiers arrived
from Spain These soldiers were dress
ed in light green clothing, straw hats
and very coarse shoes. There were
boys among them not more than four
teen years DID, and to me 1T seemed
that one good Yankee soldier could an
initiate three of the Spanish youngsters
who are weaklings compared with the
regiment of United States troops
which passed through here today.
1.-THE Spanish police and soldiers had
strict orders from Gen. Blanco not to
modest Americans on the island under
the penalty of severe punishment A
week ago last Saturday night I was
told by three people that circulars had
been distributed throughout the city
instructing all loyal Spaniards' to as
semble on the parade ground at 2
o'clock Sunday for the purpose of Or
ganizing bands to scour the city and
kill every americana Gen Blanco's
police got wind OF the affair and quick
ly suppressed any further dissemina-
ton Of the circulars. The Spanish gen.
eral says he has 5000 regulars who
can be depended upon to put down any
revolt by the volunteers, who number
II 900.
MY visit to prominent Havana
hospital does not bear particularizing.
I will give you one instance of the
scenes to be witnessed there every day.
In one ward there were six women ly-
ing on the floor in a heap. Within a
few feet from them were piled up a
number of plain board collins. When
one of the poor unfortunates died, she