The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-02
MATANzAs EASY TO CAPTURE.
SENIOR DOMINIQUE SAYS THE FOR
TIFICATIoNS ARE WEAK.


Emilio DOminEuez. a Former OH
ciaI Of the Cuban Government.
Tells OF His Capture by the span
inrds and His Release Through the
Efforts of Consul General Lee.
The forty-six Cuban refugees who arriv-
ed at quarantine Friday from Matanzas
on the Norwegian steamship Orange, came
10 TO the city yesterday morning on the
steamer Clifton. The entire party is at
the De Soto. Some of them will leave to-
day or tomorrow for New York and Phil
adelphia. where they have friends and rel
atives. About half of them will remain in
Savannah.
The party is composed of business men
of Matanzas and members OF their fami-
lies. with a few servants. Some OF the
party are well provided with means and
all are Intelligent and highly respectable
people. The gentlemen of the party, for
the most part, speak English and several
are naturalized American citizens. Con-
sidering their recent experiences and their
hurried departure from their homes they
seem to be enjoying life with considerable
equanimity.
Mr. Emilio Domlnguez is the only men,
Der of the party who has seen service
with the insurgents. To a Morning News
reporter he gave a very interesting ac-
count of his experiences. After spending
four months in a Spanish prison, and
narrowly escaping death, he was glad to
once more place his feet on American soil.
He is a naturalized American citizen and
this is all that accounts for his being in
the land of the living to-day.
Mr.. Dominguez is a civil engineer by
profession, being a graduate of one of the
French academies. He speaks English
with slight difficulty.
Il was engaged in the conspiracy with
Jose Marti," said Mr.. DomingueZ, about
two years previous TO the present revo-
luton This conspiracy failed. / came to
the United States and remained here until
March 1895. when l left this country with
an expedition under Gen. Calixto Garcia.
We landed near Barracoa. After the or
ganization OF the republican government
] was appointed administrator of the ha-
cienda or district of Camaguey. | col
lected the taxes and contributions for the
insurgent government. l later held the
same position in the province of Havana,
state we can 1t, and was afterwards trans
ferred TO Matanzas in the same capac-
ity My health failed me and / requested
permission from Gen. Malta Rodriguez,
in command of that district to come 10
the United States Gen. Rodriguez
instructed me to come to him within
twelve days to receive instructions 10 be
conveyed by me to Mr.. Palma, president
of the junta in this country. Before the
end of this time i went to collect taxes
from an ice factory in the suburbs of Ma
tanzas. On leaving the factory about
O'Clock al night l was taken prisoner by
body of men and taken 10 Matanzas."
DO you mean to say that you collected
taxes in and around Matanzas for the in
surgent government Mr.. Dominguez was
asked.
Certainly" he replied THAT is the
way the Cuban government is maintained.
How else would we get the means to pur-
chase arms, provisions and medicine? |
collected taxes in Havana before going to
Matanzas. The whole Cuban population is
in sympathy with the revolution, and there
are thousands of Cubans in Havana and
other cities of the island"
After being made prisoner said Mr..
Dominguez, II was taken before the chief
of police. / would probably have been
killed outright but Gen. Weyler was in
Natanzas that night, and the authorities
wished TO impress him with the idea that
they had made an important capture. l
was well known IN Matanzas, my family
being prominent there. Al was put in irons
for two days The second day / was de-
prived of food and water in order. to force
me to give Information of the movements
of the insurgents. When they found that
! would give no information / was sent,
handcuffed, to the governor of Fort San
Severino. and was put in a small dungeon,
where l remained incommunicado three
days. Being an American citizen, Consul
Brice at MatanZas eXerted himself in my
behalf Consul General Lee demanded that
] be given trial before the civil and not
the military tribunal, and his demand was
acceeded to. l did not reveal my American
citizenship when arrested, as 1t would have
meant my immediate death. The Spaniards
show no mercy to American citizens whom
they capture in the ranks of the insur-
gents. / remained in prison four months.
After Gen. Blanco's arrival to succeed Gen.
Weyler, 1 was released under his policy of
clemency- This was on Nov %. l have
since remained in Matanzas"
Mr. Domlnguez said he did not think his
life would be worth much If he remained
in Matanzas after the bombardment com
menced. There being no steamers from
went TO Havana, but was unable to secure
passage there. He then returned TO Ma
tanzas Luckily the Norwegian steamship
Orange put in there Saturday, April %, and
he managed TO secure passage on her for
himself and family. MIR. Dominguez will
leave to-day for Philadelphia. where he
will join his cousin. DR.. John Guiteras, the
noted yellow fever expert.
Mr. Dominguez was asked about the
Notifications at Matanzas. The FORTH
cations are very weak" he replied. THE
principal fort is San Severino, and IL is as
Old as the foundation of the town. The
guns are ancient and weak. The warships
can knock the forts TO pieces In no time.
The Spaniards have about 1900 troops,
including volunteers encamped back of
Matanzas, Mr.. Dominguez said. The Gu
ban leader Gen. BeCancouTt, is within
three miles Of The city, waiting to make a
junction with the Americans. Matanzas
has 10000 to $1,000 population. The suffer-
ings of the reconcentrados have not been
exaggerated, Mr.. Dominguez said. Fully
10000 have persisted in the province of Ma
tanzas alone, and those who remain are
likely TO die soon unless help is afforded
them.
Mr.. L. NJ Belledo. who speaks English
fuently, said the conditions in the island
.ra very had Prices or food are "a dvar ~.