The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-23
SAW CUBAN SUFFERING
COUNTY CLERK FEsLER RETURNS
DIRECT FROM HAVANA.
Spanish Think Americans Are Afraid
to Fight-The Bravery of
Cadet Bronson.

County Clerk Fesler returned at noon yes
terday from a two weeks sojourn in Ha-
vana and Key West, where he has been I'M
officially investigating Cuban conditions and
Spanish theories.
Mr.. Fesler says that although there is
much just talk of yellow journalism, he
has yet to read a newspaper story which
is in the least exaggerated in so far as it
describes the sufferings and terrible condi-
ton of the reconcentrados He says the
state in which they are compelled to exist
is simply indescribable and enough to sicken
any one with the least claim to humane in
stincts He called on Consul General Lee
and found him most affable and courteous.
Mr.. Fesler says he was directed to the house
of the consul general by a Spanish soldier,
who was so DESTROYS of pleasing the Amer
icanos' that he got off the street car and
walked three squares in order to point out
the house. Mr.. Fesler and his friends did
not know whether to attribute the Span
iards' friendliness to natural causes or to
a concealed design to blow up the party
when their backs should be turned.
When asked what the Spanish in Havana
think about war with the United states;
States is afraid to fight and there is no
thought on their part of backing down.
They are making every preparation Tor
disappoint them in the matter or courage
They don't seem to realize that we could
whip them in thirty minutes after we got
at it"
Mr.. Fesler made the acquaintance of
many naval men and newspaper CORE
spondents while in Havana and Key West
He met Carl Decker, the New YORK news
paper man who was so badly whipped Dy
some naval young gentlemen Tor casting
aspersions on them in his paper and says
that anyone who looks at Decker can read
ily see that it took almost a ships crew
to LAY him out" AS rule, he says, the
correspondents are gentlemen and not ma
Hcious liars, but their desire for news and
the difficulty in getting it leads them astray.
by hiring their own tugboats and sending
their dispatches by this means to key West
Cadet Bronson especially struck the fancy
of Mr.. Fesler. Bronson is the young cadet
who did so much to rescue the bodies or
sailors after the Maine explosion. Mr..
Fesler says he is not more than tWenty-One
years old, looks like a boy, and acts like
a brave man. Fully thirty OF the Maine
sailors were taken out by this young man,
who ran his launch into the midst OF the
wreck while it was still burning. he says
Bronson has not had half enough credit
given him by the newspapers for the brave
part he played. The Maine survivors can
not say enough for him and talk OF pre-
senting him with memorial
The Maine, Mr.. Fesler says, looks, as 1t
lies in Havana harbor. exactly as the
newspapers picture it. Mr.. Fesler left Ha-
Vana last Wednesday and reached TINS city
at noon Yesterday Mr.. FeSler went to his
desk at the courthouse Immediately, but
before he could get to work he had to en-
terrain an interested knot of his fellow
citizens with an account of his travels.
Attorney W. l.. Taylor has been spend
ing a few days in fhe East. Yesterday
Floyd A. Woods, his law partner, received
a telegram from him dated Washington,
d. c., stating that he intended leaving at
once for Tampa, Fla, and from there would
sail for Cuba 0'f