The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-11
THEY SAW PEOPLE STARVE
Col. Parker Talks of His Trip
With Senator Proctor.
VICTIMS OF SPANISH CRUELTY
Testimony From American Visitors
Confirms the Published Re-
ports in Tie Times-Everyone in
Havana Knows the Maine Was
Blown Up BY Treachery.

Senator Proctor and Col. Myron NJ.
Parker have arrived in this country after
visit to Cuba that has given them a
'ery clear understanding of the cond-
tiuna that exist on the island. The report
that they make of their trip and of their
inquiries and personal Investigations con-
hfHas the most terrible of the accounts
that have been published in The Times
for many months, and that have been
denied repeatedly in the pro-Spanish
newspapers
Senator Proctor has not yet spoken of
the significance OF his trip politically, if
II was in any way q political mission, and
he has said very little personally of the
things he saw. He says, however, that
whatever his mission was it was very
successful.
Col Parker talks very freely, and even
in way that suggests that what he saw
was so terrible that he is unable to hold
his peace.
The facts discovered by the two gentle
men as to the terrible destruction on the
island and as to the Cuban rebellion were
these:
Gomez has the island. He goes when
and where he pleases. Blanco holds the
seaports. Autonomy is an absolute fail
ure. 1t is the universal opinion of Ameri-
cans, supported by all evidence consid-
cred reliable, that the battleship Maine
was blown up from the outside and that
the Naval Court of Inquiry will so report
They found during their stay in Cuba
that 100000 people We're starved to death
by Weyler, helpless reconcentrados with
out food. The governor of Matanzas told
them that in the last three months !, 100
of these people have died in that city and
30, 900 in the last year. The barbarous
treatment of these people has never been
equaled in modern times. At one place Wis
tied by the two Americans, where there
were scores of starving women and chill
dren, three deaths occurred during the
few minutes that the visitors tarried, and
they were told that 100 would die in two
days more. They were literally starving
to death. And Cuba is only eight hours
from the United States.
Havana, they said, was quiet, but it
would not take much more to touch it off
than it did to destroy the Maine.
Gen. Lee, they said was calm and
courageous, a full-fedged American, who
asserts himself without fear in the line of
duty They did not believe that any valid
complaint could be lodged against the Of
fetal course of the consul general, who,
while firm, is always discreet and con-
sentative"
Col Parker said in his conversation
with one of the reporters:
THE Senator's trip TO Cuba was mere
ly TO satisfy himself as TO the real mer-
its of the Cuban question. 1t has no po-
litical significance whatever. The fam
inc, suffering, and awful restitution
among the reconcentrados is something
almost indescribable. The Alcalde Of
Matanzas told me that s., 600 persons hal
died Of starvation in that city during the
last year and that $500 had died during
February.
in Il ward of the hospital at MatanZas
there are 100 Cubans, most of them Sleep
ing on the floor. We spent a half hour
at the hospital and during that time
three of the patients in that ward died.
/ B!ancos order modifying Weyler's re
concentrates edict, has not gone into
effect, but when it does do not believe
that it will help matters any. Around
every town is q trocha. Any citizen who
walks outside of ii is liable TO be shot
by a Spanish sentry. Blanco's order per-
mits them to go outside the trocha for
few hours every day, but does not re-
move the sentries, and so long as they
remain Cubans are not going to venture
/ outside.
I'VE were just about to enter a hotel
! one day with our party, in which were
! several ladies. y group Of Spanish Off
/ GERS were standing at the door. AS we
/ passed one of them said In Spanish: L
! should like to have an order TO Kill these
! people
Every American in Cuba now is
/ watched as though he were a criminal
/ The Spaniards hate us and do not hest
! tate TO say so.
Everyone in Havana now knows that
the Maine was blown up. Spaniards no
longer deny it. They do not seem to be
very sad over it, either.
Are we going TO have war? Well, if
we don't ] shall be surprised.
Col. Parker said all the American con-
! suls in Cuba are doing their best in the
distribution of relief supplies except Con-
sui Magyar at Cienfuegos, who, the colo
! mel said, denied that there was much
suffering. and who seemed TO be in sym
| pathy with the Spaniards.
Senator Proctor had a long CONVEX
sation with Admiral Sicard Immediately
after he arrived at Key West. 1t is the
/ understanding of the senator that the
/ investigation of the Court of Inquiry is
nearly, if not quite completed. He
would venture no opinion as to the prob
able time when the report of the court
will be submitted. though he does not
{ believe that IL will be held back many