The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-12
CONDITIONS N CUBA.
An American Ofhcinl Tells of the
Terrihlc Suffering There

terrible suffering There.
Washington, January 1i.--Hcn. Charles
w. RUSSELL assistant United States attor-
ney in the department OF justice, returned
today from Cuba, where he spent two
weeks investigating the conditions pre-
vailing on the island. To the Associated
Press Mr.. Russell said:
Il am very glad to be interviewed. be-
cause | feel 1t solemn duty to endeayor
to make the American people realize the
terrible distress which exists in Cuba
Much has been written on the subject, but
judging others by myself. ! feel quite sure
that because we do not commit and have
not in our history committed such atroci-
ties as Spain is committing on that island.
the American reader does not comprehend
the meaning of the reports.
II spent Just .wo weeks IN Cuba: visited
Havana, won't south to Jaruco, southeast
to Guinese. east to Niatanzas, eastward
about 200 miles through the middle Vi the
country to San Domingo Santa Clara and
sagua LA Grande. | visited Mariana. d
short distance west of Havana, and saw
along the railroad thirty or forty towns or
stations. In Havana | visited the hospital
prison. where ! talked With the father OF
Evangelical Cisneros, and a place called
the Jacoba. / found reconcentrados iii all
iuiSt pldCtS anu uSssiHSf eNefyWHtIe duout
the streets of Havana. The spectacle at
the hospital Of women and children ema-
cated to skeletons and suffering from dis
eases produced by starvation, was sicken-
iJg. In Sagua / saw some sick and en,a-
ciated little girls in ehtldrens hospital.
started three days ago by charitable Gu
bans. and saw a crowd of miserable look
ing reconcentrados with tin buckets aud
other receptacIes getting a small allow
ance OF food doled out to them In the yard.
In the same city in an old sugar ware
house | saw stationed around the inside
walls the remains of twenty or thirty Gu
ban families. In one case the remnant con-
sisted Of two little children; in another
case, where | talked TO the people in
broken Spanish, there We're four individ
nails. mother, a girl of IA and TWO small
girls. The smallest was then suffering
from malarial fever; the next made the
signs with her hands, with which had
become familiar, OF having had the beri
beri; this was all that was left alive OF
family of eleven.
The depot was crowded with women aud
children, one of the latter. as remember
being swollen up with beri b-ri. begging
In the most earnest way OF the few passen-
gers.
San Domingo is little more than rail-
road station in times Of peace, but at pres
ent 1t has considerable population living
in cabins thatched with sae tops OF royal
palm trees. The huts are arranged close
together in little clump and the concen-
tration required and apparently stll re-
quires these people to live within a circle OF
small block houses, dignified by the name
of quarters. don't know the exact meas
ure of the dead line circle drawn around
them, but there was certainly nothing with
in 1t upon which human being could SUBJ
sist and also certainly. II any order had
permitted them TO go short distance
further out they had not gone and were not
going. Practically they are prisoners.
AT every one of the numerous stopping
places along the road a similar condition of
affairs is seen and at most OF them beg
gars. often nice looking women and beauti-
full children invaded the cars. Between the
children invaded the cars. Between the
stations, although travelled always by day
light, as the trains do not run at night,
and observing as much as possible / saw
no signs OF the reeoncentrados going away.
II they had gone It takes seed, instru-
ments land and three or four months 10
raise vegetables which could be soonest
produced. and nowhere from the block
houses was there any sign Of vegetables
growing. Near the larger towns the circle
of concentration seemed 10 be somewhat
larger and some planting Of vegetables, to-
bacco etc, seemed to be going on.
Y Along the railroad. as far as could be
seen. were stretches OF the most fertile
and beautiful country with very few trees
even on the low mountains, and most OF
these royal palms. saw many dozens Of
burned cane fields and one evening goiug
from Guinese to Havana ] saw the sky
lighted up along the road with fires. Drin-
cipally OF the tall grass. Minis and cane
were surrounded by the forces. manned by
soldiers. who are paid, as ] am told by
the owners. Except in the cities. saw
no Indication that any reli& whatever was
being afforded no the starving people
Neither In Havana ror elsewhere did any
priest or other person seem to be paying |
any attention TO the wants Of the starving.
except at the fortress and some other
places where Cubans were nursing the |
Kick The church yard. a state institution. |
was SO far as could see. leaving the |
victims without bodily or spiritual relief:
in fact. the general air Of Indifference to |
suffering which seemed I prevail Is
astonishing.
As the country was stripped OF its pop
ulation by the order of concentration. II is |
easy to believe that 400. 900 persons were
gathered behind the forts Judging by the |
orphans I saw shown at the Jacoba, Aide |
GOA and elsewhere and from all saw and |
heard believe that half OF the 100000 |