Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-12
friendly calls between officers ant
authorities.
Under the same date General Lee
Advised a POSTPONE ment

OF the Names visit for six or seven
days. That the excitement might abate.
wiring the State Department the next
day, General Lee informed the depart
ment that the Spanish authorities
progressed to think the United States
mad an Interior purpose in sending the
ship. Say it will obstruct autonomy.
produce excitement and most prob
aDly a demonstration. Asked that it
De not done until they can get in
structicns from Madrid, and say that
II for friendly motives, as claimed.
stay unimportant. If another riot oc-
ours. VIII be against governor general
and autonomy, but might include anti
American demonstration also First
class battleship should replace present
one If relieved, as object lessen and to
counteract Spanish opinion OF our
navy, and should have torpedo boat
with 1T to preserve communication
with admiral
The next telegram OF Importance,
sent by Gen. Lee early on the morn
ing CT February 16, announces to the
State Department the destruction of
the Maine. That telegram has been
published.
The first intimation of the cause of
the explosion was given by General
Lee on February 2, when he tele-
graphed:
Copper cylinders ammunition
found intact in ten inch forward mag
azine, starboard side, this morning.
seems to show that magazine not ex-
pioded. Evidence beginning to prove
explosion on port side by torpedo"
AT this point correspondence be-
tween General Lee and the State De-
partment concerning the Maine dis
aster abruptly terminates, so far as the
report submitted to Congress is con-
cerned.
March IA, General Lee encloses a
letter from Consul Barker, or Sagua,
VINO requests him to transmit the fol-
lowing letter. which is addressed to
him (Gen. Lee):
Dear Sir:-I will thank YOU to
communicate to the Department quick
~ the fact that the military comman-
der and other officers of the military
positively refuse to allow the recon-
centradoes to whom I am issuing food
IN ITS raw state, to procure fuel with
which to cook the food.
In addition, they prohibited this
class OF people Il am only giving food
to about One-fifth of the destitute. the
authorities have quit altogether), from
gathering vegetables cultivated within
the protection of the forts, telling them
the Americans propose to feed you.
and to the Americans you must
look
Yours very truly.
WALTER B. BARKER, Consul"
March %. Gen. Lee reports that in
structions have been given by the civil
government of Habana, that the au-
thorities shall not give out any facts
about the reconcentrados, and if any of
the American relief committees should
make inquiries concerning them, all
such inquiries must be referred to
him."
The communications from Mr.. Brice,
consul at MatanZas, number only seven
c. eight, and most of them are brief.
Probably the most striking feature of
Mr.. Brice's communications is a dis
tinct article written on the 18th of
January last. and devoted to
Cub an Destituiion.
Mr.. Brice says there are in Matanzas
province alone 10000 people who were
in an actual starving condition and re-
quired food, clothing and medicines.
Continuing he says: I'm addition to
the above are thousands of families of
the better classes and formerly we'll to
do, who to-day are living on one meal
a day and that very scant. They have
sold or pawned furniture, jewelry,
clothing. etc, to exc out an existence
until all is gone. Too proud to beg,
they suffer in silence and many die of
starvation. Many of these people call
on me privately at my residence and
ask and pray for Gods sake to be re-
mem bered when this relief come from
the United States.
Mr.. Brice also notes the issuance
Of an order allowing the reconcen-
trados to return to the country. but
he says the restrictions are such as to
practically prohibit. "If they went,
what can they do without money, food
or shelter? Only those who can ob
tain employment on sugar pIanta-
tons can live. Insurgents say no one
will be allowed to grind in the pro-
vince of Matanzas. The situation is
indeed deplorable, and l am free to
say no real help can be expected
from the Spanish government and the
fate of the remaining reconcentrados
is slew, lingering death from starva-
ton"
Writing on the 18th of December.
Mr.. Brice says that the relief offered
the reconcentrados and other poor
people by the Spanish authorities is
Intellectual. There are more than 49,,
600 starving people in this city to-
day. One out of four or six receive
two ounces of rice and one and half
ounces of jerked beef and sometimes
a small piece of bread per diem.
Even this ration of food has been dis
continued since the 18th inst. Mr..
Rrice mentions several instances of
distress, among others the following,
I'm a family Of seventeen living in an
old lime kiln all were found dead eX-
cept three and they We're barely
alive. The people are shut up in the
cities and towns like rats, to starve.
We have eighteen families of Ameri
can reconcentrado5 who own property
in the country, and were they allowed
to go to their homes could make
good living
Consul Baker Covers
the conditions existing in Santa Clara
province His letters constitute one,
long story Of distressed sickness,
restitution and death, until indeed the
picture. even as drawn in the PLAIN