Evening journal., 1898-05-16
REcoNCENTRADos' FATE.
Turned out to Die by Their Spanish OPP
pressors.


KEY WEST, May 16.-The conditions
In Havana, resulting from the blockade
are being gradually brought out by in
formation obtained from fishing smaeks
and other small vessels captured of the
coast.
Affairs at Havana now appear TO be
worse than at any time since the Wey-
Ter regime. The fishermen who at first
braved the blockade for the high price
which fish brought in Havana now run
the risk not for money, but for the food
which they obtain from the sea.
number Of these men have been cap
tured at different times by various yes
sells of the blockading fleet, nearly all
Of them being released after having
been Questioned by our officers. Ihey
all unite I'm picturing the state of things
az Havana as being pitiful in the eX-
treme.
The latest news IS obtained through
two captures made by the United states
gunboat Machias, which has just re-
turned here for the first time since the
blockade opened, making the longest
single service Of any blockading vessel
off Cuba.
The Machias caught two fishing boats
of Havana just before her return here
The Americans offered the fishermen
money FOR part of their catch. as the
fish were needed on board. But the Ash
ermen demurred at taking money. say
ing they preferred to have bread. and
adding that they were desperately hun
cry.
When questioned as to the prevalence
Of yellow fever "a Havana. the fsheF
men said there was little sickness at
the Cuban capital, but. they added.
there was much starvation. The recon
icentrados, they said. are nearly all dead
OF have been expelled from the city to
die IN the suburbs.
This agrees with other reports from
Havana and Matanzas. 10 the effcc,
that the Spanish authorities on the do
parture OF the American consul seized
all the selief supplies and applied ther1
| 10 the uses Of the army. The Spaniards
then drove the reconcentrados into the
! desOlated sections Of the country be-
tween the coast towns and the insur-
gent lines, the regions described ~
Senator Proctor and others as being too
barren and desolate 10 support grass-
! heppers
Tho insurgents themselves have been
J chary Of receiving reooncentrados and
] hundreds Of the latter who had no per
sonal friends IN the insurgent camps
had been left to starve between tho
Lines, which they did.
About Havana tho situation IS even
worse. Hundreds OF recOncentrados
from Los Fosas. the big reconcentrado
barracks in Havana. were too weak 70
walk out of town and fell In the streets
or died In the suburbs. where flocks o(
vNtures, "WeyleT's chickens" as they
are now termed in Havana. have feast
"a on the remains
In MRtanEas this feature Of the situ-
alton Ia equally distressing
The fiEhermen who have been brought
acre are mostly soon reconciled 10 cap.
ture, which means food and decen
treatment. They say that II tho block
ade continues much longer bread riots
must follow in all the large towns. al
food Is reserved exclusively for thl
army, thus forcing many people 20 en-
list who would not otherwise do so.
Finally, the fishermen say that Ger
| tain OF the most desperate Of the Span
! iards threaten TO burn Havana or blow
the city up in the event of the authori
ties deciding TO capitulate to the Amer
lean forces.