The sun., 1898-01-13
RIOT RElGNS IN HAVANA.
,UroyoMIsT NEWSPAPER OFFICES
GUITED BY MON.

GUTTED BY n MOB.
Army Omcer- ana Spanish Conservatives Mako
o,.p war on Blasco'a new ReGine-Three
or,cc- Destroyed. sud Mt East Accounts the
,,,, was In Fuii ProEress-Aurericans Are
=, Grave DanEer-They Appeal 90 aen. Lee
IN send for n wnrahip-Gen. Bisnce Cnnnet
ncpe,d Upon His Own soldiers 60 Restore
ordcr-our Consulate Guarded ~ Troops.
HAVANA, JAM 12. via Key west.-Havana 10
a, ,his moment, 1:3O p. M. when the Koy West
,,ermer leaves, in o terrible state OF excitement
A large number of army officers and Spaniards
belongns to tho Conservative party have
attacked the oflces Of tho autonomist
news npers in this city. A large crowd went to
the office OF III Rcconcentrado. In o'ReiIly
srcet, and with drawn swords slashed and cut
10 pieces every object they found. shouting
.tonr Live Spainl' and Death to Autonomy"
7, is said that some voices inside family an
,wered Long Live Anncxationr'
ri Rrconccntrddo 10 o now evening paper,
sd,ed Nv an oficer in Havana's Fire Depart
ment named Arnauto and u fencing master
named Cardenat, for the purpose Of attacking
the policy OF Gen. weylcr and defending auton-
any. 1t has recently published some violent
articles, which attracted great deal Of atten-
ton.
After destroying the office Of Ell Reconcentra-
do and dispensing its inmates, tho revolution
ary Spanish mob went to the Office Of La Dis
cusion another autonomist daily newspaper.
and carried out the Same work of destruction
there. La Discussion Is published in Prado
stroet near the Central Park. On one Of the
corners of the park Is the Office Of the Dfdrfo de
la Marina tho old Reformist morning news
paper which has advocated autonomy lately
With great enthusiasm. In spite Of the fact that
tho Diario editors have often announced that
they were ready to defend themselves with
arms against any attack of the Conservatives,
the mob successfully invaded the office and
broke to pieces everything in sight.
BY this time the military police known as tho
ARDEN PnbIico," turned out in great force. but
we're afraid to charge the crowd, as IT was com
posed largely of army officers. The city, at this
moment is in q state OF tremendous excitement.
The situation Is considered very critical and the
events of to-day have given the death blow to
autonomy.
The attack Of the Spanish mob upon the Au-
tonomist press was caused by Gen. BlAncos
refusal to suppress the Liberal news-
paper. The request to do 80 was
formally submitted to him by tho un-
compromising Spaniards. There Is little
dou here that the affair will shortly grow to
greater proportions because the indignation OF
the spaniards is intense against autonomy.
Everybody 10 waiting to see what Gen. Blanco
will do. II he calls out the volunteers they.
probably. will not obey him. They are most
rabid against autonomy and many of them were
among the turbulent crowd to-day. He viii
either have to call upon the regular battalons
operating around Havana or ask help from the
forts.
At this moment the crowd is increasing. Gen.
Garrich OF Blanco's STAFF has attempted to ride
through the crowd. He acts like one bewildersd
and does not know what to say or do.
1t is said that the newspaper Ell Pals. official
organ of the Autonomist party, IL being attacked
at this moment.
The situation as 1t concerns the Americans is
very grave. Only this morning the Spanish
press strongly attacked the Americans melting
against them the wrath Of the volunteers. La
Union Constitutional said that the scheme for
relieving the reconcentrados was hypocriticai
trick designed to insult Spain.
The Spanish merchants in Havana, especially
the grocers. almost all volunteers, also declared
this morning that they would not give a piece
OF bread to tho concentrates because they are
enemies of Spain. protected by the United
States.
Since yesterday an outbreak against auton-
omy and the Americans had been feared, be-
cause La Llcha printed g sensational editorial
against autonomy. declaring that everybody.
except the office seekers. was well aware Of its
failure. La linton had an article of the same
tenor. Both papers dared to attack autonomy
thus fercely because they were certain to be
upheld by the armed volunteers.
The American residents feel that they are in
grave danger and they are very anxious over
the situation. They have strongly urged Con-
sul-General Lee to demand q warship for their
protection.
On all the street corners groups of Span.
iards may now be seen talking excitedly.
The situation is SO grave that 1t is not known
whether Blanco will be able to establish order.
asit is said that the military are concerned In
the plot even more deeply than now appears.
Tho American Consulate 10 strongly guarded
by troops