The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-15
THE AMERICANS IN CUBA
Treated Like Dogs Under t g
Wey|er Regime.
MANY STARVED OR KILLED
Among the Helpless Reconcentrados Were Lots
of United States Citizens Whose Appeals
for Protection We're Answered
With Bullets of Guerras.
Special to The Age-Herald.


Washington, April 14-The sufferings of
American citizens in Cuba have been over
looked in the horror created by the execu-
ton of Wey1ers RECOMMENDATION order. 1t
resolved itself into q deliberate effort to
exterminate the rural Cuban population by
starvation. No effort was made to feed
them. To use the words of Miss Clara
Barton to a congressional delegation visit
ing Matanzas; 1.-THE Turks were far more
merciful to the Armenians. They put them
to the sword outright and spared them the
untold miseries inflicted upon the Cubans."
1t was not at first generally known that
among the reconcertrados driven into the
Weyler pens were scores of citizens of
the United States. In every case they
were treated as rebelious subjects of
Spain. If they protested and refused to
obey the order, they were slaughtered on
their plantations by the Spanish guer-
rillas. In most cases their cattle were
killed, their houses burned, and their lands
ladi waste. Many would have starved to
death in the pens were it not for the $4,000
appropriated by congress. few beyond
the ken of the watchful consuls charged
with the distribution of the provisions I'M
doubtedly did die of starvation.
General Fitzhugh Lee filled his functions
grandly. His example was followed by
Consul Brice at NatanZas and Consul Bar
ker at Sagua la Grande. All made reports
of these outrages on American citizens but
these reports were buried in the pigeon
holes of the state department at Washing
ton. Near Sagua la Grande an American
citizen was butchered on his plantation by
guerrillas. The murder was brought to
the attention of Consul Barker With
sleepless energy he laid bare every detail
He secured the affidavits of seven eye wit
nsses of the crime, and forwarded them to
Washington. No reply was received and
the consul at the present writing has no
knowledge of any protest to the Spanish
authorities.
Nor was the situation improved under the
rule of autonomy. In Matanzas today
there remains an American citizen who
two years ago owned plantation on the
river, six miles from the city. He was
driven into the pen under the Weyler or
der, and his plantation destroyed. A Gu
pan by birth, he married an American girl
in Amherst, Mass. and became natural
lied. Through the kindness of Consul
2 Brice he escaped starvation. On the 18th
of November last the alleged autonomist
government removeddthe governor of the
province of Matanzas and appointed ma
tive Cuban, d'Armis, in his place. The
new governor is undoubtedly humane and
, sympathetic. He was once an insurgent,
and was sentenced to death by the Spanish
authorities. He accepted office very much
as Gown accepted 1t, with a view of again
trusting spanish promises ana OF giving
autonomy a fair trial. But he is governor
only in name. The real governor is Mo-
limos, the general commanding the pro-
vince, better known as the military gov
ernor Molinos received his commission
from Weyler, and Is heartily In line with
his policy. D'Armis issued an order allow
ing the American reconcentrado to return
to his plantation. The Amherst man bor-
rowed $3.50 and went back to the blackened
ruins of his home. He bought scow and
bega INTO make charcoal. intending to bring
1t down the river on the swow. Prosperity
had not fairly glimmered before his pits
were destroyed, his charcoal was seized.
and he was driven back within the lines.
The military governor has revoked the or
der of the civil governor, and the deaths
from starvation as the records show, were
1,5OO a month. Indeed twenty-three per-
sons died in the square fronting the palace
on the very day that the new civil governor
took office. Consul Brice forwarded the
facts in this case to the state department,
and a claim for damages was made against
Snain. All have been buried in the archives
and not a whisper of the actual SITUATION
ever reached the ears of congress.
Tsrot aabyhm Inn Inn HIM HIM HIM Inn nm
such are isolated cases of outrages upon
American citizens in the provinces OF santa
clara and Matanzas. How many similar
cases have occurred in Pinar del RIO Ha-
vana, Puerto Principe and Santiago de
Cuba the buried reports of the American
consuls may fairly outline The fact re-
mains that Weyler drew no distinction be-
tween American citizens and Cubans when
he issued his inhuman decree. Nor did he
heed the protests of those consuls who were
brave enough to make them. Weyler's or
der was positive and imperative. The Ian
guage literally translated Is: "All the in
habitants of the country, or outside the line
of fortifications of the towns. SHALL within
the period of eight days. concentrate them
selves in the towns occupied by the troops.
Any Individual who, after the expiration of
this period is found in the uninhabited
parts win be considered rebel and tried
as SUCH" In most cases the order was
executed by Spanish guerrllas, who plum
dered and nu rdered without mercy. They