The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-23
ORDERED THE FLAG DOWN
TT WAS RAISED OVER ATARES
WITHOUT ORDERS.
A COMMAND TO FEED THE STARVING
Call Issued for Negro Convention TO Meet in
Washington 10 Take Steps Against
Lynchings and Disfranchise>
ment of Negroes.

Havana, Dec. 22.-MaJ0r RuSSell l1ar-
rison, the provost marshal, who, on
Tuesday, raised the Stars and Stripes
over Fort Atares without orders and in
contravention of the promise of the Uni
ted States evacuation commissioners that
no American flags should be raised i'll
Havana or it's suburbs until January list,
was to-day formally reprimanded by
Major General Lee and instructed to
lower the fag.k Lieutenant Lee reported
a few hours later to headquarters that
the flag had been lowered.
Nevertheless at the hour Of filing this
dispatch, 4:30 p. m., it is still flying on
a tall staff over the famous fort plainly
visible from the harbor and city.
Major General Lee having received a
cable despatch from General Alger say
ing that the Secretary of War understood
there were thousands of persons starv-
ing in Havana and directing him to feed
them without delay" Immediately order
ed Lieutenant Colonel Wood to distribute
rations and to make systematic efforts to
feed the helpless, carefully avoiding
waste There are hundreds in Havana
to-day, who though not actually starv-
ing. are in deplorabIe state of weakness
and disease. the effects of the cruel re-
concentration policy. They need hospital
treatment. which is not always available.
Much of the wretchedness is due to the
neglected condition of the tenements.
Every day or so the relief distributors
come upon dead bodies, terribly emaci-
ated.
The Cuban Colonel Raoul Arrange, with
600 Cuban h0rsemen, paraded in Jesus
del Monte to-day and then marched out
again TO camp.
The United States transport Mime
waska. which left Savannah for Cuba on
December 10Th with the F0rty-ninth
Iowa regiment arrived here this after
noon.
To-day the Spanish transports Ciudad
de Cadiz and Neustria sailed for Spain.
The former with 1886 men and officers.
bound for Santahder. and the latter with
1,033 men for CadiZ.
I'll Fedado the suburb of Havana.
where is situated the Hotel Trocha.
which has been the headquarters of the
United States military commission, will
be evacuated tomorrow. when the sea
coast forts will be occupied by the Unit
ed States troops GuanabacOa will be
formally occupied on Monday next.
1t is the custom of Havana folk to
celebrate Christmas eve by street dane
ing and firing crackers. Tomorrow
Captain General CastelIanos will issue
a bando forbidding the gathering of
crowds, in order to avoid any possible
disorder.
NEGRO CONVENTION CALLED.
New York. Dec PA call was is
sued today by Bishop Alexander Wal
ters, president of the National Afro-Am
erican Council. for convention of col
ored people, under the auspices of the
council at Washington on December
Doth. All organizations having for their
object the ameliOratiOn Of the condition
of the Afro-American race are invited
to send delegates The objects of the
conference as announced are: To raise
funds for the prosecution of lynching
parties and to test the constitutionality
Of the laws in some Southern States
disfranchising negroes to resist political
and business discrimination against
the negro: to secure the better treat
ment of convicts; to secure Federal APP
propriations for school funds of thel
Southern States; to encourage industrial
and higher education. and ito recon-
mend Il healthy emigration from terror
ridden sections of our land to more
law-abiding sections"