Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-16
STORY OF DIE LONE LETTER.
Missive Obtained by Cubans In
Habann POst-OHicc.
philadelphia Press)

AS soon as the letter Of De LONE was
given out for publication by the Cuban
Junta 1t was branded as a forgery by
some OF those who thought they knew
SPANS Minister TO this country. But
De LONE acknowledged the authorship
by the resignation Of his post
When this startling news was flashed
over the country il brought 20 the
minds of all the next most interesting
point i'm the affair, How was the letter
obtained2"
Half dozen stories regarding this lat
ter feature have been published, but the
Press Is able at this time to publish the
true version OF the matter. Its author
ity is a Cuban Of the highest standing In
the councils Of his party. and leading
and popular citizen of this city. His In
formation comes directly from headquar-
ters in New York and II is given to the
Press as he received It from his political
associates there. Here is the story Of the
getting OF the famous letter, which mas
aroused two continents and given re-
newed strength to the cause Of the strug-
Cling Cubans
The letter was not stolen from the
United States mails, but was secured by
an agent of the Cuban Junta in the post
office Of Habana. Don Jose CanaleJas, TO
whom the letter was addressed, never
saw the original. He did not known until
eight days after the letter reached Ha-
bana that such a letter from SPANS rep
resentative in Washington had been writ
ten him.
De LONE wrote the letter in his private
residence In Washington instead or at
the Spanish legation. The paper, how
ever. was marked with the official type
and read I'm the corner Legation de Es-
pana." The same inscription was upon the
left-hand upper corner of the envelope
Senior de LONE did not mail the letter
from his house. In fact. he had not
quite completed It upon the morning II
was written and carried II TO the lega-
ton, where It was first seen and noticed
by a person who is In the employ OF the
embassy, acting in sub-official capac-
ity. The letter lay upon the desk OF
the Minister I'm his inner Office. the
outer Office being his place Of reception
to visitors. During an absence of half
an hour from the inner office OF De
LONE. the clerk in question saw the open
letter and read some OF II.
The next day this same person sent
word to his Cuban associates In Wash
ington to the effect that he had seen
letter from De LONE to Canalejas In
which President Mckinley was yillihed
and autonomy called scheme. Several
of the Cuban leaders got together and
asked the employee Of the embassy to
secure the letter. They did not believe
implicitly in his story. although he urged
them to come into the publN print and
make charges against De LONE. Be
cause they did not have the letter in
their possession the leaders refused TO
say anything about IT, The employee
of the legation was urged 70 use all
means In his power TO secure the letter,
although 1t was considered probable that
the letter was already in the malls when
the Cubans at the Hotel Raleigh were
informed OF it's existence.
The clerk i'm the employ OF Minister
De LONE saw no more OF the letter HIS
memorlzed abstracts We're forwarded 10
New York, and 1t was quickly agreed
that could possession OF the letter be OBJ
tanned. and his statements proven 10 be
true. the letter would be of incalculable
value TO the Cuban cause as substantial
ing what Cuban leaders had maintained
regarding autonomy and the general
Spanish feeling, I'm official circles. toward
this country and it's officers. Immediately
words of warning and urgings 10 be on
the alert were sent to every Cuban who
might be I'm a position TO obtain track OF
or intercept the much-soUght-for mlssive
The letter reached Habana five days
after its postmark I'm Washington. An
agent of the Cuban party, who is an
employee of the Spanish post-oiiice. knew
that the letter was on the way, and when
it came into his hands IL was carried
from the post-otfce and copy was made
OF 1t. Word to this effect was sent to
-. In l.gtru .sf1l. l..
who at once asked the secret Cuban junta
in Habana TO secure the original letter
that copy was not what was desired.
The Habana post-ofilce clerk was not
willing 10 do this at first, but afterwards
az he was Obliged TO account
for a certain number of letters to other
employees OF the department, The origi-
nal was then taken, several blank sheets
were substituted i'm place OF the paper
upon which DE Lone had written, and
the letter finally postmarked in the
Habana office and sent in it's routine WAY
Eight days from its arrival In the Ha-
bana Office the sealed envelope, properly
TO Senior Canalejas. was de-
livered at the Hotel Inglaterra. Senior
Canalejas did not regard the matter seri-
ously at the time, although the hotel boy
who brought him the letter and the post
ONCE employee VINO ndu last charge OF
IL were arrested. So. also. was the hotel
employee. who went several times daily
To the post-office for the mail. All three
were discharged. after an examination.
Senior Canalejas communicated almost
Immediately with Minister De Lone. and
for several weeks letters and cablegrams
passed between the two. but no trace of
the letter could be obtained. Canaleas
shortly thereafter left Haoana. going 10
Madrid.
IL is not explained why the letter was
kept by the Cubans for several weeks
before 1t was given out for publication.
An informant. other than the person who
gave the foregoing, but who IL on the
inside in Cuban official circles. declares
that the delay was occasioned by a desire
on the part OF the junta TO be assured
absolutely that the writing was that OF
the Spanish Minister so that he might
rot have any chance 70 deny it's author
ship. and thus cause reaction which.
would have been the result
OF the propagation OF a fake.
DIR. John Guiteras, the Cuban leader In
this city. commenting on the securing
of the letter. said that II was clever
work, and that the letter itself told the