The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-21
MANY CUBANS
BURNED ALIVE
Evidence That BIanco Rivals WeyIer 10
Atrocious Crimes.
MOST SHOCKING TALE OF CRUELTY
Pacificos, 20 and 80 Years Old,
Burned at the stake This Month in
santa Clara Province - General
Carriiio Attests the Truth of the
Information Received by The sun.
From the Sun.

lnIOTmhttoH NeCeINeu ny huo SUM
From the Sun.
Matanzas, Cuba, Feb. 15.-The Suns
correspondent in Santa Clara province
writes from the headquarters of the
insurgent major general, Francisco
Carrillo, at the estate Las Olivas, a
thrilling story of Cuban heroism and
Spanish barbarity. A signed statement
by General Carrilo is enclosed with the
report for publication in the Sun. 1t is
as follows:
The facts which your correspondent
describe are absolutely true and they
are all included In my official report
to General Gomez, commander-in-
chief of the Cuban army, dated Feb.
II. / say to General Gomez in my re-
port, and | wish the whole world to
know 1t, that General Blanco is as
much n blpodthirsty assassin as Gen
cral Weyler is, with the only differ
ence that the latter publicly avowed
his crimes and feared not to appear
before public opinion in the full light
of his mCnstrosity, while General
RlanCo murders in the dark and wears
an air of innocence before the public.
Blanco's favorite expedients FOR con-
Quarng the Cubans are bribery and
murder. On the one hand he offers
them offices and money; on the other
he gives secret orders to his columns
10 ruthlessly assassinate the country
people while he publishes humane de-
crees forbidding the crimes openly or
dered by Gentr raj Weyler.
Every line of the statement of your
correspondent is correct. / have to
add that. while such cowardly crimes
are comm tilted by the Spaniards, they
.l.N EN,,I.. a
Since Dec. 80 last l have been unable
to entice the Spanish columns in this
district to accept an engagement with
my troops. As soon as my vanguard
opens fire upon them they retire to
their fortified strongholds, where 1
cannot attack them, being, as l am,
without artillery.
Francisco Carrillo. Major General
Headquarters of the Fourth Corps
the Cuban Army.
Las Olivas, Feb. 12 1898.
The facts referred to by the Suns
correspondent are as follows: on Feb.
. General CarrillO received information
that near Caunao and also near the
Spanish fort at Nuevas de Jobosi, two
Spanish columns were massacrirg the
paCifiCos and committing awful bar
barities. Immediately after receiving
this report General Carrilo ordered
Lieutenant Colonel Quintin Bravo to
approach Caunao with n force of 150
men, open fire on the Spaniards and
try to rescue theic victims. Lieuten-
ant-Colonel Bravo early in January had
won q great victory near the estate
San Augustin, capturing a large con-
voy, for which action General Car
rillo had requested General Gomez to
promote him
CUBANS RETIRE.
On the morning of Feb. 10 Bravo and
his lnen dashed upon the Spaniards
who retired to the fort 6f Nuevas lie
JOhnsi, carrying with them some OF
their victims. Captain Quincoces, with
fifty Cubans. opened fire On the fort
ana the Sraniards answered with can.
non shots and bomb shells, which COM
PEELED the Cubans to retire.
But QuincoceS found in the field. left
by the Spaniards in their flight, tbs
tortured bodies and burned remains OF
the victims already killed. and the Gu
han soldier Rafael Infante, who was
made prisone.' by the Spaniards about
two months ago. Infante was dying,
machete all over his body. He was
carried by Bravo to General Carrillo's
camp and there he told the awful story
of Spanish cruelties suffered by him,
self and other hapless Cubans. He
lived only four hours and was buried
by the Cubans a quarter of a mile
from the camp.
Infante said that when he was made
prisoner he was locked up in the fort
and tortured to compel him to guide
the Spaniards to the camp of Genera
CarrillD at midnight and surprise him
As he refused, he was deprived for q
long time of food and water. After
that he was beaten like a dog every
day.
on Feb. 10 he was carried out of the
fort to be executed with many pacificOs
who had been caught in the neighbor'
hood by the Spaniards. He remember:
among them Florentino and Jesu;
AroZcO, brothers, one 20 and the othel
SC years of age. They were tied to &
tree and burned alive. Juan Arozco, {
son of Florentino, who was captured
while i'll of fever in a hut a half mile
from Che fort was beheaded, Ramon
Pereira was also burned alive.
Pedro Hernandez, a farmer and a ma
tive of TIE Canary Islands, had boil
his arms cut off and then he was be
headed. Other tortures inflicted on tn,
poor prisoners cannot be described.
lnfante was being put to death will
mcchete blows when the Cubans ap
preached. Then he was abandoned
hut six other prisoners, who had beei
tied uD to await their fate, We're car
rcd into the fort again. The horror
Of the Spanish inquisition. adds tn
correspondent,are not comparable will
these atrocities.
Bravo and Quincoces buried the re
mains Of the victims some distanc
from the fort and planted a cross owe
them with this inscription:
They are resting forever from tn
Cruelties of Spain"