The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-18
3 PENNSYLVANIA Sc.


of that class from the island. But even in
Cuba. among the Spaniards, there is q
strong feeling that the day has passed
when policy of determination can be put
into execution and defended as one neces-
sary to put an end TO revolution Weyler
understands perfectly well that Spain must
entire Cuban popula ton, or it must give up
its sovereignty there, and it was with that
understanding that he issued his reconcen-
trado order, and maintained 1t with its
horrible efficiency
WEYLER'S CRUELTY.
The question was asked whether the re-
ports of Weylers personal cruelty had been
exaggerated, and the reply was instant and
emphatic. Two facts which came within
this mans knowledge from eyewitnesses
were spoken of by him as horrible proofs
of the absolute lack of human sympathy
or of the ordinary instincts of humanity
which especially characterized Weyler's
rule. Not long after Weyler went to Cuba
company of Spanish soldiers had fallen
upon little village and had killed all of the
adults in that village. A child only two
years of age was found unframed amid the
awful carnage
Some of the Spanish soldiers took the
child and made pet of it. Instances of that
kind were not infrequent, and there are to-
day little children whose lives were spared,
who have been adopted by some of the
Spanish troops. The little thing was bright
and playful, and became general favorite
1t was tenderly cared for, and its pranks
were the delight of the men who had taken
the child under their protection. They
taught 1t TO speak a few words. and i'm a
s sPF dn Of fs had aqsh i to by waen
One day General Weyler came into camp.
and. seeing, the little child. asked how II
had been adopted by the soldiers, and then
one unthinking officer said: Ask it, gem
eral who lives?''
Weyier did SO. and the little thing re-
piled: Live Cuba" Thcreupon General
Weyler drew his. revolver from his pocket
and placed the muzzle of it at the mouth
of the infant and then said to it. BLOW
into it," AS the child did so Weyler dis
charged the revolver. almost blowing the
The soldiers protested. Mortified. They
said to Weyler that the child did not know
what il was saying. and that i would have
said Live Spain just as willingly had il
been taught TO do that. Weyler shrugged
his shoulders and turned on his heel
ORDERED A MASSACRE.
This anecdote, some hint of which has
before reached this country, vouched
for as truthful report by this business
man. He also said and he spoke practical
Iy from his own knowledge, that one day
Weyler was with some of the Spanish
troops, and. seeing in the distance a crowd
of people. he asked who they were. The re-
ply was that they were reconcentrados.
Weyler said there are insurgents behind
them, fire into them at once"
Thereupon the officer in command adj
vancing 10 General Weyler. said: General,
/ know that TO disobey the command of the
superior officer Is to incur death. [ submit
myself to that penalty. for | will not give
the command to fire upon those women. old
men and children. came here to fight the
insurgents, not TO commit a massacre"
Weyler hesitated a moment, then realiz-
ing what the consequences might be were
he to order this officer to be shot for refus-
ing to execute his order be commanded
him to return to Havana and afterward
sent him back to Spain. There were other
anecdotes illustrating the humanity of
Weyler which this man was able TO tell as
from personal experience, but Ii needs no
more than these two to confirm those who
assert that the methods adopted by Spain
in Cuba were methods which Nero himself
could not have surpassed in ingenious
cruelty.
In the course of conversation Il was said
that no one in Havana doubts the inten-
tional destruction of the Maine by Spanish
subordinates, but new explanation, one
that il Is said was current in inner circles
in Havana, was given. That was that there
are some reasons for believing that the
Maine was destroyed by a torpedo set afioat
from the Spanish man-of-war Alfonso XII,
which was lying not far away from the
Maine and in direct line with that side Of
the vessel wherein the explosion occurred.
The American citizen says that he has
seen in Havana in the garrison there SUBJ
marine mines all ready for placing in the
harbor large enough TO have caused the de-
StructiOn of the Maine