The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-12
IN MATANZAS.
Scenes Among the Starving and Dy-
ing Pictured by Consul Brice.

Scenes Among the Starving and Dy-
ing Pictured by Consul Brice.
The communications from Mr.. Brice, con-
sui at Matanzas, number only seven
or eight and most of them are brief. The
correspondence from him begins with the
18th OF November last and closes with the
Sth of February, $685. Probably the most
striking feature of Mr.. Brice's communica-
tons is a distinct article written on the 18th
of January last and devoted to Cuban des-
titution. In this he notes the receipt of
circular letter of the State Department
dated ten days before. "This," he says, Sin
Inmates that help is to be extended by the
United States to the starving people of
Cuba. The news of this relief has been
known" he continues, for the past two
weeks and has extended all over the prov
ince. This consulate has been overwhelmed
with people of all classes asking to be re-
membered when this relief comes"
Mr.. Brice then gives a number of facts
illustrating the suffering in the province.
He says there are in Matanzas province
alone 10000 people who are in actual starv-
ing condition and require food, clothing and
medicines Continuing, he says: I'm addi-
ton to the above are thousands of families
of the better classes and formerly we'll to
do, who to-day are living on one meal a
day and that very scant. They have sold
or pawned furniture, jewelry, clothing, etc,
to exc out an existence until all is gone or
nearly so. Too proud to beg, they suffer
in silence and many die of starvation The
daughter of former governor of this prov
ince was seen begging on the streets Qncog-
nito) of this city. Many Of these people call
on me privately at my residence asking and
win fnt. (No1fo sob
when this relief comes from the United
States One has to be here know and
mingle with these people to fully realize
the terrible restitution and misery existing
in Cuba. 1t is to be hoped that this relief
from the United States will come quickly,
for hundreds are dying daily of starvation.
Conditions are dreadful and no relief af-
forded by the Spanish authorities"
In his first communication of the series
dated Nov. IL, Mr.. Brice stated that neither
the Spaniards nor Cubans of that section
We're in sympathy with the proposed aJ-
tonomy. and reforms. He noted the issu-
ance of the order to municipal authorities
TO issue rations and clothing but saws that
no attention was paid to it. In this COM
munication he places the death rate at over
eighty. persons daily, nearly all of whom
We're dying for want of food medicines and
clothing. LAS I write this he says "a
dead negro woman lies in the street within
two hundred yards of this consulate, starved
and will lie there maybe four DAYS"
Mr.. Brice also notes the issuance of an
order allowing the reconcentrados to return
to the country, but he says the restrictions
IN the order are such as to practically pro-
hibit. IF they went" he says what can
they do without money; food or shelter?"
adding: only those who can obtain en-
ployment on sugar plantations can live. In
surgents say no one will he allowed to
grind in the province of eMatanZas The
situation is indeed deplorabIe. and I am free
to say no real help can be expected from
the Spanish government and the fate OF
the remaining reconcentrados is slow, linger-
ing death from starvation"
Writing on the 18th of December Mr.
Brice says that the relief offered to recon-
centrados and other poor people by the
Spanish authorities is Intellectual II have"
he says. personally visited the head mas
ters of distributing stations. Two thousand
rations were given out for few DAYS only
TO 5000 persons. There are more than 1900
starving people in this city to-day One out
of four or six receive two ounces of rice
one and a half ounces of jerked beef and
sometimes a small piece of bread per diem.
Even this ration of food has been discon-
tinued since the nth inst" Mr.. Brice men
tons several instances of distress, among
others the following: I'm q family of sew
enteen, living in an old lime kiln all were
found dead except three. and they barely
alive. He says again that General Blanco's
order allowing reconcentrados to return and
cultivate the crops is imperative and of no
avail
Writing on the 18th of January he says:
The people are shut up in The cities and
towns like rats TO starve. We have fifteen
or eighteen families of american reconcen-
trades who own property in the country
could make good living. All these have