The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-25
SPANISH FORCES IN DISTRESS.
StCreISeepers in Manxanillo Refuse
Further Credit TO spanIards.

Further Credit TO spanIards.
Havana, Via Key West, Sept. 24.-Accord-
ing to private letters received here. the
Spanish forces in Manzanillo are in dire
Distress having nothing to eat. Owing to
the fact that large sums are already due
to the storekeepers in Manzanillo from
the military, credit Is refused. Assistance
has been asked from Havana several times
but no attention has been paid to the pc
tihons. The situation is further aggravated
by the fact thar the outlying districts are
occupied by the insurgents with whom the
troops have been ordered TO have no COM
munication. The situation is very grave
and the officers anticipate the occurrence
of disturbances prompted by hunger,
which il viii be difficult TO queh
Army officers here are creditors of the
government to the extent Of six and eight
months salary, with no prospects of be-
ing paid. Grave discomfort is expressed
as upon the return to Spain they will
not be paid, and viii be placed in the re-
serve, drawing only quarter of their
regular active pay, on which amount IL
will be impossible for them to live unless
they find other employment. II is useless
TO attempt to hide the fact that great dis
content prevails throughout the entire
island.
il is reported that the Spanish commits
sion to-day submitted answers to the
American commissioners, but whether
the documents answered were those de-
livered by the Americans yesterday or
those previously delivered, Is not made
public. 1t is understood, however, that the
documents submitted by both sides refer
to the Comal affair
On Wednesday last a rumor was put in
circulation to the effect that the American
commissioners, in answer to the Spanish
demands, that the term of evacuation
shall extend until February. and deliver
ed note stating that the Washington
government insisted that the evacuation
be completed by the end of October. The
rumor lacked official confirmation, but the
report gained credit the next day, and
was generally believed to have official
foundation This, however, was fatty
contradicted officially by both sides, the
commissioners absolutely denying its truth
to the Associated Press correspondent. II
is the desire of the Cubans, of course to
see the Spaniards go from the island at
once, but it can be denied on good author
ity that any such ultmatum as that re-
ferred to has been received. 1t is believed
however, that the Americans viii insist
upon the evacuation being completed by
the end of November
A committee has been appointed consist
ing of Col Solerzano Arguelles, Castillo
and Caehazo, to agree upon measures for
the disbandment and dlsarming of the vol
unter troops. 1t is understood that they
will propose keeping the volunteers under
arms until the Cuban troops have been
dsbanded.
A lady Of Havana, one of whose relatives
was undergoing o term of Imprisonment,
recently visited Admiral Sampson and re-
quested him to use his influence to secure
the liberation of her relatives. Admiral
Sampson at once forwarded a petition to
Gen. Blanco, who ordered that the pris-
oner be released
prominent Spanlard who has Just ar
rived from Santo Espirtu tells of many
atrocities committed by the Spanish Cen
eral Ignacio Estruch In thateVicinity. As
result many families have fed TO the
fields and others have died panic-stricken
suffering from untold cruelties. Gen Es-
truch surrounded himself with advisers,
who indicated to him persons to be killed
or exiled. Estruch made a list of fifty per-
sons, submitting 1t for approval to Gen.
Aguirre, commander of his division, who
consulted with Marco Garcia, civil COVER
nor of Santa Clara province.
Garcia said the list was not reliable, as all
the persons named therein were loyal au-
tonomists. Aguirre returned the list to
Estruch, refusing to approve the latter's
action. EsIruch, chagrinned at his fail
ure, formed secret service police of twen-
ty-five gendarmes, armed with daggers.
The blacklisted persons We're arrested by
night and slain outside the city walls
When the families of the missing inquired
after them, Estruch replied that they had
been arrested and released, and had prob
ably escaped to the fields and joined the
rebels. Thus Estruch assassnated about
thirty persons. Estruch was arrested for
his crimes, but was released on account
of lack of proof. One Of the daggers used
by the Estruch police was presented to
Captain General Blanco who was horri-
fled at the sight. Among the persons as
sassinated were Candido Spalederon, a
newspaper man, and a mulatto named
Ventura Castanedal.