Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-11

| the slightest cleanliness or the least help,
| not even able to give water to the thirsty,
without either religious or social help,
| each one dying wherever chance laid him. -
The communication goes on to state
| that the deaths among these reconcentra-
| dos averages forty or fifty daily, and that
on an average there were but ten days
| of life for each person. 1t says that these
Unhappy creatures received food only after
| having been eight days in the fosos, dur
| ing which time they we're obliged to sub
sist upon the tad food which the dying
had refused. Some horrible instances Of
| the distress witnessed are given.
Among the many deaths we saw" says
| the communication, there was seen one
impossible to forget. There is still alive
the only witness, young girl of eighteen,
| whom We found seemingly lifeless on the
ground. On her right side was the body
of a young mother, cold and rigid, but
with her young child still alive clinging
to her breast On her left side was the
corpse Of a dead woman holding her son
in a dead embrace. A little further on
a dying woman. having in her arms q
daughte.- of fourteen, crazy with pain,
who, after twelve or fourteen days died,
In spite OF the care she received"
Further along the communication says
that II any young girl came in who was
nice looking she vas infallibiy condemned to
the most abominable of traffics. The COM
munication says that LOO persons had en-
tered the fosos since August, and of those
but 243 were then living. 1t places the
number of deaths among the reconcentra-
dos at u per cent.
Conspiracy Against Americans.
On December Gen. Lee sent to the State
Department a communication referring to
cipher dispatch he had sent two days pre-
viOus, In which he informed the depart
ment that he had learned from the United
States consul at Matanzas Of an extern
sive and dangerous conspiracy under the
ex-governor of the province directed
against Americans, action against them to
be contingent on the movement of the
United States government in favor of the
independence of Cuba
Gen. Lee stated that rumors had been
more or less frequent regarding the riotous
intention Of some of the dissatisfied ele-
ments against American citizens there and
in other parts of the island. Such demon
STATIONS, he said, must come from Spanish
non-combatants or from volunteer forces.
lie did not think there was any danger
from the former, many OF whom seemed to
favor annexation rather than autonomy or
the independence OF the Cuban republic.
II am inclined to Think says he, that if
Gen. Blanco can manage the volunteers
as yesterday he said he could, the trouble
from that source is diminishing.
The origin of the mobs in this city in the
Fast has always been located in the ranks
Of the volunteers. who alone have organ
assurances that American life and prop
erty would be protected. Gen. Lee said that
he had declined to make application for the
presence CT one or more warshps in Ha-
vepa h:,rpor, and had advised Americans
who had wives ard children rot to send
than away. at least for The present. Il
still think, continued Gen. Lee that two
warships, at least should be at Key West,
prepared to move at short NOTICE. and that
more of them should be at Dry Tortusas,
and that coaling station should lie estab-
ilsEed there. Such proceedings would seem
TO be in line with that prudence and fore
sight necessary to afford safety to Amer
leans resting IN the island and to their
properties" Under the same date Gen.
Lee sends another communication corr
tanning the statements of Senior Canalejas.
the editor of the Madrid Ell Heraldo who
had just returned frO-: Pinar del Rio prov
ince, after the conflict between the Span
ish forces under Gen. Valasco and the
Cuban forces under Diaz, in which Canal
ejas was quoted as saying that the Span
ish forces had displayed their usual valor,
but that the province was not pacited;
that out of 14.00o Spanish troops only be-
tn cen three and four thousand were able
to operate, the balance being sick at hos
pitfalls or in garrisons and towns; that he
believed autonomy premature. and was in
clined to the adoption of energetic military
action for the purpose of pacifying the
province; that the truth, should be known
in Spain. where public opinion and the
press had been deceived regarding the an
initiation of the war and the so-called
pacification of the western provinces.
Relief of the Recommendation.
Under date Of December General Lee
sent communication to the department
regarding the measures for the relief of the
reconcentI ADDS, much of which is hot made
public. In the portion given out General
Lee says: Il see no effect of the govern
mental distribution to the reconcentrados
am informed that only S12 500 in Spanish
silver has been dedicated to the Habana
province out of the 100000 said to have
Eeeh SET ASIDE Ior the purpose OF relieving
them on the island, and that reports from
all parts Of the province show that 80 per
cent have already died, and that many of
those left will die, and most of these are
women and children. am inform
ed an order has been issued in some parts
of the island suspending the disposition to
reconcentrados. The condition of
these people is simply terrible l hear of
| much suffering in the Spanish hospitals for
want of food. l hear also that the
| Spanish merchants in some parts of the
island are placing their establishments in
the name of foreigners to avoid having
their provisions purchased on credit by the
military administration. In some parts of
the island, am told, there is scarcely any
| food for soldiers or citizens, and that even
cats are used for food purposes. selling for
| 30 cents apiece. 1t is a fair inference to
draw existing conditions that it is not pos
sible for the governor general to relieve the
present situation with the means at his
! disposals
(Signed) FITZ LEE.
Feeling Against Autonomy.
II