The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-08
STARVING REFUGEES
Htiable Condition Of Women and
>zAs-. Girls From Santiago. 1alk
RED CROSS AFFoRD1Na RELIEF.

Many Who Have Fled From the Be-
leaguered CityAave Plenty of Money,
But They Cannot Purchase Food.
Beautiful Women Face Starvation.
Kingston. Jamaica. July S.-Between
1900 and 5000 innocent victims of the
war have fed to Ell Caney in wild panic
to escape the terrors of the threatened
bombardment Of Santiago. and they
are now confronted by the horrors of
starvation. In their helpless confusion
they are appealing to General Shafter
for succor Most of them are foreign-
ers, principally French, or with an ad-
mixture of foreign blood, and their in
terests are being looked after by their
consuls. When they were informed
that General Toral refused to consider
the question Of surrendering they
swarmed out Of the north gate of the
city all day. and trudged under the
blazing sun over the road, which in
many places was ankle deep In mud.
Totterng old men and women were
supported by children. and mothers
with babies at their breasts struggled
va VIVIAN III Saucy, Jan LUIS AnQ
other towns. Most of them went to Ell
Caney. and Tuesday night 5000 of
them slept in the village, which under
ordinary circumstances hardly accom-
modates 300 people.
Already more than 5000 are at Eel
Caney. They were not allowed to
bring food with them, and those who
have money are as destitute as those
who are without. Rich and poor, Gull
tured and ignorant, white and black,
are huddled together, choking the pas
sageways between the houses, all with
gaunt despair written on their coun-
tenances. The ignorant desire only to
be fed and the cultured want to get |
away. anywhere. anyhow. away from |
the war which has driven them from \
their homes.
Pathetic sights are witnessed on all !
Sides. There are ladies' of good birth
and education. supported by frail girls
who hide their faces from the vulgar
gaze of others who surge about them.
In the eyes of both mothers and daugh-
tiers is the haunted look which wild
animals have when driven to bay.
The French and Portuguese consuls
I
that the exiles were wholly destitute,
and begged for American aid. General
Shafter explained to the consuls the
impossbilty of caring for these poor
people out of army supplies, but he
did spare some rations, which were
given out with sparing hands Tuesday
night to the women and the feeble old
men.
On Wednesday Miss Clara Barton
and Mr.. George KEENAN,, of the Red
Cross society, offered to provide 5000
rations if General Shafter would
transport them. After consultation
with the French consul General Shafter
agreed to do so. The first pack train
arrived at o'clock Wednesday after
noon, and was unloaded in the village
square amid the clamoring cries of
thousands. The better class held back,
While the ignorant, especially the
! crosses, pressed forward, frantically
appealing for bread.
Captain F'inlay, who commands the |
garrison in the town, saw to it that
'nough food was reserved to supply
hose whose deicacy and good breed
ng restrained them from begging. S
lany of the better classes have offered ,
0 pay almost any price for transporta-
ion to Jurugua and thence to go by
ur transports to some foreign port 1t
ppears likely that some arrangement
an be made to get them out of the ,
ountry few of the best Spanish
antilles went to Eel Caney, but many
referred to share the fortunes of war, {
lille others went off northward to San =
uis and other places where they have
illas and estates.
Among those at Ell Caney are some i
Dung ladies-and for that matter some
d ladies--remarkable for beauty, with c
assic figures, large dark eyes and :,
ch olive compilations. They would at y
act attention anywhere. They wear s
hite wells over their heads, holding
lese partly over their face, thus add
G to rather than detracting from their
larms.
1t is probable that ALL except some of D
e younger men, who fled with the
omen and children, will be given
to eat, but how long this re-
# can be extended is problematical
any, of course, will be driven to the
pods and he forced to suDsist on man.
es and other fruit.
Quite number OF the Spanish vol
lteers who came out with the refu-
es, and who at first were allowed
cir liberty. are being gathered up and
lced under surveillance. While it is =
own that most of them welcomed
opportunity to escape, it Is feared
at some may be spies. 1t has been
lrned from the refugees that there
IS regular mutiny among the vol
teers in Santiago the day after the |,
hting began. The volunteers were
Id in their demands that the city
1uld be surrendered