River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-02-17
THAT DE LONE LETTER.
Story Of It's Theft as Told on
High Authority.
Original Copy Falls Into the Hands Of
the Cuban Junta in New York,Is
Published and De Lome's
Downfall Effected.


Philadelphia, Feb. 14.-The Press
prints what it asserts to be the true
version of the acquisition and publica-
ton OF the letter from Mr.. De LONE 10
Senior Canalejas. The authority cited
for its authenticity is "a Cuban of the
highest standing inthe councils of his
party" who receives his information
from headquarters in New York" The
story proceeds to say:
1.-THE letter was not stolen from the
United States mails, but was secured by
an agent of the Cuban junta at the post OF
nee at Havana. Don Jose Canaleas, 10
whom the letter was addressed, never saw
the original. He did not know until eight
days after the letter reached Havana that
such letter from Spain's representative
in Washington had been written him. DE
LONE wrote the letter In his private resi-
dence in Washington, instead of at the
Spanish legation. The paper, however was
marked with the official type and read in
the corner Legation de Espana. The
same inscription was upon the left-hand
upper corner OF the envelope. Senior de
LONE did not mail the letter from his
house. In fact. he had not quite COM
pleted 1t upon the morning 1t was writ
ten, ana carried it to the legation, where
it was first seen and noticed by a person
who is in the employ of the embassy, act
ing In a subofficial capacity. The letter
lay upon the desk of the minister in his
inner Office the outer office being his
place of reception of visitors. During an
absence of half an hour from the inner
office of De LONE the clerk in question
saw the open letter and read some Of 1t.
Notified His Friends.
"rhe next day this same person sent
word to his Cuban associates in Washing
ton 10 the effect that he had seen letter
from DE LONE to Canale1as, In which
President Mckinley was vilitied and au-
tonomy called a scheme. Several of the
Cuban leaders got together and asked the
cmploye of the embassy to secure the let
ter. They did not believe implicitly in his
story. although he urged them to come
into the public print and make charges
against De LONE Because they did not
have the letter in their possession, the
leaders refused to say anything about it.
The employe of the legation was urged 10
use all means in his power TO secure the
letter, although 1t was considered prob
able that the letter was already In the
mails when the Cubans at the Hotel
Raleigh were informed of it's existence.
ON the Alert.
1.-THE clerk in the employ of Minister De
ory-written abstracts were forwarded to
New York. and II was quickly agreed that
could possession of the letter be obtained
and his statement proven to be true, the
letter would be of incalculable value to
the Cuban cause, as substantiating what
Cuban leaders had maintained regarding
autonomy and the general Spanish policy,
In official circles, toward this country and
It's officers. Immediately words of warning
and urgings to be on the alert were sent
to every Cuban who might be in position
to obtain track of or intercept the much
sought-for missive.
Stolen Mt Havana.
1.-THE letter reached Havana five days
after its postmark in Washington. An
agent of the Cuban party who is an en-
ploye of the Spanish post office knew that
the letter was on the way, and when 1t
came into his hands 1t was carried from
the post office, and copy was made of it,
Word to this effect was sent to the Cuban
leader in Jacksonville, Fla, who at once
asked the secret Cuban junta in Havana
to secure the original ietter-that copy
was not what was desired. The Havana
post office clerk was not willing to do this
at first, but afterwards consented, as ne
was obliged to account for certain num-
Der of letters TO other employees of the de-
partment The original was then taken,
several blank sheets were substituted In
place of the paper upon which De LONE
had written, and the letter finally post
marked in the Havana ohice, ana sent on
Eight days from its arrival in the Ha-
Vana office, the sealed envelope, properly
addressed TO Senior Canalejas, was deliy-
cred at the Hotel Inglaterra. Senior Canal
ejas communicated almost Immediately
with Minister de LONE, and for several
weeks letters and cablegrams passed be
tween the two but no trace of the letter
could be obtained. Canalejas shortly there
after left Havana going to Madrid.
1T is not explained why the letter was
kept by the Cubans for several weeks be-
fore 1t was given out for publication. An
informant, other than the person who gave
the foregoing, but who IS on the inside in
Cuban official circles, declares that the
delay was occasioned by a desire on the
part of the 1unta to be assured absolutely
that the writing was that Of the Snanish
chance to deny its authorship, and thus
cause a reaction, which undoubtedly would
have been the result of the propagation of
a fake"
Decision of Spanish Cabinet.
Madrid, Feb. 1.-THE cabinet met at
five o'clock Monday afternoon and dis
cussed the present state of the war in
Cuba and the De LONE matter at great
length. 1t was decided to publish de-
cree accepting the resignation Of Senior
Dupuy De LONE as minister at Wash
ington and appointing Senior Louis
Polo Bernabe as his successor.
The note from Minister Woodford de-
manded that Spain should formally dis
avow the insults to President Mckinley
contained in Senior Dupuy De Lome's
letter to Senior Canaleias.
Further Apology Refused.
The cabinet council, it is reported, de-
cided unanimously to reply TO Minister
Wood ford that Sepor De I0rnP'S SDon-
taneous resignation and the terms of
the decree accepting ii were considered
sufficient satisfaction. 1t is understood
that Minister Woodford received this
intimation and dispatched long cipher
telegram to Washington.
Cabinet Aggrieved.
One of The ministers present said at
the close of the council:
you may say openly, as coming from
Senior Sagasta, and from each of us, that
we entirely condemn, in the most absolute
manner, Senior De Lome's letter. We are
ashamed. grieVCd and sorry thereat. Inc
ministers feel more aggrieVed than PreSi-
dent Mckinley can possibly be. We are
honest men, who have been placed IN a
false position by fool.
Francis Joseph 10 Abdicate.
Vienna. Feb. 12.-Emperor Francis
Joseph will celebrate this year the tif-
tieth anniversary of his succession to
the crown He has decided 10 signalize
the event by resigning in favor of his
eldest nephew, Archduke Francis Ferdi-
uand, who is now entirely restored TO
health. This news, circulating here in
court circles, is confirmed by the en-
la : bfas Il a ri &c