The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-03
EDwARDSS HAVANA TRIP.
the EXPERIENCES OF the r N.
e. =, Wan IN JAN

sc Feared Execution, ana Hnd n u,ra T,r.
10 set word to the British Consul or "a.
PiiEhi-How n Letter was Twisted -
Make HIN seem to 10 an American sDY.
READING, Pa. Juno 3O.-rIcro Is the s,orv ~
the experiences of j. IL. Edwards. n nrittsh
subject, the general secretary Of tho Y. NJ. q
A.. hero, who was held a prisoner in Havana
after Con. Lee left, rs told by himself.
ut was on April l, and having secured
months release from my work, I left Read.
Ing for Havana. I arrived in Havana IN
Wednesday morning, April 6, intending 10
devote my tlmo and give my services
free OF cost In tho work of tho Rod Crosa
Society. awe days after my arrival. however.
this society was bauishod from tho island,
Three days after the order for the dismissal OF
the society, GEN. Leo left. and yet, as thcrs
woro many foreigners in tho city, there seemed
little danger. In fact. Gen. Blanco himself
issued n bando saving that no one need 10
afraid, as protection would bO given to all.
Not having engaged in Red Cross work, 40
expected, I began to lock about me. At first I
could see little suffering in the city, but aftoP
n few days 1 discovered where tho Government
had dcported those who were in distress. ! vis.
tied tho hospitals, orphan asylums. and went
everywhere that I heard there were people In
want. l went almost daily TO the central depot
for distribution of American supplies, until I
had learned the true situation OF affairs. What
1 witnessed was simply horror upon horror,
wretohednoss added to wretchedness, until ID
seemed as il the Judgment of God had fallen
upon the poor.
sitting In tho correspondence room of the
hotel Saturday afternoon, April 80. ! suddenly
found three stalwart men and an interpreter,
all Spaniards, standing by my sido. was writ
Ing at the time, and the interpreter. speaking for
the others. said: Excuse me, but these gentle.
men would like to know what you are writing
l replied: I am writing n letter. was asked
to give 1t to them and requested further to hand
over all notes and letters in my possession.
"They took possession of these and then p-
litely informed mo that they would like to 40
company mo TO my room. The men came up
stairs and then began another examination. I
went through my valise, gave them paper after
paper. through tho pockets of other clothing
until they thought they had possessed them
selves of all the writing to DO found on my per
son and in my room, and then my letters and
notes they carefully wrapped in a newspaper
and invited mo to go with them.
ION coming down stairs, 1 found a carriage
waiting at the door. A detective, an.nterpreteP
and myself got into 1t and were driven Off.
was taken up into a general audience room, and
after O delay of about thirty minutes was
taken into an inner room, where l found the
'Jefe,' the Chief of the Military Battalion; Or
den Publico,' tho Secretary Of the Police; an
official interpreter, who ia also inspector, and
some other man whom l cannot now identify.
l was told that l was q political prisoner, was
taken downstairs, and placed in the Sergeant'S
guardroom and was told that the Consul would
be notified OF my imprisonment. When | looked
around | found that q soldier with a rltie and
drawn bayonet had been placed at the door,
and that while the door was not locked, / was
limited in my wanderings.
II found everything / said or did was car
ried to, headquarters-to make a long story
short, they thought | was receiving money sun
plies In Havana, possibly from enemies OF Spain.
But the facts were that ! had $50 in an inside
pocket that tho detective failed to discover,
and SO for weeks they were under the impres.
sion that I was without money. The story is
money. They had women to visit me. one
wanted to lend me some, and insisted; as / was
it, and informed them l was embarrassed by any
such offers. Another time n woman came to
visit mo, and she also referred to the question
money needed. She then "a asked led me ooins
what the Government was going to do with me,
whether / was going TO be shot or be trans.
time for the ;,rst five days that the soldiers in
the courtyard formed into line and heard thS
nervous. l didn't know but my time had come.
Every morning and somGtimes IN the afternoon.
eel or forts. | began to wonder il was TO 10
among the lumber. On the fifth day, row.
ever, ntter wiring II Drlct nO,o. Saying lh0p
through some MISUNDERSTANDING had been ar.
rested. one Of the sergennts consontea, to send
it.. He called u corporal and directed him 10
"Five more days passed. and 1 knew no.
what was being, done in my case. Then l
wrote tho Consul again, and finally, on no
tho Consul, but from the Vico.Consul. He re.
manned with mo not more thnn five minutes.
His first words were not very soothing or conf
%fcrting. | had becn in prison ten day ; Rptn,
lowed to speak, not knowing what was TO beI"l
mc-wlcthcr should be shot or taken 10
Spain-and under such circumstances was lnsl
what were his first words of ]GrUetingl
We'll II you had been in France, you would
have, been shot before this
Then he informed me that / would leave mo
island on the gunboat Talbot, which was thenin
tho harbor, and which would sail in a de% or
day or the day following. the boat sailed, ana
was still a prisoner, with no explanation whyl
had not been permitted to leave.
1T was about this time that l had written
a letter to the Consul stating my case clearly
I had a state secret or that I had been in CON.
murication with tho insurrectionists, ana agSo
9! ANY sta teSS T That a fp Sm us emEpl t o SS%' f6s
United States Government is too unworthy
a motive imputed 10 mo to answer, They k"nt
and early the next morning the, Secretary,
T4o; by the neuC way sd is the Gg9Dw"SSir, r behind dnme 'G 10
iourisGing the letter in my fSce. said: We hqvo
you arc a spy in the employ Of the United staic,.
! asked how that could BIO. ana they showed me
my own letter. They would not allow me TO touch
the lettor. but held it some distance from me,
and yet sufficiently close for mo to read Tho
words, i am a spy in the employ of the United
States Govern ment.' / looked at the words ana
said: Yes, that is my letter and my writinE.
! cannot understand how l came TO write tho-o
words, ! cannot understand i, repeated e.,
cept that / have omitted tho word not. "
must be a mistake OF mine. | said you can
easily understand that / would not Willingly
and knowingly write such a statement. WonS
you allow me 70 look further at that Letters
won't you allow me TO add the word not To tho
BentenCef
10 both these requests I received a refusal.
Then | said: 'You surely won't object TO NY
writing another letter, explaining that in my
hurry or anxiety ] have made u statement thaS
! had not intended to mako by emitting the
word notf
THE reply WAS cruel. II was unnecessary
for mo to write another letter. i had con-
fessed to what was. i was q spy. However,
hoy finally consented that | should write anOth
er letter. ! went into my room. secured, pen,