The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-14
STORY OF THE LETTER STEAL.
THE EPIsTLE PURLOINED IN THE
POSTOFFTCE AT HAVANA.

rirst Knowledge of Its Contents OBJ
,.iued by IA Clerk in the Spanish
veaation at WashingtOn-Read 1t
While 1t Lay on Senior De LOme's
Dest-SynOpsIs of 1t Sent to the
,unta in New YOrI1-Agent of the
Jnnta Ragged 1t at Havana.
philadelphia, Pa, Feb 13.-The Press
-r,1I nrint tomorrow what it asserts to be
The true version of the acquisition and
publication of the letter from .Senor de
Tome to Senior Canalejas.
The authority cited for its authenticity
is "a cuban of the highest standing in the
councils of his party who receives his in
formation from headquarters in New
York"
The story proceeds to say: ''The let
Ter was not stolen from the United States
mails. but was secured by an agent of the
cuban junta in the postoffice at Havana.
Don Jose Canalejas to whom the letter
was addressed, never saw the original. He
did not know until eight days after the let
ter reached Havana that such letter
from Spains representative in Washing
ton had been written him.
vate residence in Washington instead of
at the Spanish legation. The paper, how
ever. was marked with the official type,
and read in the corner Legation de Es-
pana' The same inscription was upon
the left hand upper corner of the envel-
ope.
"Senor de LONE did not mail the letter
from his house. In fact, he had not quite
completed it upon the morning it was
written and carried it to the legation,
where it was first seen and noticed by
person who is in the employ of the en-
bassy. acting in a sub-official capacity.
The letter lay upon the desk of the minis
ter in his inner Office, the outer office be-
ing his place of reception to visitors. Dur
ing an absence of half an hour from the
inner office of De LONE the clerk in ques-
ton saw the open letter and read some
Of il.
THE next day this same person sent
word TO his Cuban associates in Washing
ton to the effect that he had seen letter
from De LONE to Canalejas in when
President Mckinley was villified and au-
tonomy called a scheme.
Several of the Cuban leaders got to-
eether and asked the employe of the en-
bassy to secure the letter They did rot
believe implicitly in his story, although
he urged them to come into the pubic
print and make charges against Senor DE
Lone. Because they did not have the let
ser In their possession, the leaders refused
10 say anything about il. The employe of
the legation was urged to use all means
in his power to secure the letter, although
it was considered probable it was already
in the mails when the Cubans at the Ho-
tel Raleigh were Informed of its exist
ence
"The clerk in the employ of Senor de
LONE saw no more of the letter his
memory-wrtten abstracts were forwarded
TO New York. and 1t was quickly agreed
that could possession of the letter he OBJ
tanned and his statements proven to be
true. the letter would be of incaiculable
value to the Cuban cause as substantial
ing what Cuban leaders had maintained
regarding autonomy and the general span
ish policy, in official circles, toward u IS
country and its officers Immediately
words of warning and urgings to be on
the alert were sent to every Cuban VINO
might be in a position to obtain track CT
or intercept the much sought for misslPe
THE letter reached Havana five days
after it's postmark in Washington. An
agent of the Cuban party, who IS an en-
ploye of the Spanish postofiice, knew that
the letter was on the way, and When II
came into his hands ii was carried from
the rostoffice and copy was made OF IT.
Word to this effect was sent TO the CUBAN
asked the secret Cuban junta in Havana
TO secure the original letter-that copy
was not what was desired. The Havana
pOstofiice clerk was not Wiling 20 40 TINS
at first but afterwards consented, as ne
was obliged TO account for a 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 mad
written, and the letter finally postmarked
in the Havana Office and sent in its rou-
tine way.
Eight days from it's arrival in the Ha-
vana office the sealed envelope, properly
addressed to Senor CanaleJas, was deliv-
cred at the Hotel Inglaterra. Senor Can
alejas cid not regard the matter seriously
at the time, although the hotel boy who
brought him the letter and the postofnce
employe who had last charge of it were
arrested. SO also was the hotel employe
who went several times daily to the post
Office for the mails. All three were dis
charged after an examination.
"Senor Canalejas communicated almost
Immediately with Minister de LONE, and
Tor several weeks letters and cablegrams
passed between the two, but no trace OF the
letter could be obtained. Senor Canalejas
shortly thereafter left Havana, going to
Madrid.
1T is not explained why the letter was
kept by the Cubans for several weeks be-
Tore il 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 desire on the
part Of the junta to be assured absolutely
That the writing was that of the Spanish
minister. SO that he might not have any
chance to deny it's authorship and thus
cause a reaction, which undoubtedly would
have been the result of the propagation
Of a fake"
WooOFORD's CABLE KEPT SECRET