The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-08-31
CUBANS CLAIM EVERYTHING
COnfscate Blankets Of Our Soldiers and
Whatever Else That Is Handy.

Whatever Else That Is Handy.
The Cubans claim everything in
Cuba. The earth and the fullness
thereof is theirs. Not only does the
land belong to the Cuban republic, but
the personal property of the private
citizen, the fruits of his orchard, the
cattle in his fields, the vegetables in
his garden. the furniture in his house,
his extra suit Of clothes-eyerything
that has the least value attached to it
is a part of the common fund of the
new republic.
The inventory of the Cuban posses
sions does not stop here. 1t also in
cudes the blankets, haversacks and ra-
tions Of the American soldier when
ever the soldiers back is turned.
The oaly visible representatives Of
the Cuban repebic in this province are
the soldiers, and by day and night they
are busily engaged IN reducing every
thing in sight TO Immediate possession.
They never say by your leave" and
give no receipts. they simply claim
and take in the name Of the Cuban
republic. they are very careful, how
ever. to see that no American soldier
Is in sight while they engage in adding
to the republics store OF wealth..
When the American soldiers landed
at Baiquiri ana Sibouey Jhey disem-
barked i'm a cruel hurry. Whole regi
ments left their blanket rolls, hayer~
sacks ana canteens on the beach, or
l D. . l,t l.i2 10 bn
to the firing lines. These were CONS
Gated by the Cubans, and now, almost
a month after landing hundreds
of soldiers sleep without blank
cts or tents, and have not even
change of underwear. Those who did
the most fighting for Cuba Libre"
have suffered most. In the forced
march TO Ell Caney, San Juan and Ell
Paso it was impossible for them to
carry their heavy accoutrements.
When, after days Of constant fighting
and nights Of sleeping in the rain,
with only a leaden sky for a cover.
they found time to send back for their
dog tents. blankets and clothing all
were gone.
Even the bodies Of the dead were not
respected. Whenever opportunity Of
fered these were stripped Of arms and
clothing On the morning of the bat
tie OF FL Caney the Americans went
TO bury the Spanish dead Eighteen
bodies were found. and all Of them had
been robbed. This could not have
been done by Spaniards, for they could
not have passed the outposts during
the night The Americans would not
have despoiled the dead.
The brother Of General Eara de Rev,
shot through the neck at Ell Caney.
and dying, whispered to an American
and asked him to find the body of the
genera and give it decent burial.
Three days search was made but the
body was not found, although it was
known where he fell, shot through
b0Jh legs and the head. The Cubans
said that they had buried the body, but
were unable TO find the place. They
did not attempt to explain why they
had not buried the other dead.
An American who served one year
an the Cuban army says that when
ever Spanish officer of high rank is
killed the Cubans vent their useless
rage by seyerlng the head from the
body and INJECTING on its trunk a hor-
rible and nameless mutilati0n. This
may account for the absence of the
body Of Vara de Rey.
The thieYery of the Cubans became
so persistent, and on such wholesale
scale, that it was found necessary to
issue an order from headquarters d.
recting American soldiers to drive all
Cubans out of the camp whenever they
were found inside the lines,
1t must nave been better knowledge
of the Cuban and his nature than one
can have in the United States that in
duced General Shafter to forbid the en-
trance OF Cuban soldiers into the city.
Streets are guarded by American sol
diers under the direction and command
of an American officer. The stars and
stripes float over the palace of the gov
ern0r- general, butCthere is no Cuban
1s1-