The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-12

|, ieast help. not even able to give water
to the thirsty, without either religious or
social help. each one dying wherever
chance laid him" The deaths among
those reconcentrados average 40 or so
daily. and op an average there were but
| 10 days OF life for each person. II says
that these unhappy creatures received
food only after being eight days In the
bitches, during which they were obliged
10 subsist upon the bad food which the
dying had refused. Some horrible in
stances OF the distress Witnessed are
| given. Among the many deaths we
saw" says the communication. there
was seen one impossible to forget. There
is still alive the only witness. a young
| girl Of IS, whom we found seemingly
lifeless on the ground. On her right
side was the body of young mother,
cold and rigid. but with her young child
still alive clinging to her breast. On
her left side was the corpse OF woman
holding her son in a dead embrace. A
little further on, q dying woman hav-
ing In her arms a daughter Of IA. crazy
with pain. who after IL or IA days died
In spite Of the care she received"
Dec. IL came the following: THE con-
test for and against autonomy is most
unequal. For IL, there are five or sig
OF the head officers at the palace. and 20
or 30 other persons here In the city.
Against 1t. first. are the insurgents, with
or without arms, and the Cuban nom
combatants; second, the great mass of
the Spaniards bearing or non bearing
arms. the latter desiring. II there must
be change, annexation to the United
States. Indeed there is the greatest
apathy concerning autonomy in any
form. No one asks what II will be
or when. or how II will come. do not
see how II could be even put into oper-
alton by force. because as long as the
insurgents decline to accept It, so long
the Spanish authorities say the war
must continue"
On Jan. s. General Lee makes the fol-
lowing report: II have the honor to
state as a matter of public interest that
the 'reconcentrado order of General
Weyler. formerly governor general of
this island. transformed about 100000
self-supporting people. principally won-
en- and children, into a multitude to be
| sustained by the contributions of others,
or die Of starvation or of fevers. result
being masscd in large bodies, without
change of clothing and without food.
Their homes were burned, their fields
and plant beds destroyed and their live-
stock driven away or killed. esti-
mate probably 200, 900 of the rural popu-
iation In the province of Pinar del Rio,
Havana, Matsnzas and Santa Clara have
died OF starvation or from resultant
Do ~ - n. IL <-.
almost simultaneously. or within a few
days OF each other. and of mothers pray
ing for their children to be relieved of
their horrible suffering by death. are not
the least pitiable scenes which were ever
present"
March II. he enclosed a letter from
Consul Barker OF Sagua. who requested
him to transmit the following letter:
II will thank you to communicate to the
department quickly the fact that the
military commander and other military
officers positively refuse to allow the
reconcentrados to whom / am issuing
food In Its raw state. toprocure fuel with
which to cook the food. In ad ,ition they
prohibited this class of people Q am
only giving food to about one-fifth OF
the destitute (the authorities have quit
altogether) from gathering vegetables
cultivated within the protection of the
forts, telling them. the Americans pro-
pose to feed you. and to the Americans
you must look -
On Jan. "a, General Lee was notified
by the state department that the Maine
would call at Havana in a day or two,
and was directed to make arrangements
for an interchange Of friendly calls be-
tween officers and authorities. Under
the same date General Lee advised =
postponcmcnt Of the Names visit for
six or seven days. that the excitement
might abate. Later on the same day,
General Lee was notified that the Maine
would arrive In Havana the next day.
and was asked TO cooperate with the
authorities for her friendly visit Wir-
ing the state department the next day.
General Lee informed the state depart
ment that the Spanish authorities pro-
fessed to think the United States had
an ulterior purpose In sending the ship
SAY IL Will obstruct autonomy, pro-
duce excitement and most probably a
demonstration. Ask that IL is not done
until they can Get instructions from
Madrid. and say that IL for friendly
motives, as claimed. delay unimpor-
tant."
Mr.. Bricc mentions several instances
OF distress In Matanzas. among others
the following: In a family of IL liv-
ing in an old lime kiln all were found
dead except three. nnd they barely alive.
He says again that General Blanco's
order allowing reconcentrados to return
and cultivate the crops is imperative
and OF no avail. Writing on the 18th
of January he says: THE people are shut
up In the cities and town like rats to
starve. We hive Is or rs families OF
American reconcentrados who own prop
erty In the country. and were they al
lowed to GO 10 their homes could make
\ good living. All these have begged
and pleaded with the authorities under
Bianco's order to go. and were In every
case refused"
Consul Barker covers the conditions
existing In santa Clara province In a
number of communications beginning