Evening star., 1898-03-25
TO CELLS WITHOUT TRIAL
Political Prisoners in Cuba Fare Badly Under
Autonomy.
Indefinite Charge of Conspiracy Suf-
ficent to Send Them to Spanish
Dungeons.
Copyright. 1898, by Charles NJ. Pepper,

Copyright. 1898, by Charles N. Pepper)
Special From Stan Correspondent.
HAVANA, March %. via Port Tampa
Fla, March 24.-Pretense is made of prepar-
ing for the elections under autonomy and
negotiating a treaty of commerce with the
United States under such regime. These ef-
forts are put forth in desperate endeavor
| to show that spark of vitality vet remains
in the government under Spanish sover-
eighty
Events. however, are showing what Spain
really understands by autonomy. The
other day l saw the royal mail steamer
go out with nine prisoners Of state. who
are destined for prison in Barcelona, which
has been made infamous in recent years
by the cruelties committed within it's walls.
have seen this royal mail go out in Wey-
lers time bearing Cubans condemned to
chains for life or to perpetual imprison-
ment in the penal settlements of Africa.
They were-charged with the crime of rebel
lion, and the cause of their deportation was
given. They had even been uut through the
form of farcical trial. The men who are
row on the sea as prisoners consigned to
the fortress in Barcelona have not even
had the form of trial under the regime
of autonomy, though the promise was made
that under the new regime the rights of all
persons would be sacredly respected.
Indefinite Charge of Conspiracy.
Three weeks ago a score of persons were
arrested. The complaint against them was
the indefinite charge of onspiracy." They
were admittedly political prisoners Moth
ing has been heard of the evidence against
them or of their defense. The only farc.cal
proceeding has been what is called an "ex-
pedient' or statement of the police to the
authorities of the, grounds of their arrest.
1t is the nature of grand jury process Of
indictmeat On this showing they have
been deported as prisoners. Not a word
has been permitted in their defense. The
press, under the military censorship, has
been allowed to publish nothing about the
case. What the fate of the men who are
imprisoned in the Barcelona fortress will
be no one can foresee.
The insurgent general. Ruiz RIVERA, after
his refusal to accept from Banco freedom
on condition of his supporting autonomy,
was transported to these prisons and is
there now. These deportat atoms were made
in the name of the autonomist cabinet Of
Cuba and under its authority. The real
influence was the Spanish government, act
ing through Captain General Blanco.
Odium Placed on Cabinet.
But the odium was placed on the autono-
mist cabinet Its members had neither the
spirit nor the power to resist. They mere
ly accepted their function. The case has
not excited much attention among the
Cubans They knew that Spanish rule
might change in name, but not in fact. So
the exercise of arbitrary power does not
surprise them. though it justifes them in
their refusal to be deceived into accepting
autonomy. Possibly the incident may aid
some people in Washington to an under
standing of the conditions which have made
a failure of the Confession of colonial
self-government by Spain to Cuba
CHARLES NJ PEPPER.