The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-27
SLAPPED THE
MAYORS FACE
Spaniards in Cuba Becoming
Turbulent and Aggressive.
Demanding Pay in an Insis-
teut Manner.
D'ESTABAN STRUCK
By an EmplOye of the City For
Refusing to Settle.
D'ESTABAN STRUCK
BlancO is Having Serious
Trouble With Soldiers.

Havana, Oct. 27-The bitter feeling
| among the Spanish troops against the
government for not paying them is in
creasing daily and menace possible out
breaks, entailing serious trouble before
| long. The Orden pubIico constitute the
most turbulent element. At first the gov
| eminent proposed to pay only those who
were discharged. Then after protest it
offered to pay all by promissory notes,
a proposal which was refused. No cash
settlement has been made and the en-
tire body expresses its dissatisfaction
| openly.
Yesterday eighty irregulars, moviliza-
does from the Camaguani regiment, ar
rived here and went to the palace to
demand pay. Their attitude before
General Blanco was such that he or
dered them to be taken to the Cabanas
prison on pretext Of being fed there,
but they have not been allowed to leave
the prison and to all intents and pUr-
poses, are under arrest.
twenty OF the members Of the civil
guards of this province also presented
themselves at the palace to demand
payment. They arrived just as the
mOVilizadoes were leaving for Cabanas
prison and met General BIanco's aide,
who threatened to send them there also.
The threat had the desired effect and
they left the palace without further
trouble.
These incidents prove the real feeling
of the troops. The possibility Of an
outbreak is confirmed in private con-
versatiOns with the men who threaten
riot If they are ordered to embark with
out payment. During these last few
weeks Spanish rule in the island has
been marked by unbridled corruption
and license on the part of every man in
power. One of the most fragrant in
stances is that of a Spanish colonel,
who in open violation of General Blan-
cos decree forbidding the confiscatiOn
of cattle, went last week to a rich to-
bacco planter in the province of Pinar
del Rio and under threat OF force, took
a hundred yoke of oxen, pretending that
he needed food for his hungry men.
The planter set a trap for his man. He
sent an emissary with an offer to buy
cattle from the officer who sold him
fifty yoke and gave him bill of sale.
With this documentary evidence, the
planter made a formal protest to Gen
era1 Hernandez de Velasco, Spanish
military governor Of the province who
shrugged his shoulders. replying that it
was an obvious theft, but that he could
do nothing.
The Spanish mail steamer Villa Vorde,
which has just arrived here, brought
sixty deported prisoners from Ceuta
Morocco.
The demand for overdue salaries has
taken an active and aggressive form in
the municipal departments. Beside the
mobs who daily infest the office OF the
mayor, clamOring for pay, threatening
every variety of personal violence, and
even drawing guns, as happened one
day last week, there are many indtvid-
ual instances of a more or less sensa-
tfonal character. One of the victims,
an employe of the city named Casares,
entered the mayors Office on Monday
morning to insist upon a settlement
The MARQUIS D'Estaba refused ana
made some excuse not entirely salts
factory to the claimant who slapped the
mayors face, following up the slap
with a couple of we'll directed blows.
The attendants hustled Casares out
of the building, but the mayor refused
to prosecute and endeavored to hush
the matter up. The story leaked out,
however. and gave rise to good deal
of unfavorable comment at the expense
of the mayor, although his friends ap-
Dlauded his GOODNESS and self restraint
in not returning the blows.
Advfces from the Interior particular
from the city of MatanZas bring fresh
stories Of misery, intensified by the late
floods. Yesterday at Matanzas 27 sick
and dying persons were picked up III
the street.
The United States evacuation commits
sioners are daily besieged by Spanish
officers who wish to enter the United
states service All such requests have
been met with a negative reply. In view
of this. it is thought, the applicants
would cease but on the contrary two or
three Spanish officers put in an appear
ance daily at the Hotel Trocha Win
the same proposition.