The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-11
HENRY IN A DEEP oUANDARY.
PORTO RICO NOT ALTOGETHER A
PEACEFUL COMMUNITY.


A New York soldier Beheaded in a
Literary Club-The Outcome of a
Raid ON Caguny Cafes by American
sOIdierS-Henry Says He Needs
Twice ns Many Troops gs He Has.
The Trouble at POnce-COnditions
Growing Worse.
Chicago, March 10.-The Tribune to-mor-
row will print the following special cor
respondence from Porto Rico from a Tri-
bune staff correspondent:
Prom San Juan de Porto Rico, March
1.-The real situation in Porto Rico is not
understood. People in the states generally
regard Porto Rico as a sort of haven oe
peace The war department has just re-
quested OF Gen. Henry that he immediate-
Iy report how many regular troops ns
could spare from the island.
The One Hundred and Forty-seventh
New York started home last Sunday. The
regular regiments that remain are 50
scattered that in many places where there
Is necessity for a strong force only COR
porals guard can be mustered, and terri
tories where there are continual mutter-
| rgs and the greatest evidence of discon-
tent at the American rule are unguarded.
Gen Henry Is in a dilemma. He has
only three regiments Of troops-the Elev-
enth Infantry, the Nineteenth Infantry
aud the Fifth Cavolry-and two batteries
of the Fifth Heavy Artillery.
% I need twice the troops | have said
the general, az his residence at San Juan,
Because Of the easy victory OF our troops
here in the war. and the apparent friend
| liness Of the natives to the American sol-
| diers when they invaded a notion pre-
vails in the states that there is little ne
cessity for a stronge force to maintain
order In the island. The idea is errone-
| Gus.
Conditions Are Alarming.
| The conditions here are alarming.
! These people have been given every oppor-
| tunlty but they have thrown them aside.
| They are clamoring now for local self
| government They are no more flt for lo-
| cal self-government than / am to run d
! locomotive More troops are needed in tho
island The seeds OF discomfort planted
| by professional agitators are rapidly grow
ing. and can be kept down only by a
| strong military force.
The III feeling between the natives
| and the American troops seems 10 grow
| stronger every day. The American off,
GERS have to maintain the greatest vigil
| lance TO prevent their men from wreaking
vengeance on the natives, and especially
| on the native police. for acts OF violence
that are continually committed against
the troops
New York Soldier Murdered.
"At Caguay, a small town on the mill
| tary road, twenty-five miles from Sam
Juan, a soldier of the 147th New York, was
murdered last Saturday night in manner
| that illustrates the treachery of the ma
| tives. Private Michael Burke, of company
L, had entered the Porto Rican literary
| club of Caguay and was sitting at a small
| table reading when native slipped up be-
| hind him and with one stroke of a ma
| ehete, sharpened to a razorlike edge, sew
cred the soldiers head from his body and
| sent IL rolling across the floor Another
| dropped into the club some time after
ward and saw the dsmembered trunk OF
the dead man still in the chair, with the
head lying where II had rolled.
| Several Porto Ricans we're standing
| quitely around discussing the matter No
one would admit having seen the murder
| committed Suspicion finally fixed upon
| one man, but when provost guard went
out to arrest him he had fled, and al
though the entire country around caguay
| was thoroughly searched for the MURDER
| er, he has not yet been found
How the Trouble Started.
| "Oniy four nights before the killing OF
| Burke. the bad blood between the natives
| and the soldiers asserted itself in a brll-
| tai assault on Private Fitzpatrick. The ma
| tive police arrested Fitzpatrick without "a
warrant, and when he resisted beat hlm
! into insensibillty.
| THE soldiers of the four companies oe
| the One Hundred and Forty-seventh New
| York, stationed at Caguay waited unhB
night and then started out to police the
town as they called 1t. Three cafes were
| 'policed' IN the most thorough manner
| tables being overturned and mirrors brols-
| en- when the officers of the regiment ar
| rived and quelled the riot, persuading the
men to return to the barracks. The next
| chapter In the Caguay affair was the kill
| ing of Burke.
"The troubles at Caguay have been dup
| Heated at almost every place on the is-
| land AZ Guayama a soldier was stabbed
in the back by native the same night
| Private Burke was killed.
| Difficulties at Ponce.
| "The conditions at Ponce since the Clash
| between the soldiers and native police i'm
which several Porto Ricnns were killed,
! has been bordering on open battle between
| the troops and the natives. At San Juan
a few nights ago, three soldiers from the
| United States cruiser Panther were wound-
| ed by bullets from the rifles of the native
police Of the town, who in attempting 70
| arrest one Of the sailors, became excited
| and fired Unfortunately.
Gen. Henry began his administration
| in Porto Rico by giving all the towns and
| cities seif-government and by turning over
in great measure the keeping Of tho
| peace 60 the native police force. He has
| been forced summarily to depose the al
| calde and the councilmen of many towns.
| and turn the local government over 10
| army officers Things are strained to the
| swapping point. Gen. IIenry's face took
on a grimness that his troops used to see
| In the old days out on the Western plains.
as he concluded his remarks about cond-
tions In the island.
." i have given them too much rein, he
sad now I'm going to take in the slack 4
TO HAVE ONLY ONE SENATOR.