The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-25

MUCH SICKNESS IN CUBA
TYPHOID FEVER KILLS 20 MEN OF
THE EIGHTH CAVALRY.
Many Cases Of Malaria in Pinar del
~ Natives Attacked by
Yellow Fever at

HAVANA. April have been
twenty deaths from typhoid fever among
the members of the Eighth United States
Cavalry, stationed at the city OF Puerto
Principe, and 13 cases all told are reported.
The persistence of the disease cannot be
explained. The camp is pitched on sloping
ground about three miles from the town
and the tent floors are fully thirty-six
inches above the ground. The water Is
taken from a creek that flows through the
camp, but none of 1t is used unless 1t has
been both filtered and boiled All camp
refuse is cremated each day. The tent
floors are displaced once every twenty-four
hours and the sites exposed to the sun and
dlsinfected with lime. Captain Hickey, of
the governor generals staff. who recently
visited the camp. described 1t as the best
camp he had ever seen. Nevertheless. de-
spite the extraordinary precautions taken,
the fever steadily increased until a few
days ago. Now there is a turn for the bet
ter and the convalescents outnumber the
new cases. On the other slope OF the ridge
the Fifteenth United States Infantry Is en-
camped and there is not a single case OF
typhoid.
One hundred and ninety-three out of 100
enlisted men I'm the city OF Pinar del Rio
are sick. There are ffty-nine cases Of
malaria, though forty-ive OF these are Of
mild type. Eight companies Of the First
Infantry and four troops OF the Seventh
Cavalry are stationed at that point. but
owing to the prevalent sickness 1t is a lone
some camp and the men are discouraged.
Two new cases of yellow fever were re-
ported to-day among the natives here. A
case has developed at Casa Blanca, a
suburb Of Havana. across the harbor.
One hundred Cuban cavalrymen are drill
ing near the mountains, as well as numer-
Gus infantrymen. but why Is a puzzle.
The decree regulating criminal procedure
now in preparation extends far beyond the
abolition of the practice OF incomunicado.
1t calls for a public trial of the person
accused. directs that he be informed of the
specific charge he must face and entitled to
hear all the testimony affecting the case.
Procedure I'm crimina trials Will be made
TO conform tn American law, although the
jury feature is wanting.
Gen. Fernando Freyre de Andrade, whom
some of the local papers name as General
Brooke'S appointee for the attorney gen.
eralship OF the newly-created Supreme
that relation by the military administration
As president Of the Cuban Military Assem-
bly, he produced a very unpleasant impress
sion upon the Americans.
RURAL GUARDS.
Major General Wilson. military governor
of the consolidated department of Matapzas
and Santa Clara, does not believe in the
rural guard idea. He has not had any
rura1es I'm the province Of Matanzas and
does not wish to have any In Santa Clara
province. Such a device he considers un-
American. believing the responsibility for
order ought to rest with the citizens OF the
district as in the United States. The
ruraIes. in his Judgment. will not help the
Cubans 10 prepare themselves for self-gor-
eminent Such bodies will be I'm effect, he
considers. standing provisional armies and
population. The whole matter he has care
fully discussed with General Brooke. who
will probably allow him TO act upon his
own Judgment I'm the matter.
The Cuban Colonel Dantin. OF Matanzas
province. called upon General Gomez to-day
and left a letter advocating the establish
ment OF a rural guard. In this communica-
ton he pointed out that. although no
Wilson. the Cuban soldiery have been doing
precisely what the rurales would do to pre-
serve order i'm the interior. He mentioned
that twenty-nine plantations were now un-
der Cuban military guard and expressed the
conviction that after the dissolution OF the
follow. General Wilson intends 10 visit San
IA Clara proyinee and to study IL as TloseIy
OF citizens from the city OF Santa Clara
called upon General Brooke to urge that the
cite Of the provincial government be trans
ferred back TO Santa Clara from Cienfuegos.
Last night a contingent Of rural guards.
under command OF Sergeant Mendez. en-
countered six mounted armed men, preSum-
ably outlaws. near Coloma. In the province
OF Pinar del Rio. The sergeant called, upon
the brigands TO halt. but they refused. and
opened IRE, which the guards returned. A
bullet passed through Sergeant Mendez's
hat. inffctinE a scalp wound All the out
laws escaped.
The Cub2ns are publicly protesting
against the selections made Of cuSton-house
employees, Insisting that almost all who have
been chosen. thus far. were formerly par
tisans OF General Weyler. and that none OF
them served the country.
Twenty-Five bodies OF cubans, macheted
by Narciso Ponsdeviela. Spanish mayor OF
Guanabacoa during the war. were exhumed
yesterday from various secret burial places
and relnterred. with appropriate
at The Guanabacoa Cemetery.
tLrlos Manuel Cespedes returned from
Santiago to-day. bringing numerous letters
from influential Cubans promising adher-
ence 20 General Gomez. He reports that the
Cuban National party is increasing rapidly
In that quarter OF the island.
All the papers publish to-day a protest
against replacing Cuban telegraphers by
Americans.
Captain Pitcher. OF the Eighth Infantry.
has been appointed superintendent OF the
Department OF Corrections.
Major Chas. q. Treat to-day received