The times., 1899-08-02
LUDLOW LOSES PATIENTS.
He orders the Suppression of the
"Havana Rec0nceptrndOv


ne orders the Suppression of the
Hnvana RecOnceptrndO.'
Havana. Aug 1.-The fight that has been
| made against Chief of Police Cardenas re-
| suited today in the arrest of the editors OF
| the "Reconcentrado' and the suppression
OF that paper. For months past the paper
has been extremely vituperative, and has
viciousiy attacked the character of public
men and private citizens in a most libelous
manner. AT the same time it boosted of
the acts of some of its editors, who are
notoriously duelistic, and who bullied al
most everybody. Yesterday the climax was
reached when the paper printed a vicious
attack on Chief of Police Cardenas, follow
ing bitter assault on Captain Pitcher. the
police magistrate. 1t also published a let
ter signed by former Police Inspector Her
nandez, in which the writer boasted that
he had spat in, the face of General Car
denas in Central Park last Sunday Her
nandez was. arrested last night and today
General Ludlow, with whom patience lad
ceased to be virtue, issued an order for
the suppression of the paper and the ar
rest of all its editors.
He denounced the sheet as having daily
uttered by assertion and inuendo, vile per-
sonalities and obscenities against the es-
tablished authorities and tke best people CT
Havana, and declared that the continuance
of its publication would be disgrace to the
city. The police were instructed to take
possession of the office and to arrest every
one connected with the paper. Ricardo
Arnauto and Augustin Cervantes, editor and
assistant editor, respectively. learned OF
the order and went into hiding. Subse,
quently they sent an attorney to General
Ludlow TO plead for them.
General Ludlow informed the lawyer that
he was going to send the editors to hard
labor in Atares Castle as soon as he could
catch them. The attorney begged that the
men be given another chance, and General
Ludlow finally consented if they would
promise to publish a decent newspaper,
vilify no one, and lead orderly lives. A
paper to this effect was drawn up at u
O'Clock and the attorney took it to his
clients, who were then in Mayor Lacoste's
Office, for them to sign it. Chief Detective
Bacalao met the party at the door of the
Office and tried to arrest the editors. The
attorney protested Indignantly. and the
discussion drew large crowd and raused
great excitement. Bacalao finally con-
sented to go to General Ludlow's office,
where the latter admitted the agreement
that had been made with the attorney.
Mayor Lacoste also appeared and objected
to the agreement. Then General Ludlow
said that he would defer to the civil au-
thorities as the matter belonged there.
Then another row ensued, but Senor La
coste finally consented to allow the men
to sign the paper. They will, therefore.
escape punishment during good behavior.
The administration of General Cardenas
has been bad and the police department Is
thoroughly disorganized. The Americans
have not interfered much with ii. and the
result is proof of the inability of the
officials to get along without fighting.
Educated Cubans see and feel this, and
are beginning to wonder what might hap
pen should the Americans leave. Many
men who were a short time ago separatists
now believe that the only hope for the
island for many years is some sort OF
American protectorate. Cuban who il
in close touch with the leaders here, and
whose name is withheld for political pur-
poses, said today:
THE Cubans for generations have been
accustomed to hate the Government. They
are impulsiye and nervous, and will be the
same tomorrow as they are today. Should
the Americans leave there would be a
bigger exodus of wealthy Cubans than oc-
Cured when the terrorism Of Weyler COM
menced."
Still the National party goes on with Its
organization. Its announced intention is
to secure the independence of the island.
Many conservative men are at the head OF
such affairs as the negro demonstration
in faver of Gualberto Gomez a few days
ago, but the row over Cardenas is making
them more conservative. A committee of
the party called on General Brooke today
and offered the party's assistance in car
rying out the Governments policy, which
they believe TO be the establishment of in
dependence. This action certainly shows
an improvement over the conditions which
prevailed two months ago. A convention
of the party will be held in Havana, Au-
gust 10. Two delegates will be elected
from each of the forty wards of the city
Afterward conventions will be held in
other cities. All the conventions will elect
delegates to their respective provincial
conventions, which in turn will select del
egates to an island convention to formu-
late a platform and a party policy.