Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-04-03
BRIBERY AND FRAUD
Are Said to Still Rule the
Courts of Cuba.
Gen. Gomez Exposes the Absolutely
Unworthiness Of Assembly.
Secretary Of War AIger Leaves Santiago de
Cuba for Porto Rico.

Havana, April To-day, as under
the Spanish regime, bribery and fraud
direct the Cuban courts. This is the
firm conviction Of the military admins
trdtiOn. Gov. Gen. Brooke is taking
tn" matter up and intends to clean out
the corruption, TO revise the judicial
procedure. to change the court person
! mel and TO abolish the barbarous prac-
tice of incommunicado. by which a
| judge may impriSon for life a person
| ignorant OF the accusation against him
and of the names of his accuSers.
Gen. Mamimo Gomez, in a long let
| ter to his wife in San Domingo. re-
| views his differences with the So-called
Military Assembly. He begins by des-
cribing the situation as it was when
| Mr.. Robert r. Porter as the special
representative Of President Mckinley
visited Cuba after the Assembly's rep
| resentatives at Washington had OBJ
| tanned a promise Of $3.00000O from the
President. The writer proceeding. says:
This action on the part of the As
Semhly's committee. | approved 1t
was then that Mr.. Porter appeared and
asked me as commander-in-chief to de-
eide to accept the $1,000, 600 Ia aid in its
distribution ana in the dsarming OF
the army and to proceed forthwith to
HAVANA to assist the United States
military governor. Gen. Brooke. /
agreed and on arriving at Havana |
conferred with Gen. Brooke concerning
the payment and the disarmament. 1t
was decided that Gen. Brooke should
request Washington to ship TO Cuba
the 50 GOO. 900 which had been obtained
by the representatives Of the Assembly
| saw to the adjustment ofall the ques-
tons that led IN to a termination of
the ridiculous armed situation and be
ban TO entertain hopes of an early re-
turn to S9nto Domingo.
The Assembly then called upon me
to visit its president. saying that the
object sought was an unofficial ex-
change of ideas But they placed me
upon the bench of the accused. my
crime being that | was inclined to ac-
cept the s3.000,000 which the Assembly
itself, through its representative had
induced President, Mckinley to promise,
a matter as to which ] had not been
consulted. 1t appeared that | had
DTohtii oil IoT SIo.Utu,uub.
To all this | replied that | acted in the
best faith but that nothing had been
lost as ! would withdraw the accept
ance l had given.
Then they requested me to array
myself on their side in order TO give
strength to their resolutions. | answer
ed that | had always done so and
would continue to do so except in cases
where the course of the Assembly was
opposed to my conscience. to my sense
Of justice and to my idea of the best
interests of cuba.
Regarding the matters under con-
sderation said / had no hone of OBJ
tanning more than the So, 900 600 from
the United States and disapproved
asking charity, contending that the
only method left was to raise a loan
for which the Assembly lacked ade-
quate authorization. Furthermore. |
pointed out that the soldiers could not
wait. that already they We're too great
burden upon the people of Cuba and
that longer delay appeared TO me to be
cruel.
The conference ended without ac-
complishing anything. | saw / could
not make myself understood by the
Assembly and decided not to be mixed
up in its doings. but to await develop
ments A few days later three men
whom I did not know visited me and
said that several millionaires stood
ready to facilitate a loan of many mil
lions. but that the matter was only
possible with my cooperation. |
answered that | could not consider any
proposition of the kind and regarded it
as strange that any one would be ready
to tend money without a guarantee.
Ny visitors replied that the city council
could arrange guarantee.
Then committee of the Assembly |
approached me asking me to support |
the Assembly's effort to obtain loan |
To this | replied that Cuba could not !
make a loan as she lacked the neces-
sary authority. The next day the AS
sembly deposed me. / consider that / |
have acted honorably and my strong |
est desire is now to return home"
Late this afternoon. conflict occur
red at La Machin wharf between the
police and some marines and sailors of |
the Resolute. The appearance of Gen.
Ludlow and the police reserves quelled |
the disturbance. 1t is asserted that the
marines We're more or less intoxicated,
that one of them raised a row, that the
police interfered and the companions
Of the intoxicated marine set upon the
police.
Several shots were fired before the
arrival of the military governor and
the police reserves under Chief Memo
cal. The marines returned to the Reso-
lutte and it was reported at headuuar-
ters. this evening. that one man was
in the ARRAY.
SECRETARY OF WAR AlCER