Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-05-11
TOURING SANTA CLARA
Military Governor Learning the
Condition of the People.
REPORTED BRlGANDAGt IS A MYTH.
Numerous Balls Are Arranged In His
Honor and Inhabitants are Dociie and
Contented-Rural Police Are Disbanded
Condition of Affairs In General.

HAVANA, May 9.-Major General
Wilson, military governor of the new
department of Matanzas-Santa Clara,
has visited within the past ten days
every railway point in Santa Clara
province and seen every alcalde, Judge,
priest, school teacher, banker and i'm
portant planter in the localities he has
visited. He now intends to go on
horseback to many of the communi-
ties of the railway lines. His expert
ence has been to hold receptions for
the purpose of his investigations until
10 or IL O'Clock every night and then
to dance until IL or l. Everywhere
he has been the recipient of compli-
mentary attentions, half dozen balls
have been given in his honor and the
people of the province have evidently
been greatly pleased at his appearance
among them in this way.
At several points where he received
reports of brigandage he made it a
point to investigate these personally,
or through members of his staff.
told that six bandits had attacked the
Los Angeles estate and been driven off
by the police after sharp interchange
OF shots. He sent Lieutenant Colonel
Reber and the Cuban general, Jesus
Monteagudo, to make inquiry. They
found that there had been no bandits
near the estate and that the only basis
for the story was that Mr. McCullagh,
owner OF the UnidOS estate, had seen
flashes OF squad firing in the direction
OF Los Angeles. The theory is that
some Spanish tobacco buyers had ar
ranged to have shots fired to give color
TO rumors OF the presence of bandits
in order to cause timidiy among to-
bacco sellers and thus secure sales at
low prices, the buyers emphasizing the
danger OF the warehouses being burned
II there were any delay.
General Wilson was told that two
bodies of men, evidently murdered, had
been found at one point, but it turned
out that the find" was a single skele-
ton with the skull marked by a ma
chete, obviously relic of the Spanish
regime. Nor was there any better
foundation for the stories of disorder
which had come to his ears before he
started on the tour of investigation.
Indeed, he found the province of Santa
Clara tranquil.
Today General Wilson came to Ha-
vana and conferred with Governor
General Brooke, representing that
there was no necessity for rural police
In the new department and that it
would be useless expense to arm 500
men in each of the provinces merely
to catch few chicken thieves. He
said he desired to use the appropriated
$4,000 month in other ways Cen
eral Brooke adopted his conclusions
and the rural guards in Santa Clara
will be disbanded. General Montea-
guido, their commander, will aid Cen
eral Wilson in every way to keep the
province quiet.
General Wilson was greatly impress
sed with the docility of the people of
| the country which he traversed and he
earnestly deDrecates the accordance,
without proper investigation by the
newspapers of wildcat" stories circu-
lated by gossips or designing persons,
especially by those who wish to get
jobs as rural policemen" He be-
lieves, he says, that there is no more
need of rural guards in his DEPART
ment, for instance, than in the United
States.
The local papers today report that
twenty bandits made their appearance
on the plantation Constancia, led by
mulatto named Murcoa, former cap
tain of guerrillas. Warned by the
alarm given by the sentry, who called
for help, they retreated closely fol-
lowed by the Cuban troops under Gen
| to Principe says that five mounted ne
groes made an attack upon a store
owned by Enrique Pug and carried
off 1900.
President Mckinley, through Adju-
tant General Corbin, has instructed
Governor General Brooke to make the
North American Trust company here
the depository for all the funds of the
| government in the island, and, corse-
| quently, the money now in the strong
rooms of the custom house will be
Immediately moved to the bank. This
afternoon 100000 will be transfer
red.
At conference today between Gov
ernor General Brooke and a repre-
sentative of General Gomez the time
for the distribution of the $3,000,O0O
| to the Cuban soldiers was fixed to be-
gin May 10 and continue until May Is.
! The first payment will probably be
made at Mariana on Wednesday. The
soldiers will be paid in companies with
their commanders. Soldiers without
arms will receive pay also.
The continued absence of yellow
fever from this city astonishes even
the sanitary department. Resident ply
sicians believe steps taken since Amer
lean occupation have made it possible
that the disease may be checked for
a short time and look forward to a
summer of comparative immunity
from yellow fever. Medical practi-
TONERS, however, believe that some
cases will develop before June.