The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-17
POLICE HAVE LOST PRESTIGE.
CALL ON AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO
AID IN MAKING ARRESTS,


Detective Crowley the only Ameri-
can Police OmcinI in Havana.
Chief MenOcnl Carries His ResIG@
nation in His Pocket-Au Rn-
tions Issued 10 Cubans Hereafter
VIII BE Charged Against the GUS
toms Receipts.
Havana, March l6.-An order was issued
to-day by the United States military au-
thorites to the effect that an rations dis
tributed to the Cuban poor, afler the sup
ply now on hand Is exhaused. shall ba
charged against the customs receipts oe
the province in which they are distributed.
Monthly acquisitions viii be made az
heretofore and the United States authorl-
ties VIII supply, buying in the Cuban mar
kets such articles as sugar and rice IL
they can be obtained 20 better advantages
here. The rest OF The ratons will be
bought in the United States
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee has returned hers
from Cienfuegos
Chief of Police MenocaI. owing TO the re-.
cent censures Of the force carries his res
ignation in his pocket He has tendereI
1t two or three times but on reconsideration
has withdrawn IL.
Created BAD Impression.
the new police force has, unfortunate.
ly created a bad impression. During tho
iasl few days the policemen have shown
timidity in handling people They appear
to be undetermined and undecided what tn
DO or how 10 do 1t. People have no re-
spect for them, and pay little attention to
their orders. which are not enforced
Besides this, the force has no past tradl-
lions, esprit de corps, or experience Since
McCullaghs departure the only Amert.
can police official here has been Detectiva
Crowley, and he is concerned with the de-
tectve bureau interests.
There are many amusing Incidents show
Ing lack Of respect for The force. and sew.
eral policemen have asked for a detail of
American soldiers TO help them arresE
lawbreakers saying our soldiers are ths
only men the lawbreakers viii obey.
It win take some time for the police to
regain the prestige they have lost.
They Condemn the Assembly.
Gen. Pedro Betancourt has arrived from
Matanzas and conferred with Gems. Pedro
Diaz, Jesus Monteaguedo Luis RObau,
Alberto Nodarse and Francisco Peraza,
who last night decided to act in con-
junction with him in condemnine the ac-
ton OF the military assembly.
Considerable interest attaches TO the at-
tltude they Will adopt with respect to
Gen. Gomez, because they command over
10000 Cuban soldiers. If they adhere tn
Gomez 1t is asserted that their action VIII
probably be the assemblys death blow.
The general feeling Is that they will sup
port him, but they would like to secure
the 9o-operation Of Gen. Mayla Rodriguez,
commanding general in the provinces of
Pinar del Rio, Matanzas, Havana and
Santa Clara. but this may prove difficult,
as he has already publicly expressed his
adherence to the assembly.
Might Cause Trouble.
Should Rodriguez continue 10 defend the
assembly's course, and should these gem
erals declare in favor of Gomez, trouble
might follow. They are corps commando
ers under him. but their united influences
Is considered stronger than his. This
meeting they had arranged for this aft
ernoon was postponed
The talk OF Gomez for president of the
Cuban republic Is increasing as a very
natural reaction against the censures
passed upon him by the military assem-
bly,.