The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-18
ONE OF DURBIN'S MEN DEAD
HENRY DEXTER, OF THE 161sT INDI-
ANA, A VICTIM OF SMALLPOX.
Whole Regiment to Be Revaccinated
Private Buckley Convicted of Kill
ing u Brother LOuisianian.

HAVANA, Jan 17.-Some idea of the con-
ditions here in Havana and of the real mag
nitude of the work before the military adj
ministraton can be gathered from letter
sent recently by Major General Ludlow,
military governor of the Department of Ha-
vana, to the late mayor, Marquis d'Esteban,
in reply to a letter complaining that GER
tain United States staff officers had been
operating in the mayoralty sphere without
consulting him. After an expression of re-
greet that the marquis had been invonven-
fenced in any way and an assurance that,
whatever had been done, no discourtesy
was intended, General Ludlow says:
You must admit, however, that the city
of Havana is in a deplorable condition. The
Spaniards have left it bankrupt, unable to
pay it's employees who have lacked their
salaries for many months. The prisons.
asylums and homes for the destitute arc
without supplies, food or medicine. The
sanitary condition is frightful Almost in
conceivable abuses exist which are a con-
tinuing menace to the health of the city.
1.-The Spaniards have left Havana with
| scarcely an attribute of modern civiliza-
| ton and practically in the sanitary condi-
| ton of d city two centuries ago. For the
| time being Havana, as we'll as the island, is
| in helpless and destitute condition. The
| United States is Professionally in charge of
| the administration Of affairs, military and
civil. The American government has ex-
pended large sums Of money for the regen-
Grafton Of the island and is ready to speno
more. The money which at this very mo-
ment is being used to maintain the chart
table institutions Of the city is money al
lotted by the United States as a free gift
for this purpose. We have given food ra-
lions by the million and employment to
| thousands who needed it.
The retiring Spanish authorities have
pillaged almost every public building Ces-
tined for use, stripping all of everything of
value with few exceptions, and leaving
behind only the accumulated filth Of genera
| tions. Within three months will come the
wet season, with deplorable possibilities as
to the outbreak of epidemics, particularly
| yellow fever, from which Havana suffers
the year round owing to the gross neglect
of all sanitary precautions.
PROMPT ACTION NEEDED.
''In these circumstances, faced by the
! gravest emergency, with immediate meas
| ures of relief necessary in every direction,
with all public institutions to be reorgan-
| lied and re-equipped, with the streets to
| clean and pave, the sewers to be built, UNI
| told denominations by the thousand to be
| obliterated and the common people to be
| educated in the elementary principles of
modern civilized life, it is simply impossible
at this moment for the United States mill
| tary authorities, in every step they take, to
| go through the tedious processes imposed by
| Spanish methods upon local administration"
| In concluding his letter General Ludlow
| invited the marquis to join him in measures
-
| tons under which Havana suffers.
The trial of Private Joseph Buckley Com
| pany E, Second Louisiana Volunteers for
the killing of Private John D. Hughes, of
| the same company, on Jan. Z, was con-
| cluded to-day at Mariana. 1t is understood
| that the finding Of the court is for the
| death of the accused, but the verdict will
| not be announced until it has been re-
| viewed in the usual way. In answering
| Buckeyes plea of insanity the prosecution
| brought forward officers of the regiment and
| Buckeyes comrades who testified that his
| behavior prior to the killing had shown no
signs that he was mentally unbalanced
OF the four hundred policemen who have
| been Professionally accepted for service in
| Havana, in the reconstructed force no fewer
| than one hundred, it is said, are Spaniards
| Chief of Police Menocal has decided to APP
| point his three brothers as inspectors at
| salary of $40 a month.
Mayor La Costa has issued a general order
to all physicians in Havana to notify the
authorities of cases of yellow fever or other
| contagious disorders coming under their at
tention
A deputation of shoremasters called to-
day upon the mayor to ask him to pay
something like sixteen months arrears of
salary He talxan he orOnoSaJ ,,pdar
consideration.
La Lucia advises the municipal council
to change the name of Cuba street to Lee
street. The statues of Spanish monarchs will
probably be removed from the public
squares, except the statue of Carlos H. who
was friend of Cuba.
A SUPREME COURT
General Brooke. in a day or two, will
create a Supreme Court for the Island of
Cuba. 1t will consist of a chief justice and
six associate judges 1t will be a court of
last appeal for the consideration of cases
which formerly went to Madrid for deci-
sion.
boycott war is raging among the Ha-
vana newspapers. The Cuban journals are
trying to GUST the former organs of Spanish
opinion. For this purpose they get meet
ngs called to denounce their rivals. The
affair is not of much consequence, except to
| the newspapers concerned in it.
Major General Ludlow has ordered the
patrols 10 arrest drivers who are cruel to
their animals. Those guilty of such of
lenses will be put to work in cleaning the
streets.
An attempt was recently made to bring in
hundred pistols for sale. Collector Bliss
referred the matter to Governor General
Brooke, who refused admission, on the