Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-01-07
TURN OVER GUNS
TO THE AMERICANS
Spanish Authorities at Havana
Surrender All Cannon and
Ammunition.
EXCITEMENT AMONG THE CUBANS
General Brooke's Order Barring the
I%nsurgent Army From Evacua-
tion Day Ceremonies May
Cause Trouble.

Havana, Dec. 30.-Four 6-inch and
two l2-inch Krupp guns, four 2i-centi'
meter s-ipch Odontz guns and four
rapid firing Observation-Disclosures COM
prise the extent of SPANS offensive
armament in the batteries across the
harbor opposite Havana. These were
delivered over to an American officer
yesterday afternoon with obsolete
arms of various patterns and all the
ammunition remaining. The deliv-
cry was made under formal protest,
Spain reserving its right TO claim
whatever may be in it's possession.
MORO castle and Cabanas fortress
will be retained until January !, but
their subsidiary batteries along the
coast will be handed over on Friday
probably.
Lieutenant Colonel II. Birnie OF the
United States ordnance department,
had been detailed by General Lee TO
take charge of the heavy ordnance AMI
ammunition in the batteries along the
Cabanas ridge and TO check the inven-
tory supplied by the Spanish authori-
ties. In Santiago were found 1,770
muzzle-loaders with a pile of old am
munition. Battery No. /, which was
only half completed, had four 6-inch
Krupp and two Observation-Disclosures,
with twenty-five rounds of ammuni-
ton for each and some shells, not
loaded; battery No. 2 had two 12-inch
Krupp, four 2I-centimeter Odontz and
Conn hnyt,,- NJ r1a M a11tC with fxynn.
ty-five rounds each. Two magazines
at Santa Barbara and St. Elmo were
found empty. BRINE took possession
of these effects and a company of en-
gineers under Lieutenant Carbonell
will occupy the batteries and maya
zines tomorrow. The Nelasco Sol and
Bastora Baja auxiliary batteries will
be occupied today, and Cabanas will
be entered by the American troops on
Friday.
Cabanas is almost completely eyacu-
ated save for q small detachment Of
artillery to work the guns for salut-
ing January / and a guard from the
Leon battalion. Some anxiety is felt
regarding the success of the salutes
from MORO and Cabanas fired from
old eighteenth century muzzle-load-
ers.
About 1000 Spanish soldiers left the
city for Guaragjay yesterday.
Colonel Sayburn raised the Ameri-
can flag yesterday over the municipal
building at Mariel in the presence OF
a number Of notable persons and peo-
pie Of the town. lie made a speech in
which he said:
"In this solemn act you must not
see any meaning except p%aternal love
and protection, never dominion"
The colonel caused 500 rations TO be
distributed to the poor, and-the event
was celebrated by n ball at night.
The colonel goes to Bahia Honda
from Mariel in order 10 distribute ra-
tons.
Cubans Arc Excited.
Chicago, Dec. GA special to the
Tribune from Havana says:
Cuban residents of Havana declare
that if General Brooke does not re-
scind his. order declaring representa-
tives of the Cuban insurgent army
from being present at the evacuation
day emo on New Years day,
they will close their houses on that
occasion, tear down their flags and
decorations and remain indoors. Tho
Cuban peace commission, after II
stormy interview with General Brooke,
last night telegraphed General Gomez
not to come TO Havana as he intended,
as no courtesy could toe shown him.
"The Cubans are greatly excited.
Last night they stood on every corner
of the city discussing the situation in
n half frenZied manner I'VE ave not
fought for q change of masters. We
have fought for liberty and not for n
new ownership declared Juan Fred
erico Centellas, one of the most prom
inent Cubans in Havana. They shall
not lay down their arms until we find
out whether we are TO be slaves or
free"
Two nights ago General Ludlow no.
tilted the commission that General
Gomez and other prominent Cuban
leaders could be present at the cere-
monies and that the Cuban army
might enter Havana. Last night Cen
cral Brooke told the commission that
the Cuban army is not to be recog-
nized and is to have no part in the
demonstrations of January /. This
action at once caused the Cubans to
declare that they would stay
in their houses and the day of %reioic.
J ing over the raising Of the stars and
stripes would be turned into q day Of
gloom and that the city should have
the appearance of a town in mourn
ing.
Americans in Havana are much
alarmed at the increased mortality in
the city. The civil register last night
shows that three persons yesterday
died of Asiatic cholera and four of ma
larial fever. The day before four
deaths were reported Of yellow fever
and eleven of malarial fever out of a
total death roll of fifty-seven. Small
pox is on the increase. Three or four
deaths are reported every day. Yellow
fever cases are increasing.
Americans expect by hurried SAM.
tary work TO improve conditions rap
idly after January l.. The thing that
alarms or at least disgusts the Amer
leans more than any other disease that
fourishes here is leprosy.