The evening times., 1899-10-26
HOW CUBANS were PAID
Mr. NioIland Describes the Distri-
button of American Bounty.
Few Obtained Money When It Was
Nof Due Them-DociIe Character of
Those Who Were Disappointed.
Little Trouble Expcrfenced-An-
nexation PopuIGE I'm the Island.

Ell. Violland. who is in the Pay De-
partment of the army, has returned to this
country from Cuba on a short furlough.
Before leaving Cuba he was engaged in as
sisting Major H. NJ. Lord, in charge of the
Cuban fund, in distributing the 100000
appropriated by Congress to the Cuban
army
MIR. VioIland stated that he found a great
many men not on the rolls originally fur
nished for the paymaster's guidance who
had really been bona fde soldiers in the
Cuban service, and, on the other hand, a
large number of those on the lists could
not be found. The excess of the latter ac-
counts for the return Of the s452, 900 turn
ed into the Treasury at the end of the tour
through the various provinces.
The list of Cuban soldiers was prepared
in the Office OF Governor General Brooke
from lists furnished by Cuban officers. A
number of cases OF attempted fraud was
detected but Mr. Niolland believes that
very small number of men who were not
entitled TO il succeeded in securing the
SIS allowed each. They had all been pro-
rided with certificates and these were col
lected as fast as the money was paid out
'tOur method" said Mr.. Fioliand today
was to go from town 10 town, where our
coming had been advertised some time be-
fore We found there large bodies OF Gu
bans and paid to the ones certified the
amount due them.
Many were turned away penniless; and
this leads me to say that they exhibited
characters OF docility and fairmindedness
that would do credit 10 more advanced peo-
pies. 1t is not likely that body OF men
in this country would come To a paymaster
fully expecting to receive money and go
away disappointed without making some
demonstration against him.
The Cubans blamed their generals who
were of course, at fault If they were
omitted unjustly from the list and not
the Americans. This is more to their cred
il from the fact that a large percentage Of
the soldiers are so densely ignorant that
they dc not know their own commands /
even spoke 10 some who could not tell the
names of their parents and consequently
did not know their own.
I'm The latter part Of August. at one
place, the crowd kept pushing in upon our
guards until the soldiers were compelled
TO fcrce them back, Some missiles were
thrown and someone in the crowd wounded
a soldier in the arm with a shot. That
called worth voiiey from the guard which
killed two and wounded thirteen. The
crowd, Of course. fed. But that was not
the usual temperament of the crowds that
gathered about US.
Mr.. Niolland stated that the better class
OF Cubans are anxious for annexation,
while the lower orders want 10 govern
themselves. But what government Cuba
would have if she attempted il herself!
The Spaniards are most desirous of con-
tinued American control. All the business,
10 speak of. is conducted by the Spaniards
and they know their only safety lies in
American control. They would get into
trouble the day the Americans gave up ju-
risdiction in the island
Mr.. Ntolland expects TO remain here a
few days when he will return to his work
in Cuba