The times., 1899-04-21
oUTLAWRY IN CUBA.
Many Gutrnges Committed by Noun
tain Handfts.

tain HnnNffS.
Philadelphia, Pa, April 20-"when I
| left Santiago the mountain bandits were
| apparently in full swing. robbing right and
| left on the roads that lead to the city, and
even resorting to murder" said Charles
E. Ker, son OF ex-Assistant District At
torney W. W. Ker, who returned yesterday
from Cuba, after seven-months' visit on
business interests But their reign of
terror will be shortlived,'' he continued,
| because, as / was informed just before ]
| left by General Wood, the Tenth (coioredl
Cavalry, the heroes of San Juan Hill, are
TO be sent to the province to scOur the
mountains and either capture or Kill the
outlaws. who live mostly in caves or iso-
lated huts that are difficult to find.
These bandits are mostly all men who
belonged to the Cuban army. Joining it,
however, for nefarious purposes whenever
possible, such as they are at present EN-
gagged In. They have, since the close OF
the war, been levying tribute upon the
owners OF plantations, whose property
| they threaten with the torch unless they
are paid to keep away. Not satisaci with
| this. however. they roam around the out
lying country, sometimes less than Eve
miles from the clry OF Santiago, and rob
all whom they meet. They are armed to
4
! machete. and are, 1. seems. nver caught.
only few weeks ago five Americans
| were murdered by them. or this number
Two were teamsters who had left Santiago
| Tor San Luis. almost thirty miles distant,
| with wagons loaded with groceries, pro-
visions, dry goods, and household utensils.
| Ihe Two Americans gave the bandits hard
| fight, but, being surrounded on all sides,
| they were soon cut to pieces. The wagons
| were plundered, were then turned upside
| down, and the bodies of the victims we're
placed on the vehicles in such positions
that they could be discovered by any pass
| er-by.
| This occurred about half way between
santiago and San Luis, and the news OF
the crime caused the greatest indignation
| on the part OF General Wood and his Off
| GERS when it reached the former city. In
! TACT. 1t was this outrage that brought about
| the determination to ask for the services
| or the Tenth Cavalry. Up to the time of
my departure no troops had been sent after
the outlaws. but now they will be follow
| ed from place TO place until all of them are
| driven away
| To illustrate how desperate the robbers
| are / will tell you of a recent incident
| After General Wood became military gov
| ernor of the province OF Santiago Colonel
Nalentie, brave man under most cir
I! cumstances, and warm personal friend
| of Colonel Garcia, son of the late Gen.
| Calixto Garcia, was appointed chief of the
| rural police. He made the only attempt
| that has really been made to hunt down
| with a posse one of the numerous bands
| He and his men (he had only six with
HIM were, however led into a trap, and
| after a struggle were taken prisoners
| Those under him were disarmed and sent
| adrift, but he was held for a day or two
| when it was finally proposed to hang him.
The rope was around his neck. and he
| thought il was all over with him, when
| the leader of the gang of outlaws changed
| his purpose and said that he would be lib
| Grated If he would swear to return to San
| tiago and at once resign his position. VAL
| entie took the required oath, was released
and when he arrived at Santiago gave up
his place, declaring that he had had
enough of hunting bandits. One notice
able point with regard to these criminals
| is that there are few white men among
| them. They are nearly all blacks who have
never cared to work, and who are as much
feared and detested by Cuban negroes in
general as by the other Cubans and the
Spanlards.
.'As to the conditions existing within
| Santiago it may be said that business Is
steadily growing and the work of improve
ment makes steady progress. The asphalt
| ing of the streets is a big change for the
better. and the task is being pushed for
ward as rapidly as possible. The dredging
of the harbor, with its many feet of filth
and slime. is much more difficult job,
but every effort Is being exerted 10 make
| the port healthy. In a military way the
latest movement of General Wood is the
mounting of four companies of each regi-
ment of infantry under his command.
These forces will be scattered about the
province in the little towns to keep things
in order.
Before I came away the former Span
ish war vessel, the Mercedes, which was
sunk at the mouth of the harbor by two
shells from one of SchIey's ships entering
and exploding in her engine room durir G
Cervera's attempt to escape, had been sue
cessfully raised. 1t was found that before
she went down all of her furniture, the
guns and sabres that were in the racks.
and nearly every other movable article,
had been taken out of her"
Mr.. Ker Will return to Santiago in the
early part of June.