Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-05-03
A CUBAN CAMORRA,
Spanish Outlaws Set Free by Gen,
Blanc0.
The Last Piece Of T~reacnerous Hos
tiIity Perpetrated by the Span
iards Before Leaving the
Island.

As a final act of hostility to the
Americans, the Spaniards have, accord
ing to the Cuban junta in New York,
let loose the worst gang Of thieves in
Cuba.
They are expected, in gratitude for
their { ,erance, to become a nor
and prey upon the people.
AS the day for the evacuation of the
island drew near il became evident that
| Blanco and his s~ubordinates, acting
under direct orders from the govern
ment at Madrid, were planning a final
coup which, while it would not infringe
on the provisions of the treaty of peace,
would serve to embarass the United
States government at the outset of its
administration and lead to intermina-
Bile disorder in the island.
On the last day OF his administration
Gen. Blanco announced that las evil
dence of the love of Spain for the peo-
pie who had been taken from her he
had resolved to order a general release
of the 'Nanigos'"-that is, political
prisoners-from the prisons Of the
penal settlements Of Africa, whittier
they had been sent for crimes against
property and person.
"The Nanigos," says President r.
Estrada Palma. of the junta, "are part
ly Spanish thieves and murderers, who
were transported from Spain for
SPANS good, and partly the lowest
class of West Indian negroes. They are
not politicians - simply footpads.
thieves, mankillers and thugs. Per-
haps over the whole range of the easil
it would be difficult to find a worse or
more dangerous combination of Grim.
inals. Their presence is a constant
menace to good order"
The effect of the release of the Mani.
gos may be compared to that which
would follow a general depcpulation OF
Sing Sing. One might jus; as well open
the doors of the state prison and turn
the criminals loose TO work their own
sweet will upon the surrounding town.
The number of the Nanigos is va.
riously estimated at from 1900 TO 1000
As a band it was perfectly organized
Each man joining the organization is
requested to swear upon the cross thai
he will not betray The secrets of the
combination and to submit himseli
willingly to the order of the "head
center" just who the head center is
no n in Havana, beyond Gen. Blancc
and his aids, has ever known. The
popular impression that he might be
found in the person of Juan Martez, q
thug, who had barely escaped execu.
ton for murder in Madrid, may per.
haps be near the truth. And in Mar.
tez' usefulness in doing spy work
among the Cubans during the war is
found the secret of the inability of the
local Spanish government to find him
The methods Of the Narigos do not
materially differ from those adopted
by the "gangs" that infest the river
front Of the streets of the extreme east
side in this city. Their operations are
conducted on a large scale. Burning
farmhouses, ravishing women, break.
ing into houses and numbering the in.
habitants, waylaying and robbing meu
and in the streets, kidnapping
young girls and holding them for ran.
SON are among their accomplishments
according TO the statement of the Gu.
ban junta.
The conception and execution OF
petty theft is left to the discretion OF
the individual. But in the more impor.
tant work of the organization the Mani.
gos act on orders from headquarters.
Four or five picked men, whose dar