The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-20

Conflict Occurs Between the Natives and
The Officials.
BETWEEN THIRTY AND FIFTY WOUNDED
Cubnn Ofnccr started the Array--po-
Iicemcn Were Fired On from
the Tops Of Houses.

Havana. March IA serious conflict
between the police and people OF Havana
last night resulted In much shooting and
clubbing. From thirty 10 fifty people were
wounded; some seriously. Among the In
iured Is Police Captain Estampes, formerly
colonel In the Cuban army
Ever since the police interference about
week ago with the demonstration ~
honor OF General Gomez. the police have
been unpopular with the populace, who
jeer al them and declare them inefficient.
Certain newspapers let no opportunity es-
| cape to critIoiso the force, dcuouncing the
arrests as unfair and charging the police
with "trampling upon the rights OF Tree
people" The police are virtually IN the
| position OF men who have to make tho PEG.
I pie fear them In order to secure obediencs.
ae ihoy have no record to TALL back on Tor
example.
! l.au nights trouble occurred at public
mulotecr bali In San Jose eircc,, an uu-
savory quarter. Cuban uiacor attended
| the afleir 4 policeman Oh duty IN tho
street followed crders TO prevent a crowd
collecting IN front OF the building where
the ball was In progress, asked q group OF
men TO 30 in or dispcrse, tiis request was
unhceded and after repeating It he was at
tackled by the group, whereupon many men
issued from the building. set upon him,
took away his club aud revolver and han
died him roughly.
! The policeman Immediately notified
! headquarters. who ordered twenty re-
serves t0 The scene OF the trouble. Tue
crowd had prepared for their aiival. IL
! Is said they opened with u revolver hre
! upon the police, which the latter returned,
/ the shooting being Kept Up until the am-
munition was exhausted The opponents
OF the police acted with determination in
the affalr. Many who were In the build
ing mounted the roof, which Is oompara-
lively low, and Ared upon the police from
the top. They we're apparently well armed,
kand this fact, together with the resolu-
I ton with which they fought seems to con-
firm the belief that the attacking party
was mostly made up of Cuban officers, aa
ordinary civilians would have lied from The
ieyolyers OF the police
Many women We're injured. 4 report "a
In circulation this evening that two OF
the injured civilians have suocumbed 10
NhNAi NhRluos .NLLlpilk lNpNt pGIltlNlN NNIA
are Policeman Donate Aristo, Enrique
Munoz and Benigue Vasquez and Civilians
Jose Dominique Etouo Couliano Lamer-
90 Eta and Irene Roqua
Public opinion respecting tho police 10
coniicting Some sustain them and others
charge them with interfering with the
rights Of the people As the facts bocom0
known, however opinion IS increasing IN
favor OF the force.
u Is reported 90 good authority That
many were wounded who withdrew hast lly
because unwilling TO have It known they
were present
American troops were called 10 the seen,
when the trouble was over. aud numeron,
arrests followed. =
Police Captain Bstampre, who ia ycl'
known In Cuban military circles ia ~
badly injured that fears are entertained
that he Will not recover.
Police Inspector Raoul Areuce WIZ
came into notes on the DAY OF the Come,
demonstration because OF his attempts h
break up the procession and who suhse
ouentlN challenged General Rodriguez
ehiet OF stan OF General Gomez for hav,
iug accused HIM OF clubbing woman 4
credited with bravery and cooluess IN hi
Efforts 20 restore order
Numerous permits have been issued To-
similar balls this evening, including on
for an AFFAIR a, the same house, and Il q
feared thar there may be further trouble
Thnse who ought 10 know say that the,
are really against the law and that tn
permits shnuld he revoked
shortly before Q o'clock " was reporter
that another conflict between the pollc
had taken place this evening In the out
ekirts Of Havana. and that two policemen
and several civilians all wounded, wcr
conducted to police headquarters, II
asserted also that two policemen wer
killed and that the reserves had bee
, called out There is also rumor that
policeman had hon stabbed to death thi
eNenins.