The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-04-05
BRIBERY AND FRAUD.
They Rule Cuban Courts, but Gov. Gen.
Rrooke Proposes 70 Work Change
--Rogua GeneraIs-Gomez, Letter.

Rrooke Proposes 10 Work n Change
Bogus Generals-GOmez' Letter.
Havana, April 3.--To-day, as under
the Spanish regime, bribery and fraud
direct the Cuban courts. This is the
firm conviction of the military admin
istration. Gen. Brooke intends to clean
out the corruption, to revise the judic-
ial procedure, to change the court per-
sonnel and to abolish the barbarous
practice of incommunicado by which
a Judge may imprison for life person
ignorant of the accusation against MIN
and of the names of his accusers. 1t
is true that the statutes allow only
three days detention incommunicado,
but the Judge, under the practice that
has grown up, may make new COM
mitment at the expiration of the third
day, another at the expiration of the
sixth and so on without limit. More
than this, the evidence in criminal
causes Is taken by clerks, who for a
consideration write into the testimony
things never uttered, thus often maxi
ing the best friends of the accused ap-
pear to condemn him.
Maximo Gomez, in letter to his wife
in San Domingo reviews his differences
with the military assembly. He be-
gins by describing the situation as it
was when Robert P. Porter, as the rep
resentative of President Mckinley, Wis
tied Cuba after the assembly's repre-
sentatives at Washington had obtained
a promise of S3,OOO,OOO from the presi-
dent. The writer says:
"This action on the part of the as
sembly's committee l approved. 1t
was then that Mr.. Porter asked me as
commander-in-chief to decide to ac-
cept the $3,000,000, to aid in its distri-
button and in the disarming of the
army and to proceed to Havana to as
sist the United States military COVER
nor. I agreed and on arriving at Ha-
vana / conferred with Gen. Brooke con-
cerning the payment and the disarma.
ment.
1.-THE assembly then called upon me to
visit it's president, saying the object
sought was an unofficial exchange oi
ideas. But it placed me upon the
bench Of the accused, my crime being
that was inclined to accept the 49,.
100000 which the assembly itself
through its representatives. had in
duced President Mckinley to promise
a matter as to which / had not been
consulted 1t appeared that I had
broken off negotiations for 10000, 900
To all this replied that l had acted
in the best faith, but that nothing had
been lost, as I would withdraw the ac
! ceptance I had given. They then re
quested me to array myself on theii
side in order to give strength to theil
resolutions. I said l had no hope o.
obtaining more than $3,OO0.oOO from
the United States and disapproved ask
ing charity.
"The conference ended without ac
complishing anything. A few days
later three men whom did not know
visited me and said several millionaire
stood ready to loan many millions
but that the mater was possible Onl!
with my cooperation. j answered
that I could not consider any PROPOSE
tion of the kind and regarded it al
strange that any one wound be ready Il
lend money without a guaranty. NJ
visitors replied that the city council
could arrange guaranty. Then ;
committee of the assembly approached
me, asking me to support the assem-
bly's efforts to obtain loan. To thi
l replied that Cuba could not make
! loan, as she lacked the necessary au
thority. The next day the assembl,
deposed me-"
Reguiled by mysterious telegram
from Washington, the military assem-
bly, did not dissolve on Saturday a
the Americans and many Cubans ha,
expected. The 90 members presen
were unwilling to vote for this so1u
tion because they still believe in tn
ability of the assembly to raise larg
loan with the help Of the United State
government.
Sanguilly favored paying many Gu
ban generals who never saw day
fightin; declaring that among the civil
ian members of the Cuban party ther
were the most devoted men he eve
knew. The motion was carried. ]
means the admission to payment, aC
cording to conceded military grades, q
many men who have not been recol
nized before, if the day for the pay
ment of officers ever comes.
Washington, April 3.-Villalon an
Hevia, the representatives of the CT
ban assembly who came here in an e
fort to secure more funds to be di'
tributed TO the Cuban army when dii
banded, left Washington on Shturda
for the south, presumably en- route t
Havana. They expressed themselve
as disappointed with the result Of the