The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-03
COAoUPT COURTS.
Gen. Brooke Intends to Clean Out Entire
System.

System.
Havana, April 2.-Today, as under
the Spanish regime, bribery and fraud
direct the Cuban courts This is the
firm conviction of the military admin
istration. Gov. Gen. Brooke is taking
the matter up and intends to clean out
the corruption. to revise the judicial
procedure, to change the court per-
sonnet and to abolish the barbarous
practice of incommunicado, by which
a Judge may imprison for life per
son ignorant of the accusation against
him and Of the names Of his accusefS.
1t is true that the statutes allow only
three days detention incommunicado;
but a 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 Grim
inal causes is taken by escribanoa or
clerks, who for consideration write
into the testimony things never ut
tered, thus often making the best
friends of the accused appear to con-
denim him Apparently the whole GRIM
inal and civil systems have been al
ranged so as to make 1t easy to buy
and sell justice.
Gen. Maxine Gomez, in a long letter
directed to his wife in Santo Domingo
reEews his differences with the So
called military assembly. He begins
by describing the situation as it was
when Robert p. Porter, as the specia
representative of President Mckinley
visited Cuba. after the assembly's rep
resentatives at Washington had OBJ
tni11pd n so mn tba
president.
The writer proceeding says: "Ths
action on the part of assembly's COM
mittee / approved. 1t was true that Mr..
Porter appeared and asked me as COM
mander-in-chief to decide to accept the
100000, to aid in its distribution and
in the dlsarming of the army and to
proceed forthwith to Havana to assist
the United States military governor
Gen. Brooke.
l agreed and on arriving at Havana,
l conferred with Gen. Brooke concern
ing the payment and the disarmament
1t was decided that Gen. Brooke should
request Washington to ship to Cuba
the $3,000,000 which had been obtained
by the representatives of the assem-
bly,
L saw to the adjustment of all the
questions that led up to a termination
began to entertain hopes Of an early
return to Santo Domingo.
The assembly then called upon me to
visit its president, saying that the OBJ
1ect sought was an unofficial exchange
Of ideas. But they placed me upon
the bench Of the accused. my crime be-
ing that / was inclined to accept the
900 which the assembly itself
through its representatives had in
dnpaH Dpagidnrf AF.Lyiv.fa,r ~
a matter as to which l had not been
consulted. 1t appeared that had bro
a matter as to which had
not been consulted. It appeared
that had broken off negotiations for
$13. 900, 900.
To all this I replied that I had act
ed in the best faith, but that nothing
had been lost, as / would Withdraw the
acceptance / had given. Then they re-
quested me to array himself on their
side, in order to give strength 10 their
resolutions, l answered that ] had al
ways done so, and would continue TO
do SO, except in cases where the course
Of the assembly was opposed to my
conscience to my sense Of justice, and
to my idea Of the best interests IF
Cuba
Regarding the matters under consid-
Grafton, L said I had no hope Of OBJ
the United States and disapproved ash
ing charity, contending that the only
method left was 70 raise a loan, for
which the assembly lacked adequate
authorization. Furthermore, l pointed
out that the soldiers could not walt
that already they were TOO great d
burden upon the people Of Cuba and
that longer delay appeared to me to be
cruel"
The conference ended without ac-
completing anything. ] saw / could
not make myself understood by the as
sembly and decided not TO be mixed up
in its doings, but to await develop
ments. A few days later three men
whom / did not know visited me and
said that several milliOnaires stood
ready to facilitate a loan OF many mil
lions, but that the matter was only pos
sible with my cooperation.
My visitors replied that the city
council could arrange a guarantee.
Then a committee Of the assembly ap-
preached me, asking me to support the
assembly's effort to secure a loan. To
this / replied that Cuba could not
make a loan as she lacked the n=ces-
sary authority. The next day the as
sembly deposed me. l consider that
] have acted honorably, and my strong
est desire now is 10 return home.