The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-28
AFFAIRS in CUBA.
American Officials Think They Have
Been Mlslreated.
REPORTS ARE TOO SWEEPING.
Claim that All the DignItaries Live Ex.
trayaeantIy Is Denied.
ARMY OFFICERS QUARTERS. PLAIN.
Collector Bliss Occupies Only q Single
Room al a Hotel.
my OFFICERS QUARTERS PLAIN.
POSTAL SYSTEM LEFT MANY lOOpRolls
Neei"s Had Littie Trouble In Getting
Away with Casb--Ap Expression
from General wood.

Havana, May 27American officials
here feel that they have been unjustly
treated by certain newspapers in the
United states which have published tho
sweeping statement that they all live
eStravaganiy. Army officers point out
that IL thcY have TO tive in cities their ex-
penses are much greater than when at
home Moreover, very few care TO risk tho
health Of their families by keeping them
IN Cuba duing the summer Thus two
establishments are necessary Az long as
their duties compel them TO live in a
tropical climate they feel that the United
States government. like other governments
under similar conditions, should pay eddi-
tonal stipende
SO far as the officers OF high rank are
concerned IL should be pointed out that
General Wood occupies only small por-
ton of the palace for residential purposes.
the rest OF the building being utilized not
only for the divisional offices. but also
for all The municipal offices. A number
Of the employees are kept at General
Woods expense-cleaner and helpers
generally--and he says that IL he did not
have some private resources to eke out
his pay and his allowances. It would be
next to impossible for him to live in the
palace at ALL
Collector Bliss lives quietly in a single
room at the Hotel TELEGRAPH, going to and
returning from his ofiice III a hired vehicle
OF the most ordinary description. Major
Ledd, chief quartermaster. lives at El
Yadado in house winch he shares With
three other families. General Lee lives
at headquarters at Quemados, where do
al his stan officers. who are unmarried.
General Wilson, governor OF Matanzas ana
Santa Clara. lives IN house for which he
pays small rental
Colonel Whiteside, at Santiago, Hives in
n little wooden bungalow formerly occu-i
pied by General Wood and leased from'
Mrs Ramsden, vile OF the former British
consul General Humphrey. Colonel Black.
Major Scott. Captain Pitcher and many
officers live In buildings used by the gov
eminent either as offices or police bar
racks.
General Wood. when asked today what
he thought OF sueh charges, replied that
no considered charges OF extravagauce in
departments. except the postal, unfound-
ed adding that he believed no other de-
pdlNtntnt AHn aH9NnlHE 70 lcui oH thn1
score and that all could endure the closest
investigation possible.
A postal official who has been here moFo
than a year says that when the Americans
first came there were no records or fur
niture and that consequently the service
had to be built up upon practically no
foundation at all
The loose methods OF former times have
boon carried on at some points, even to
the present day. One feature that en-
abled G. T.. w. Medley 10 divert funds In
a fashion exceedingly difficult 10 detect
was the custom OF many postmasters 10
pay cash for all stamps taken from the
department while there WAS no rule for
keeping books Of account,
AS a result the inspectors had no way
OF ascertainng how many stamps bad
been sold. Medley. in collusion with the
pcstmasters would tally with the latters
statements
This official believed that when all the
books and papers have been investigated.
the shortage will not amount to more than
500 600. It Is probable. however. that
$40 900 more has been taken which can
not be traced. His estimate Is conscanent-
~ mere surnliee.