The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-04
AMOUNTS TO
S3O,OOO,OOO
Long List of Indemnity Claims
Against Spain.
Individual Items Run as High
as 81, 100000.
l SNAP FOR LAWYERS.
They Prosecute on a Basis Of
331S Per Cent.
Claims Committee VIII Organize
Next Week.

New York, April "A special to tha
Tribune from Washington says.
The organization Of the Spanish war
claims commission, which will be effect
ed next week, with ex-senator Chandler
as president, is drawing fresh attention
to these Cuban claims The total
amount Of damages asked now foots up
$S0,000,000, and though six months is al
lowed for filing claims after the COM
mission organizes it is not probable that
the list will be greatly extended. Nearly
all the pending claims have been taken
UP by lawyers as contingent ones. the
usual fee stipulation being 80 1-3 per
cent OF the amount allowed One firm
which has a large international busi-
ness has filed claims for various clients
to the aggregate amount OF 50. 600. 900. A
Washington lawyer who was attached
to the military government for a brief
period represents claims amounting to
$500. .0Oo
There are a number Of claims of
Cuban-Americans which were taken up
by the state department and pressed
on the Spanish government for repara-
ton for injuries inflicted OF for impris~
onment- In two or three cases Of this
kind the Spanish authorities had agreed
to make conpenSa tiOn for the injuries.
Among these is that Of Mrs. Ruiz, tho
widow of DR. Ricardo Ruiz, who II was
charged was killed in Jail near Havana
in the last days of President Cleveland's
administration. Mrs. Ruiz filed q claim
for $75 900 damages, and since the death
of her husband has been living in
Washington in poverty. II is part Of
the unWritten history Of the Spanish
American war that the Spanish govern
ment had agreed to pay this claim.
when the explosion Of the Maine ended
all possibility Of a peaceful settlement
of the Cuban question
Among the claimants for property
losses there are q Few Spaniards who
may get some compensation because
they managed to have their plantations
placed in American hands OF had formed
American partnerships There are also
a few Cuban planters whose estates
were so heavily mOrtgaged that they
were glad to let them pass into AmeI1-
can OWNERSHIP. Some subjects Of I1urO-
pean powers also managed to acquire
American citizenship just as good
many Cubans acquired ii. one OF this
class of naturalized Europeans mas a
claim for nearly 100000 for damages
done to his plantation.
A glance at the list Of claimants shows
that about three-fourths Of them are
Cuban and Spanish names. one heavy
claim is made by a Cuban planter, VINO
was a leading spirit in the insurrecuon
and whose plantation was for time the
headquarters of MaceO. He was in Ha-
Vana all through the insurrection, and
while the Spanish authorities suspected
him of completely in it they. never were
able to catch him, and his American
citizenship protected him from arrest on
mere suspicion. Another claimant is an
American citizen who represented a
number of manufacturing concerns IL
the United States and who had lived in
Cuba for thirty OF forty years. He asks
about $500 900 for damages suffered
through the interruption of his busi-
ness.
Several of the bona fde American
claimants may be embarrassed by their
action In the insurrection- AS rule, the
genuine American citizens who had
property interests in Cuba, though they
despised the Spanish government, had no
sympathy with the insurgents. DuDuY
de LONE when he was the Spanish min
lister, enlisted this class to show that
there was no real insurrection and that
the island was pacified. They wrote let
ters declaring that everything was mov-
ing smoothly and that there was no in
terruption Of work on the plantations.
One Of the most prominent Of this class
made frequent visits to Washington tor
personal conferences with congressman
and officials. He would cite his own
plantation as evidence of the perfect
protection which was afforded BY the
Spanish authorities and in contravention
of the stories Of the damages which the
insurgents were able to infiict- NotWlth-
standing these assurances, this Ameri-
can planter has put in a heavy bill for
losses to his property in the insurrecton.
AS many Of his letters are said to be on
file, it may be awkward for him when
the lawyers come to present his claim
before the commission