The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-04-05
SPANISH WAR CLAIMS,
The Total Amount OF Damages Asked
Is Now SSO,OOO,0Oo.

Is Now SaVOOV,VVV,
NEW YORK, April "A special %
the Tribune from Washington says;
The organization OF the Spanish war
claims commission, which will be effect
ed next week with ex-senator Chand-
Ter as president is drawing fresh at
tention to the Cuban claims, The to-
tai amount of damages asked now foots
up SSO,0o0,0O0 and though six months
is allowed for filing claims after the
commission organizes, il is not prob
able that the list will be greatly eN-
tended, Nearly all the pending claims
have been taken up by lawyers as con-
tIngent ones. ;he usual fees stipulated
being ~ l-S per cent OF the amount al
lowed one firm which has Il large in
tcrnational business has filed claims for
various clients to the aggregate amount
" S5,OOOOO0. \ Washington lawyer who
was attached to the military govern
ment for a brief period represents
claims amounting 10 $SO9,OOO
There are a number OF claims VI
Cuban Americans which We're taken up
by the state department and pressed on
the Spanish government for reparltion
Tor injuries inflicted or FOR imprson-
ment. In two or three cases of this kind
the Spanish authorities had agreed to
make compensation for tn injuries
Among these is that OF Mrs. Ruiz the
widow Of DR. Ricardo Ruiz, who. II
was charged. was killed in Jail near Hl-
vana in the last days Of President
Cleveland's administration. Mrs, Ruiz
filed claim for $4,000 damages and
since the death Of her husband has been
living in Washington in poverty It is
part Of the unwcitten history of the
Spanish American war hat the Spanish
government had agreed to pay This
claim when the explosion OF the Maine
ended all possibility OF a peaceful set
tlement of the Cuban question.
Among the claimants FOR property
losses there are 4 few Spanlards who
may get some compensation because
they managed to have their plantations
placed in American hands or had form
ed American partnerships. There are
also a few Cuban planters whose es-
tates were so heavily nortgiged that
thev were glad 20 let them pass into
American ownership. Some subjects Of
European powers also managed to ac-
quire American citizenship lust as a
good man. Cubans acquired It. One "
these classes Of 1aturalized Europeans
has claim for nearly $l,OOO.OO0 FOR
damages done his plantation.
A glance al the list Of claimants shows
that about three-fourths Of them are
Cuban or Spanish names One heavy
claim Is made by Cuban planter who
was a leading spirit in the insurrec,ion
and whose plantation was for a time
the headquarters Of MaceO. He was in
Havana all through the insurrectton
and while the Spanish authorities sus-
pected him of completely in it they
never were able to catch him and his
American citizenship protected him from
arrest on mere suspicion. Another
claima It is an American citizen who
repres snted a number OF manufaCtur-
ing concerns in the United States and
who lived in Cuba for thirty or forty
years. He asks about 5000. 600 for dam
ages suffered through the interruption
Of hiS business.
Several of the bona fde American
claimants may be embarrassed By their
actioa in he ipsurrectlon, As a rule
'"e Senuin.te ~ American citizens who had
interests in Cuba, though they
daspised the Spanish government had
no sympathy with the insurgents. Du-
puy he Loma. when he was the Span
ish minister. enlisted this class to show
that there was no real insurrectlOn and
that the island was plcified. They
wrote Letters declaring that everything
was moving smoothly and that there
was no interruption Of work on the
One Of the most prominent
OF this class made frequent visits to
Washington for personal conferences
with congressman AMI officials. He
would cite his own plantation as evil
deRee Of the perfect protection which
was afforded by the Spanish authorities
and in contrav-ntiOn Of the s'orleS OF
tine damages which the insurgents wsre
able to inhict. Notwithstanding these
assurances, this American planter has
put in 4 heavy claim for losses to his
during the insurrecton, As
many Of his letters are said 10 be o.
file it may be awkwar5 ior him when
the lawyers come 20 present his claim
before the cor. t..nnIssion.
ANT CLERICAL DEMONSTRATION