Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-11-24
REIGN of Terror i'm Havana.

Especial dispatch to the Alexandria Gazette
Havana, Nov. 24.-This city is in
the throes of general strike. Twenty
five thousand persons have quit work.
The trouble originated in the strike
with the cigarmakers. The chief of
police and the President of the Senate
have been killed in the fights with the
mob. The street cars have been
stopped and put in the barns. Two
conductors and three policemen are
among the killed. The foreign min
listers have met and formulated places
for their safety. The strike will doubt
less spread over the entire island. An
other Intervention is said to be prob
able. n.
Havana, Nov. 24.-The labor trou-
bles in Havana, caused by the strike Of
the tobacco workers and their sypa-
thizers, thirty thousand men in all,
reached climax this morning in wide
spread disorder and bloodshed. The
trouble today began with the stoning OF
street cars which were compelled to re-
turn to their barns. In several cases
Americans in the cars were dragged to
the street, though none was seriously
hurt. This action by the strikers, how
ever, had the effect of firing the more
turbulent spirit and soon lawlessness
broke out all over the city. 1t was not
long before shooting began. Shop
keepers were compelled to close their
stores and the streets in many places be-
came deserted because of the danger of
being hit by stray bullet. The police
were called out and frequent clashes be-
tween them and the mobs occurred. In
one Of these cases, Captain Maso, a
nephew of the first President OF
the old republic, was killed, as
well as three of the strikers.
When the disorder was at it, height in
the city a cry was raised by one
of the mob, calling on others to
follow to the palace. The mob divided
and portion quickly made its
way to President Palma's official
home. Here they were met by police,
and after hard struggle driven back.
Owing to the insults to Americans, U. S.
Minister Squiers called on President
Palma and asked what would be done to
protect American lives and interests.
The President replied that the disorder
would be stopped, even if it was found
necessary to kill the entire mob 10 ac-
complish this end. This afternoon
President Palma sent message to the
Senate to the effect that it would be i'm
possible to continue the government with
the present Cabinet.
Up to one o'clock this afternoon, in
addition to Captain Maso and the three
strikers killed, another Captain, one
Lieutenant two private policemen, and
two strikers have been killed. All the
city has not been heard from, and it is
possible that other fatalities have oc-
Cured. The United States artillery
here is being kept at the barracks in
readiness for an emergency. The main
efforts Of the strikers seems to be to vent
their spleen on the American residents
as all over the city the cry "down with
the Americans" can be heard. Minister
Squiers is relying upon the government's
ability to handle the rioters, and has not
taken any official action as yet. 1t wfs
rumored this afternoon that the anti
annexation element Fsresl .onsible for the
disturbances and that they are using the
strike merely as an incident to further
their purposes. Minister Squiers says
he does not believe that such is the case,
but the rumor is persistently circulated.
The shipping of the city is completely
paralyzed