The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-18
CUBAN CATTLE STEALERS
TAMMANY METHODS IN A SELF
GOVERNMENT EXPERIMENT..
Cattle Stealing Has Long Iscan an In
dustry on the IsIand-Taken TO
Slaughter Houses
aIatanzas Letter.

Matanzas Letter.
What the gambling combine" was IN
New York under Tammany the cattle
thieving is in this province at the present
time. Not only Is the chief OF police in Jail,
but the mayor OF the capital Is being In
vestigated. and the civil governor Of the
province awakened the other night at .
o'clock 10 find a Gordon Of rural guards and
the military governors secret service men
around it. They came with a writ from
the bailih to search his Offices and TO bear
away his records. The principle Of home
rule, so sacred in New York Cat times), had
TO be violated TO bring these officers to ac-
count. no local police. no local magistrates,
would follow up the cattle thieves to their
public places, nor brave the power OF their
partners and protectors. the EngeIs. Sulli-
vans and Dadys. who run factionaI political
machines. and have to have money to run
them with and to pay themselves for their
civic services
II may disturb the American military
governor considerably to have this scandal
on his hands, for II gives his enemies in
the element which refused 70 take part In
the recent elections the opportunity to say:
See what sort OF men are in control Of the
cities! A band OF organized cattle-steal-
ers"' They declare that the American mil
itary governor is protecting the civil gov
ernor, who a member Of the consti-
tutlond convention and redOubtable gen
eral or the ragged revolutionists who while
tney were freeing cuba, doubtless con-
uaCted tree habits Of life in the bush I'D
10 date, after examination of the legal
records, an impartial person would not saw
mat be has yet protected anybody. Against
the midnight search OF his premises the
ClVu governor has virtuously protested,
but the secretary OF justice. who is of the
same politics. has decided that the method
was proper and the need plain.
PROTECTED INDUSTRY.
You should understand that for many
years cattle-stealing has been an industry
OF the interior. though not reported in the
census. N this province alone there were
before the courts-not mentioning the nu-
merous robberies that never got to the
couTts-2S4 cases in 1894, against 200 In
1901 The local courts declare that if there
Is an organized band Of cattle stealers in
the province its operations have been ac-
corQlng 10 the figures, somewhat interfereS
with, put the local courts do not take into
consideration the fact that where there
were in all Cuba 100000 cattle In 1894
there are now only about 500 900. The rails
ing or cattle used to rank with the raising
u sugar and tobacco az one of the great
sources OF wealth in Cuba. Some day again
the rich pastures will be put 10 the same
use. But war so devastated these pastures
Tor the purpose OF helping farmers to re-
stock their ranges I'm A measure and this
STOCK mas not had time TO multiply TO any
sJmcient extent
One OF the rumors you will hear in Ma
tanzas, which, of course cannot be veri-
hed Is that cows and bulls given by the
state 70 the small farmers in the vicinity
somehow found their way into the herds of
the civil Governor. Gen. p. +. Betancourt
he mas 200 head Of cattle, and one of the
explanations 10 be had as TO how the re-
cent thetts and frauds were carried on is
TINS: At night, when the palms are rasping
IN tue wind and nOiseless beetles are hying
ABOUT carrying their green electric lights
the merauders, sometimes calling them
selves bandits, go out into the pastures to
their work. There is no effective system
OF cowboys, as on Western plains but each
COW. or bull, or steer IS branded with a
mark that is in the registry book at the
94atanzaS slaughter house and in the one
mat was seized In the civil Governors pal
ace. When cattle are separated from
herd by the maurauders, they are driven TO
Tue ranch OF some accOmphce. Then the
'DfandS are blurred or altered and the cat
tie ieft 10 mingle with the rightful herd of
that ranch. Mixed with cattle OF the right
Tul herd, they are driven clandestinely to
The Official slaughter house. Afterwards
isome OF the rightful herd go back to the
plantation, but the stolen cattle are
isISughtered and shipped TO Havana. 1t is
alleged that the civil Governors herd has
often thus acted as "A blind 10 stolen herds.
POLICEMEN BLIND.
OF course, the police might observe the
blurred brands But they have not. The
Inspector Of the slaughter house might no.
tice them, but he has not done So Arrests
OF F1del FundOra and of Manuel Acosta
were made by the Rural Guards, who are
commanded from Havana, and are distinct
from the city police. Fundora was in Jail
before the war for cattle stealing, but es-
capped After the war he was found guilty
OF thefts and sentenced. The present
Of
citizens petitiOned General Wood, military
Governor OF the island TO remit the SEN
tence. bringing forward points in the pris
oner favor which the court that sentenced
MN was said not 10 have known Delay
lns about three months, General Wood
nndlly referred the petition TO General Bet
ancourt, civil Governor, who Endorsed the
peuuOn, and thereupOn Fundora was set at
liberty. II a few months came his arrest
by the Rural Guards for stealing cattle
from Dolores ranch. Local courts and
authorities put of his case; policemen,
slaugh ter- house men and employees of the
civil Governors Office visited him evenings
u his cell. Il was then that a special judge
from Havana was detailed to try these and
al other cattle cases.
Since the Judge came here the chief of
police, the manager and the inspector of
the slaughter house have been arrested.
end an investigation OF the mayors and
civil Governor s offices Instituted. which
so far il is publicly known has revealed
the fact that the mayor has disobeyed two
military orders one about inspecting the
one commanding him TO keep the permits
file in his office instead of in the saugh-
ter house. 1t Is suspected that another of
the petitioners for FundOTa's release last
year. a banker and city councilman, who
was an intimate friend OF Fundora was the
financial agent OF the cattle-thieving COM
bine, and, Of course, all the merchants and
politicians, well-to-dO men, who were so
eager for Fundoras former release, are
believed 10 have prOfted by his freedom
In addition a judge of a high court is dis
trusted and thought 70 have had more
than a political or friendly interest in the
bandit captain and his official accOmplces.
Evidence is hard 10 obtain, but there is a
general cogniZanee OF the facts and New
York's Tammany and the CamorTa OF Ma
pies would admit. IL they knew them, that
some Cubans have been quick and very
apt in learning how TO administer munich
pal government.