Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-02-06
Rev. F. c. Mcconnell,
Back From Cuban Trip

Rev. F. c. Mcconnell. Mrs. Mcconnell
and Miss Belle Jennings, three of the par
ty that has lately visited Cuba, the COM
missioners of the Baptist Home Mission
board, have arrived from Jack
sonville, Judge George and Mrs Hillyer
having stopped at Tampa to spend the
day. DR.. Mcconnell declined to make any
public statemen. about the results of the
commission from the board, stating that
Judge Hillyer's report will contain all the
facts and will be made in due time upon
his return. DR.. Mcconnell says he regrets
that anything should have appeared In
the public press of a sensational character
respecting the visit of the members to
their missions in Cuba.
There is nothing connected with our
missians of a serious character at all, nor
anything more than is common to work
of this character everywhere" said DR..
Mcconnell. cit was the duty of the cor
responding secretary of the home mission
board to visit the missions in due course
of events, and this visit has proven highly
gratifying.
The island of Cuba is, in many re-
spects, in such a condition as our own
country was found two or three years
after the war between the states. The
best people are quietly awaiting the for
nation of a good government. The poor
people are suffering for the actual neces-
stiles of life until commercial interests
are IG-eSLdDnSneO. adventures are pIOMA-
ing over the island.
"A little incident in connection with
our visit will show something of this lat
ter class. On our arrival in Havana the
party secured lodging, and were assigned
rooms on Saturday afternoon. Miss r.
Belle Jennings. of Lynchburg, Va, who
accompanied Mrs. Mcconnell and myself,
secured a room adjoining ours, and plac-
ing her trunk and grip in her own room
came into our room for a chat. In a little
while voices were heard in Miss jennings
room. 1t was found to be a Cuban police
man interrogating an adventurer, who
had been caught in the act of opening
Miss Jennings baggage
1.-THE thief was arrested and we were
Informed by a gentleman who could
speak English, that Miss Jennings must
go to the police court to testify that this
man had undertaken to rob her baggage.
My wife and 1 accompanied her. After
threading for half dozen squares those
narrow and thiclxly thronged streets. we
were brought up in a small. though very
we'll kept room, where two Cuban officers
presided.
after much Spanish talk back and
forth we were informed by an interpreter
that that court had no Jurisdiction, and
they must go to another. Taking cabs the
party again began their journey through
the streets, arriving at last at another
court of a similar character and witness
ing again the same digniied but unintelli-
gible colloquy between the officers outside
and bar and the officer inside the railing.
1T was now 10 o'clock Saturday night,
the first day of our arrival in Havana,
and we were beginning a court trial in
strange city and in an unknown tongue.
The prisoner made a statement. At the
conclusion of his speech the Cuban OFF,
Ger before whom the trial was being con-
Quoted, came over to a desk near where
was standing, to take from the desk
some kind of papers, and in low voice
said in plain English: DO you not wish
you were back in Virginia?' He evidently
supposed the whole party was from Vir-
ginia. Receiving a summons to appear at
court at 10 o'clock on Monday morning,
the party repaired to rest and dreams Of
Cuban life.
ION Monday morning the court inform
ed us that we would not be further needed
in the prosecution of this man, as he had
appealed for jury trial, and the deposit
ton of Miss Jennings which had already
been made would be sufficient testimony.
One can imagine the relief that this bit of
news must have given, as Miss Jennings
had been informed on Saturday night that
her detention and presence in Havana
might be necessary for three months to
come in disposing of the prisoner at the
bar. Afterwards It was learned that this
thief was "a rathDr noted one, speaking
several languagGB fiuently, English being
one of theuI."