The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-18
KILLING IN CUBA.
THE SHOOTING or TILLUENDAS
iR1J SEE CIENFCEGOS.

Kew VI ~ Y NRhfNN w VCNN lUCrG
That There Was n Plot to Kin Him.
HAVANA. Oct. l3--While the general cause
NJ the recent outbreak in Cuba was the
fraudulent manner in which the Presiden-
tisl elections we're carried on, the special
cause in the CIcnfuegosd district is the violent
death Of Congressman Enrique Villuendss,
xbo was killed in the LULA Hotel on Sep
tsmber ,? of last year, and the personal des-
potism exercised in that diAtrict by one or
TWO men Of the Government party.
Probably in no town in Cuba have the
people been worked up to such a pitch Of
mutual hatred and jealousy. The small
group Of so-called Moderates who have
divided the city spoils equal IL they can
not outvie the Liberal majority in the in
.,psity of their hatreds. Nearly everybody
in Cienfuegos has beer in a passion since
Viuuendas was killed, both those who
profted by the murder and those who
suffered directly or indirectly by il. Prob
ably the most that can he expected for some
time 10 come is that there will be no more
personal violence.
The political events which led up to the
murder Of villuendss may be briefly out
lined - follows. From the early days Of the
American llleI NPutIOll, WHcu htD. Jose
miguel Gomez was made Civil Governor
NJ Santa Clara Province, NJ elections worthy
os the nlme had been held. The ex-revolu-
tionarv leader. by virtue Of the influence
that his Office gave him, had been able to
control tho municipal elections in the
time or Zen. Wood and the election Of
Estrada Palma. first president of Cuba.
The combination made by himself and his
associates Of tho Republican party OF Santa
Tiara for the control of the provincial board
Of canvas-ers made all opposition by the
Yeso clement impossible. The accusa-
ton that 10000 voters had been enrolled
in . province where less than this number
Of votes existed and where a considerable
numberof d~isgruntled persons had refused
to put their names on the voting lists went
unhee1ed.
As long as Jose Miguel Gomez kept his
men together and did not aspire to become
more Than Governor Of a province all went
well. The elections for the choice of half
~ the members of House of representa-
tives in 1904, the second year after the re-
public was established, gave the Republican
party a clean sweep, and the group in which
we're included Senators Frias, Montea-
guido, Norma and CarCillo, and Congressman
Vlluendas and Martinez Ortiz, returned
all its ticket.
The growing aspirations Of Gen. Aleman.
who WAS at the head of the Liberal party
in the province, counted for nothing against
the power welded by the Governor and the
gangs organized by Gomez and senator
Frias to crush what political opposition
might arise in C~ienfuegos, Santa Clara or
Sagiu. The Republican party became
more powerful than ever and voted in a
solid flock i'm Congress. Frias, Montea-
guido, Norma and Villuendas supported the
Government party in Santiago and CANA
guey in carrying eight disputed seats in
the House Of Representatives. which, if
evidence counts for anything in Cuba, were
clearly stolen and should nave beer given
to the Liberals.
But difficult les we're ahead for the Repub-
lean party Of his district and personal am
bition soon dest royed the unity of sentiment
among the solid block which had till the
end OF 1901 voted with the Government on
all party questions, including IN electoral
frauds and the crucial Interpretation Of the
quorum clauses in the Constitution. which
mad to be read so as to meet the political
need OF the Government party.
After some hesitation a combination was
made ny the Gomez Republicans with the
rest of the Liberals OF the island Except
those of Santa Clara in order to run an
opposition candidate to Palmafor the Presi-
Dental elections in 1905. After the latter had
been nominated by his party he found
himself with a minority in Congress. owing
10 the secession OF Senators Montea guido
and Norma and a large number of Santa
Clara members Of the House who had
abandoned Palma to support Gomez.
Unfortunately for the Liberals, as the new
fusion party was now called, the COM
buetion had not been made without losses.
and Senator's Frias and Correlli stayed with
Palma. and . fight in Santa Clara imme-
diately became imminent. Gomez declared
that if he did not receive fair play he would
burn up the island, and tried to animate his
Supporters Ivy declarations that he would
mair,ain a determined front.
On The other hand, the Government pro-
oeeded to Out-Herod Herod, and Frias, the
former supporter and associate Of Gomez,
used the Rural Guards as electoral agents
and organized gangs Of political rowdies in
all the Cienfuegos district to browbeat the
Liberals. Numerous arrests were made at
Pslmira, Cruces and in Cienfuegos itself,
and political passions in Cienfuegos were
almost ned hot on September 20, when Con-
gresham Enrique Villuendas went there to
defend some Of the prosecuted Liberals in
orcp court.
Nllnendas. who had been warned not to
70, showed courage in facing the official
: element in C~irnfuegos, as no seems to have
been convinced before he left santa Clara
that there was a plot to kill him. He may
have rrflized. too. that Tho protection
from arrest which his being a member Of
VonGr'ss gave him might he put to too
Sel' 4 train. Probably hc was almost
as much Influenced by a generous desire
to assist the members Of the fusion party.
WhOwere the victims Of Outra geous injustice
and prosecution. as by a hope that he might
contribute to the political victory OF his
own side by going TO the most dangerous
place in the province and facing the worst
that the opposition might attempt.
The story Of the Lula Hotel has been told
NAM times and needs nc repetition. The
Ceutuegos Moderates showed that they
would brook no opposition. even from a
Congressman. A trap was laid TO arrest