The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-09-28
A NJ { R |CANS
ARE ANNOYED
BY CUbANS
Their Houses on The Isle of Pines
Searched for Arms and
Ammunition.

New Orleans, Sept. 27.-The first
authentic details of the searching of
the homes of Americans by Cuban
soldiers on the Isle of Pines for arms
and ammunition, during which many
American women were subjected to
considerable humiliation, were fur
nished by D. w. Munson, of Toledo,
Ohio, who arrived here on the steam
ship Excelsior, from Havana. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Munson the soldiers,
despite protests from the Americans, J
forcibly entered the residence and
stores and carried away all the guns.
rifles, revOlvers and ammunition
they could find. The fire arms were
seized and removed to a government
building and kept there until ordered
released by President Palma.
The Americans who had been hui
inflated by the hooters filed a protest
with the American minister at Ha-
vana, Mr.. Munson said President
Palma was appealed to and the facts
laid before him. He was advised
- - h''"-icans were law-abiding
and had taken no part in the pres
-. -, .---d -.-cueu their arms
for their own protection. President
Palma was so impressed with the ap-
peal that he Immediately issued an
order commanding the return of all
the property seized from the Amer
leans.
When the soldiers began search
ing our homes we decided that the
easiest way was to submit peaceful
ly to the demands" said Mr.. Munson.
1T would have done no good to Of
fer any resistance because the men
would have entered just the same.
They caused a good deal of excite
ment, as no one expected the sol
diers would dare to invade our
homes. Many of the American
women became excited and strenu-
ously objected to submitting to such
humiliation, but on second thoughc
let the soldiers in.
1.-The soldiers broke in houses and
stores which were unOccupied to
search for arms. They took all the
firearms they could lay their hands
on, and the place where the guns
were stored looked like an arsenal.
l protested against what they had
done, and other Americans Joined in
sending a kick to the American
minister. The Isle of Pines has been
very quiet ever since the present
revolution broke out, and just why
cur property was confiscated we
could not understand. However, the
protest had a good effect, for every
thing the natives took was returned
to us later on orders from President
Palma"
Mr.. MunsOn said that conditions
on the Isle of Pines had improved
great deal when he left there. 1t
will be remembered that food
famine was threatened on the island
few days ago because the insur-
gents had destroyed railroad COM
munication with Batabano, on the
south coast of Cuba. from which port
shipments are made to the Isle of
Pines. On account of the railroad
having been partly destroyed the
island was cut off from it's supplies
for two or three days, and the resi-
dents of the little island became
alarmed. They feared the foodstuffs
on hand would be exhausted and they
would be in a serious predicament
for something to eat. The railroad
people managed to repair the break,
and when Mr.. Munson left the Isle
Cf Pines regular communication had
been restored. which prevented the
threatened food famine
When the Cubans began searching
the houses for firearms the Ameri-
cans concealed all the shooting irons
they could because they were afraid
to allow themselves to be without
this means of protection.