Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-19
MAY Be RELEASED
~
DR.. r. w. MILLS THINKS CUBAN
GOVERNMENT WILL NOT
HOLD AMERICANS
Were Arrested and Imprisoned on Triv-
lal Charge Well Ac-
quainted With Principals in Affair
on Isle of Pines.

Fl
Pines for the violation Of an old mill
tary order prohibiting other than gov
eminent telegraph lines, will be re-
leased as soon as the affair is called
to the attention of the Cuban govern
ment, is the opinion of DR.. F. w.
Mills of this city. DR.. Mills has visited
the island on several occasions and is
well acquainted with the three said to
have been imprisoned He says that
while the Cuban officers on the Isle OF
Pines have committed many rank out
RACES, he does not think that the gov
eminent will stand for any such pro-
ceeding as this latest one is reported
to have been.
According to the reports of Ameri-
cans at Havana Miss Mile Brown, L.,
G. Giltner and William Augustine had
constructed a toy telegraph line from
Giltner's store to the residences OF the
other two They were arrested and
sentenced to pay joint fine OF 5000
or Imprisonment for 100 days, and
when they refused to pay the fine were
placed in the Jail at Nueva Corona. DR..
Mills says that the Jail at Nueva Ger
ona Is not a fit place for men and has
no accommodations for women.
An American Colony.
The town Of Columbia where the
three persons arrested reside, is an
American colony, and the population is
not a mixed one as Is the case in the
other towns of the island. Among the
residents OF this place are several for
mer well known Ottumwans. DR.. Mills
says that Miss Mile Brown is about
10 years of age, the daughter of Ira
A. Brown, a hotel keeper, and is a
highly educated and esteemed young
woman. They formerly resided in Wis
consin.
;, L. G.. Giltner is a member Of the
mercantile firm of Clark & Giltner,
and the postmaster of the colony, ap-
pointed by the Cuban government. He
is a graduate of an American univer-
sity and Dr. Mills says he is most
efficient civil engineer His map of the
Isle of Pines, showing the land divi-
sion, the topography of the island and
the soundings off the sea coast is said
: to be the most complete map of the
Isle ever prepared. What makes the
arrest and Imprisonment of Mr.. Giltner
on such a trivial charge more strange
; is the fact that he is one of the more
conservative American residents, and
was heartily opposed to the recent rev
: dictionary movement in which SO many
participated.
DR.. Mills says that he is not so well
acquainted with MI. Augustine but
knows him to be we'll educated and
highly esteemed young man. The tele
graph line which caused the arrest OF
the three Americans connected with
nothing but the store and the two resi-
dences and it is not claimed that II
; was for any other purpose than the
, amusement of the parties interested
but it was a violation of an old mill
tary order prohibiting any but govern
. ment telegraph lines.
Prohibited Census Taking.
DR.. Mills tells of many cases which
: have been reported to him by the
= ;, American residents of the island an(
= which would indicate that the native
= officers lose no opportunity to ares
J an American. The Americans have
!. long been trying to have the island de
= clared to be territory of the United
States and last fall engaged man tt
y take a census of the island so that al
4 y accurate account of the population 0
4 the island could be presented to TIN
!, United States senate. On the mornin.
Of the second day the Representative
= of the Americans was arrested and tn
8 taking of the census had to be aban
! doned. 1t is claimed that the numbe
Of Americans on the island is mucl
q larger in proportion to the total popu
a lation than is represented in the cen
/ sus prepared by the Cuban officials.
!, The Case of Merke.
y There has been much discussion re
n garding the arrest of O. E. Merke, VIII
). formerly conducted mercantile bus
. ness in the same store now occupie
). by Clark and Giltner. According to tn
O statements of the Americans, DR.. Mill
r says, Merke went twice to the ofIlcia
d who collects the licenses for the dis
J. trict to pay his license but was unabl
to obtain an audience with the officis
although he waited several hours.
few days afterward he was arrested
l. taken to Nueva Corona and thrown IL
o. to prison without the formality of
n I