Omaha daily bee., 1907-05-02
MEN ARE BADLY WOUNDED
zen Returning from Banquet Fired Upon
without Provooation.
FIREMAN LEE PROBABLY FATALLY HURT
Shot in Right Breast and Skull Fractured
By Flows Of Nachste.
OPINION OF MACON AND BARRY
American OmcIaIs at Havana Regard
IL Rs BrnwI Incident to Pay
Day-statement of the
Mayor.

HAVANA. May lin the absence % fur
ther details concerning the reported attack
by the police Of Santiago upon United
States sailors yesterday. the authorities
I here are unable 20 throw any light on the
! cause Of the ARRAY The only report re-
/ ceived this afternoon was from Governor
Perez OF Oriente. who merely said all was
{ quiet and that the municipal authorities, as
! a preCaution against further disorders. had
requested Commander Tappcn not 20 allow
I his sailors ashore al night.
! Governor Magoon told the Associated
( Press today he considered the aftair as 4
mere brawl incident 20 pay day. This
/ opinion Is shared by General Barry.
! Mayor Mesa Of Santiago told the Associ-
/ ated Press tonight that a brawl had oc-
CURED early Sunday morning in a dis
/ orderly house which had resulted in a con-
/ hict between police and sailors but that IL
| was without bloodshed. He said he could
hardly credit the report that the police had
wantonly attacked American sailors. The
sailors. Mayor Mesa said usually were we'll
/ behaved and cordial relations existed be-
tween them and the citizens and police.
I Police Captain Lay, who Is alleged to have
! led the attack on the sailors. the mayor de-
clared was an officer O. long service and
/ excellent character and it was unlikely he
would resort 10 violence except in extreme
/ emergency.
Trouble Follows a Banquet.
| SANTIAGO. Cuba, May 1.-The confict
/ here yesterday between sailors and poe
/ followed an orderly banquet which was
I given at the Cafe Leon De ORC by a party
! OF first class seamen Of the cruiser Tacoma.
/ At O'Clock In the morning the men sep
I arated and twelve Of them went 10 the Cate
/ Union. They were not intoxicated. A
| police captain named Lay, who was IA
Z citizens clothes had been watching this
cafe all the evening. with seven or eight
Z policemen to support him. At about
o'clock in the morning the seamen started
for the wharf with the intention Of board
! ing the Tacoma. Captain Lay claims that
! the seamen started the trouble, and the
sailors claim that Captain Lay. without
any provOcation, caused the disturbance.
As the enlisted men OF the Tacoma had
been hindered by the police on their way
( 20 the wharf. Ensign Brisbin decided Go
Z walk slightly ahead OF the party. Suddenly
! he heard revolver shot and Immediately
afterwards the police charged with revol-
vers and machetes.
Ensign e. Injured.
| Brisbin received ugly cut on the arm
Z and was felled 70 the ground three times.
As the crowd Of seamen came up the
! policemen emptied their revolvers at them,
at the same time attacking the Americans
with machetes. A fierce night ensued, with
the result that Henry L. Lee. a fireman OF
! the Tacoma. will probably die OF a com
/ pound fracture OF the skull. caused by
/ machete, and gunshot wound In the right
, breast. Ten other members OF the crew Of
the Tacoma were taken 70 the ships hos
pital suffering from machete wounds and
clubbing. Not one OF the policemen was
badly hurt, though several Of them suffered
| from fist cOntusiona
! The captain and all the policemen who
took part in the affair have been sus-
pended by order Of the civil governor of
Santiago. upon the representations Of Com
mander Tappan OF the Tacoma, and
American Consul Holiday who ahirm that
the lives OF the American consul and men
VINO go ashore are not safe while such
men are acting agents OF the law.
Mr.. Holiday is making a thorough In
vestigation OF the incident.
List of Injured Men.
/ WASHINGTON, May 1-whiie a fun re-
port OF the aIray at Santiago is not as
yet at hand 1t is learned at the Navy de-
I partment that Commander Tappan has
cabled that ten OF the personnel OF the
Tacoma were injured in the attack by the
police of Santiago. These were:
Henry L. Lee, fireman. second class:
condition serious.
/ Ensign A. T. Brisbin-
Frank Leghorn. electrician. first class
Elmer +. Anders, apprentice seaman.
Charles b. Shhckelton, machinist's mate,
/ first class
| Glen Cayender, seaman.
Harry J. sturdeyant, electrician, frat
class.
Louis Cline ordinary seaman; cuts and
bruises but not serious.
Leslie b. b. Dustin. seaman; compound
| fracture Of left forearm serious injury.
Claude J. Pember, electrician. third class:
I incised wound OF left forearm. a severe in
jury.
/ Commander Tappans dispatch states that
/ these men, with the exception OF the
sign, composed a liberty party Of the
Tacoma and were attacked by the police
while returning 10 their ship al half past
/ o'clock yesterday morning No cause Is
assigned for the attack but IL Is supposed
that the men were perhaps singing. as
sailors are apt 20 do when they have had
a happy evening ashore and on returning
70 their ship. In almost all large ports,
unless the meE are absolutely disorderly
or are destroying property or interfering
with citizens, the police let them proceed
on their way without molestau0n beyond.
perhaps. a friendly warning 70 refrain from
disorder. 50 far as the naval officers here
know, this has been the custom al Santiago
ever since the American ships have made
that a station port. Indeed, the sailors
are believed 20 have been welcome visitors.
for they spent a great deal Of money In
the native shops and markets and con-
tributed much % the social life OF the
town.
Navy OmciaIs I'm Doubt.
I The officials al the Navy department are
. At a l1ss 10 conceive what may have been
the reason for this change OF attitude on
the part Of the Santiago police They can
scarcely believe that the men we're much
20 blame and they are certain they would
. not be aggressors. because Commander
Tappan reports tnat they we're attacked"
. by the police and the character 1f tile in
iuries sustain ed by the men iE an indica-
ton that they we're assaulted with clubs
and swords or bayonets. No mention Is
made Of any injury inflicted upon The police
[ which is not surprising In view OF the fact
that ths ETlctoEt watch \ kSEE 1Doa ths