Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-04
REPORT ON CUBAN AFFRAY
Sailor Lee Indentihes Chief of Police
as Man Who Shot
Him,


HAVANA, May S.-Commander Wood of
the Dixie today received the following wire
less message from Commander Tappan Of
the Tacoma regarding the recent conflict
between police and sailors at Santiago:
The investigation of the board of officers
Of the Tacoma is almost finished. Lee, (the
sailor most seriously hurD, Is in the hospi-
of moving him, but is more hopeful The
Tacoma's surgeon is attending him. The
judge OF the correctional court and the
prosecuting attorney took his sworn state
ment today in the presence of the Ameri-
can consul and myself and several witt
nesses, At the same time Lee Identified
under oath as the man, who shot him and
who was brought into his presence, Vim
cent Lay, the chief of police, who was in
civilian clothing when the shooting oc-
CURED.
A Judge Of instruction and the prosecuting
attorney commenced taking the testimony
of four men today on board the Tacoma.
Santiago newspapers containing accounts
of the encounter last Tuesday between the
local police and men Of the Tacoma have
reached here. They declare unanimously
that intoxicated sailors began the disturb
ance by brutally assaulting Captain Lay
when he demonstrated with them. The
captain fired a shot from his revolver in
the air to summon assistance. When the
police arrived there ensued a pitched battle
between them and the sailors the latter
using their pistols and knives.
Referring to the matter the Illustration
Guiana says:
1--WE wish to call the attention Of the pro-
visional government to the frequency of
these occurrences in all provinces; they are
invariably started by forces Of the inter
vening government"
The Cubano Libre, a moderate organ,
says:
The intolerable conduct OF these seamen
has reached a limit. These men, under the
title of 'interventores' belive they are au-
thorized to commit abuses almost daily; for
example the occurrence In Santiago, which
has alarmed the people of this city and
which places stigma on the name OF the
great nation in whose services these men
are enrolled.
The Colonia Espanala, a conservative
paper, says;
We believe the hour has come for the
civil governor to protect us against the
continued misconduct OF the crew of the
Tacoma.
WASHINGTON, May s.-The difficulty be-
tween the police in Santiago, Cuba, and
the seamen from the cruiser Tacoma on
Tuesday last was brought up by Secretary
Taft at the cabinet meeting today, the sec
retary laying before the president all in
formation received from Governor Msgoon.
Mr.. Taft remained with the president
after the other secretaries had departed
and was Joined by General Bell, chief Of
the army stan.
Governor Magoon reported that, in con-
formity with the secretarys direction he
dispatched Lieutenant Colonel Bullard to
the scene OF the attack to make an inde-
pendent investigation. The governor re-
ports that in his opinion the trouble be-
tween the police and sailors at Santiago
was purely individual and not in any sense
the result Of any general III feeling be-
tween the Americans and Cubans He adds
that American interests IN Santiago are
larger than at any other point IN Cuba.
I Upon this report It has been decided 70
await the outcome OF the various official
investigations in progress before taking any
further steps.