New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-23

HE conversion Of Cuba into Black
Republic is not to be realized to
Il the undoubted disappointment Of
the leading opponents OF yoodooism in
that country the negro Brujos, who still
practise their witchcraft and have large
following.
Evaristo EstenoZ, the negro leader or
the race movement in Cuba, was crafty
enough TO enlist the services of some
of these Brujos in spreading the report
of a vision in which the spirit of the
great mestizo leader MaCeo, who fought
so valiently for Cuban independence, had
appeared to Estenoz and urged him to
call the men of his race to arms for the
4ime had arrived when Cuba should he
made a Black Republic The Brujos even
added that FstenoZ had then been placed
under the control of NIaceo's spirit.
Estenoz did not make these claims him
self. but the negroes believed the reve-
lations Of the PrujoS, and Estenoz SO
conducted himself rs to give them added
credence. The superstitious negroes be
lieved that their generation had been
called as the chosen people to liherate
Cuba from white domination, and the
-Bruios waxed important as their con
durations spread and solidihed into re-
ligious truth among their ignorant fol-
flowers.
Pedro Ivonet. a negro Of French eXtrac-
Hon, whose Haytian blood raced madly
and iubiantly whenever he thought of
Initiating the great Touissant Lower
ture. who wrested Hayu from the whites,
was with Estenoz as his military genius
and partner of prospective prosperity.
With the entrance of Ivonet into the
scheme the idea of a Black Republic was
developed along more comprehensive lines,
which contemplated the establishment OF
triumvirate of Black Ropuhlics-HaYu,
Jamaica and Cuha--the former with APP
proximately 10000 negroes, the second
and third with 10000 each, a total
OF 100000. II all Of Cuba could be
dominated by the blacks the three re-
publics would have about 1000 square
miles sufficient to sustain from $4,000
900 to 100000 600 people. If only Santiago
Province of Cuba could I've successfully
conquered, with its 1920 square miles,
third larger than Hayti and three times
as large as Jamaica, there would still he
$500 square miles, sufficient to sustain
from - 100000 10 100000 people.
These republics once established the
conquest of Santo Domingo would be
easy. according 20 the doctrine advanced
by the conspirators; and if the western
part of cuba had not by that time com"
under black domination II could easily
be converted. The idea appealed strongly
to the negroes, and they at once arranged
connections in Hayti and Jamaica These
agents were to enlist men for the move
IN, u.bf ~,
overcome. attention would he turned to
Jamaica. AS the result of these plans
negroes from both OF these nearby ISL
ands have been struggled into Eastern
Cuba-particuany on the south coast
for many months Small schooners would
bring them over aad land them at night,
and it was as easy for them 10 come
ashore with arms and ammunition as to
come empty handed
The writer OF this article spent six
weeks, in March and April. on a horse
back trip between Santiago and a point
due south Of Baracoa. From the Yateras
River. which is about ten miles east of
the United States Naval station. on the
Bay Of Guantanamo, to Cape Maisi, the
"contrabando de los negros" was a com
mon subject of comment. Everybody
Walked Of the number Of negroes who
were being struggled into Cuba Fires
Far up on the mountain sides arneared
nightly at different points sometimes
small at others farnS into sudden in
tensity. Inquiry at the time as to the
cause Of these fires ELECTED the nforma-
ton that il was some negroes making
charcoal The fallacy of this was ex-
planned by calling attention to the inn
'proba bilIty Of any one making charcoal
so far away from the coast when It
could be burnt much nearer and I've MOI
convenient for loading in schocners for
shipping 10 market The second eXplana-
tion was that il was probably some negro
burning off a piece Of new ground. The
frequency Of these fires along that coast
at that time is now easily explained as
having been signals for the small sChoon-