Mr. Sherman to Mr.
Woodford.
Department of State,
Washington, November 8,
1897.
No. 61.]Sir: I inclose for your information copy of the
Department’s note of the 6th instant to the Spanish minister at this
capital, calling attention to the suffering inflicted upon the rural
population of Cuba who have been forcibly concentrated in the towns;
also copy of a dispatch from our consul at Matanzas, relating to the
same subject.
Respectfully, yours,
[Inclosure No. 2.]
Mr. Brice to Mr.
Day.
Consulate of the United States,
Matanzas, October 15, 1897.
(Inclosure No. 1 printed in Foreign
Relations, 1897, p. 509.)
Sir: I have the honor to submit the
following report for your earnest consideration:
During the past two weeks death from starvation (among reconcentrados
and poor people) has rapidly and alarmingly increased. The figures
given are under the actual number of deaths, as many of these people
die unaccounted for.
[Page 597]
Over 2,000 (I have the list of names) have died in this city—want of
food—since January 1 up to October 1, 1897. Since latter date the
daily average death rate has been over 45 persons. Sixty-two died
last Sunday; of these 57 from actual starvation. Normal death rate
of Matanzas City prior to Weyler’s concentration order 6 persons
daily (not including soldiers).
In the interior towns of province the situation is beyond belief. In
some towns one-third to one-half the population has disappeared. I
inclose a clipping from Spanish paper at Colon, translated. It only
tells part of the story. Such things are not usually allowed
published. A careful estimate from reliable sources gives the number
of deaths from starvation and diseases incident thereto over 22,000
in the province (not including this city). I should say that 5,000
more added would be no exaggeration. If no prompt measures of relief
are afforded these people, sixty days hence the majority of them
(reconcentrados) will be exterminated, as predicted by a prominent
general of Cuba.
Local authorities are powerless and unable to cope with the
situation. Cities and towns are bankrupt and can give little or no
relief to the starving thousands. Last Monday morning six to seven
hundred starving women unexpectedly raided the market and carried
off everything in sight. Pandemonium reigned for an hour or more. We
are likely to have riots and mobs in the near future if no relief is
given. Allow these people to go out into the country and plant
crops, and in less than sixty days all will be well and starvation a
thing of the past.
I am, sir, etc.,
A. C. Brice,
United States Consul.
[Subinclosure—Translation.]
horrible scenes.
The correspondent of La Union de Colon at Jaguey Grande, under date
of 24th instant, writes as follows:
“It is estimated that over 6,000 souls arrived at this town in
compliance with the concentration order. Of these 6,000 it is
scarcely possible that two-thirds remain, the rest having died of
hunger, and to judge by what is seen, many others will soon die for
similar cause. The deceased are daily seen to be carried to the
cemetery by their own relations, and sometimes, as it recently
happened, two weak and lean children were carrying their father.
Horror! They were carrying him in a codfish box, tied with a rope to
prevent it from falling to pieces. It is useless to state that they
had to stop at every step, and such was the sight until they arrived
at the cemetery. Do you believe anyone rendered assistance? Not a
soul, because the relatives have to dig the graves, and nobody
accompanies the corpse, to avoid the performance of the job.
Until late days the dead were carried in boxes, palm husks, and any
way. They now have a kind of rustic bier; but as there are no
coffins or boxes the sight is the same. Absolute abandonment reigns
here. The deputy mayor, Don Manuel Fernandez, cacique of this town,
whose leave must be had to do anything, and the justice of the
peace, his loyal servant, might well try and alleviate so much
misery instead of using their activity, the former to matters he
should not touch and the latter to illtreat the poor concentrated
people, venting his fury to the extreme of clubbing a poor woman in
the street.
—(From El Correo de
Matanzos, September 30, 1897.)
