NEWS FROM HAVANA AND TROCHA EXPLAINED

Captain General Valeriano Weyler.

Former Confederate General and U. S. Consul General Fitzhugh Lee.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, January 30, 1897.

NEWS FROM HAVANA.

Spanish Comments on the Cuban Treaty.

THREE FRIENDS TRIAL MONDAY.

Trial of Cuban Filibusters at Baltimore. Dauntless

Attempted to Leave Port, But Was Stopped by the Boutwell—Other Cuban Notes.

   HAVANA, Jan. 30.—Consul General Lee made an official visit to the city jail. While there he saw Dr. Gasper Betancourt, the dentist accused of complicity in the insurrection, and four other American citizens awaiting a hearing before the local courts.

   La Lucha editorially commenting upon the reforms planned by Spain for Cuba, says:

   "Whether these reforms are accepted by the rebel bushmen or not they cannot fail to have a great moral effect upon Europe and the policy adopted by the Spanish government will tend to strengthen the executive at Washington, no matter whether it is Cleveland or McKinley against senatorial and congressional jingoes."

   The consensus of opinion o n the part of newspapers here is that the proposed autonomy measure is a masterly diplomatic stroke on the part of Canovas Del Castillo, the Spanish premier, and that it is calculated to avert a possible conflict between Spain and possibly other countries and the United States.

   The Daily Commercio publishes a violent attack upon the Madrid Imparcial and other Spanish papers because of the recent criticisms directed by those journals against Captain General Weyler and the methods which he has adopted in carrying on the campaign.

   Captain General Weyler has reached Las Cruces, province of Santa Clara.

THREE FRIENDS.

Hearing Will Be Held Monday—Exception to Locke's Rulings.

   WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.—The attorney general has applied to the United States supreme court for a writ of certoriari to bring the case of the Three Friends, one of the alleged Cuban filibustering crafts, before the court.

   Counsel for the owners of the vessel represented that they had not had sufficient notice of the application and asked that the matter be postponed until next Monday. It was so ordered.

   The attorney general stated that the proceedings were undertaken at the instance of the secretary of state. The petition takes exception to the ruling of Judge Locke of the southern district of Florida, declaring it to be based upon "misinformation as to the history of the phrase 'colony, district or people,' in section 5,206 of the revised statutes," as to whether they are confined in application to political bodies, whose belligerency has been formally recognized.

   The question involved had been much discussed, and is, the attorney general says, very doubtful. It has never been passed upon until it was decided by Judge Locke in this case. He therefore expresses a desire to have the opinion of the supreme court and to secure it at as early a day as practicable.

Trial of Cuban Filibusters.

   BALTIMORE, Jan. 30.—The special grand jury in the United States court, which is to hear the case against the Cuban sympathizers, General Carlos Roloff and Dr. Joseph J. Luis, for alleged filibustering was organized.

   The jury will take up the case at 10 o'clock today.

   Judge Morris delivered a written charge in which he sets forth at some length the laws governing the cases to be heard.

Dauntless Was Stopped.

   JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 30.—The filibustering steamers Three Friends and Dauntless cannot leave port until the authorities at Washington shall approve the affidavits of the owners that they will not engage in filibustering expeditions.

   The steamer Dauntless started out with a schooner in tow, but was stopped by the officers of the revenue cutter Boutwell.

Home Rule For Cuba.

   LONDON, Jan. 30.—A Rome correspondent claims to be in possession of indisputable facts which indicate a speedy cessation of hostilities in Cuba, as a result of the application by Spain of the principles of home rule to that colony.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The Trocha and its Use.

   The word trocha is a new one. It cannot be found in the Century Dictionary and possibly not in the Standard. It means simply a strategic line across a given territory, separating one army from another. The trocha from Mariel to Majana in Cuba is said to have cost $5,000,000. The one from Jucaro to Moron has cost in repairs alone about $4,000,000 and is not of much use after all. Their purpose is to divide the insurgent forces, part of which were in the western portion of the island under the late Maceo and the rest in the eastern portion under Gomez and Garcia. It consists of a barbed wire fence 3 1/2 feet high, with detachments of sentinels immediately behind it. About 40 yards to the rear is a trench 3 feet wide and 4 feet deep, with a breastwork of logs, and still farther back are log houses in which the troops are quartered. It requires about 15,000 soldiers to guard it.

   In addition to the money cost of construction hundreds of Spanish troops died under the heat of the torrid sun before it was completed. In the judgment of military critics, it is not worth what it cost. It has been crossed frequently by the insurgents and apparently they have been able to carry on their warfare without serious interference. Neither has it prevented them from defeating the Spaniards on even terms in every engagement. The machetes, the old fashioned muskets and the shotguns have been far more effective than the up-to-date weapons on the other side. Probably the motive of the soldiers has something to do with this. The Cubans are fighting for their liberty and the Spanish soldiers are fighting for pay, and very poor pay at that. In a case of this kind it is easy to see where the persistence, courage and desperation would mostly lie.

Richard Olney.

The Alaska Boundary Line.

   WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.—Secretary Olney and the British ambassador have to-day signed the treaty providing for a commission to define the boundary line between Alaska and Canada. The president will send the treaty to the senate on Monday. It is believed that this will settle the controversy over the location of the gold fields in that section.

A NEW HALL IN CORTLAND

For Amusements Being Furnished In the Burgess Block.

   Carpenters have been busy the past few days transforming G. A. R. hall into a cosy little theatre. A permanent and convenient stage 16 by 23 feet has been erected in the east end of the upper hall and those who have not been in the rooms since the repairs were made on the Burgess block, will be agreeably surprised at the material changes which have been made in the arrangement of the rooms, stairway, etc. The seating capacity of the main hall has been nearly doubled, the ceiling in the new part raised four feet, and with the cosy little stage at one end of the long hall, and a comfortable kitchen at the other, the three societies, G. A. R., W. R. C., and S. O. V. [Grand Army of the Republic, Women’s Relief Corp., Sons of Veterans] will be prepared to furnish the people of Cortland with all kinds of entertainments.

   The stage is the work of Mr. George Allport and when finished will be well stocked with scenery, curtains, etc., and lighted by gas and electricity. It will be large and suitable for any entertainment and will be a welcome addition to the halls and places of amusement in Cortland.

   The new hall will be formally opened about the middle of February by the presentation of a high class comedy under the auspices of James H. Kellogg camp, No. 48, S. O. V.

ENJOYABLE MUSICAL.

A Great Success from Every Point View—Satisfactory Receipts.

   The musical entertainment given last night at the home of Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Wickwire, under the auspices of the Ladies' Auxiliary for the benefit of the Y. M. C. A., was a great success from every point of view. There was a very large attendance and the entire first floor and part of the second floor was filled.

   Standing room was at a premium. It has been estimated that over 330 were present. The program &s recently published in The STANDARD was carried out in full except for Miss Curry's recitation, that lady being detained at home by illness. It goes without saying that the entertainment was a delightful one. It could hardly be otherwise, furnished as it was by some of Cortland's most prominent and talented musicians. Every number was much enjoyed and a considerable proportion of them were encored, the artists responding very graciously to the calls for more.

   After the program had been concluded, and the guests had departed, Mrs. Wickwire invited those who had taken part to remain for a time to enjoy a little spread which she had very thoughtfully and kindly prepared, and this was much appreciated by the artists.

   The net receipts of the entertainment are not yet exactly known, but they will exceed $70. The Ladies' Auxiliary desire most heartily, to express their appreciation of the courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Wickwire in inviting them to make this public and free use of their home. They also feel under deep obligations to all of those who took part last night so willingly without a thought of remuneration and also to Beard & Peck, who donated the use of the chairs.

A Peculiar Operation.

   About three weeks ago Veterinary Surgeon E. O. Kingman performed a peculiar operation on a seven-year-old horse belonging to Asa Benedict. The horse was born with a deformed tongue, that is, an enlarged tongue. The tongue grew to such proportions as to very materially interfere with the horse's eating, and protruded from his mouth. Dr. Kingman removed about five inches from the end of the tongue, and also trimmed the sides and top. The tongue is now of normal size and the horse eats well.

BREVITIES.

   —The funeral of Jay Steele will be held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock.

   —The funeral of Alvin A. Wellington will be held Tuesday afternoon at 1 o'clock.

   —The supper in I. O. G. T. hall to-night will be an oyster supper and will begin at 5 o'clock.

   —The Sunbeam Mission band of the Presbyterian church will give a reception from 7 until 10 o'clock Tuesday evening, Feb. 2. A cordial invitation is extended to all.

   —It is thought by his physician that Bert Snyder, the street car conductor, who was hit by flying glass at the time of the collision Thursday night, may lose the sight of his right eye.

   —New advertisements to-day are—Bingham Bros. & Miller, Overcoats and Ulsters, page 8; McKinney & Doubleday, Wall Paper Remnants, page 6; A. H. Watkins, Bargains in Dry Goods, page 4.

   —The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick hold an adjourned meeting to-morrow at 12 o'clock noon at the office of Thomas H. Dowd to effect a permanent organization, elect officers and make arrangements for the annual banquet on March 17.

   —Mr. Timothy McAuliff died last night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Edward Fitzgerald, 64 East Court-st. His age was 61 years. The remains will be taken on the 11:20 train to-morrow night to Middletown, N. Y., where the funeral and burial will occur.

   —At a recent wedding in a neighboring town the bashful groom became so nervous and excited as to lose his few remaining wits. He had been coached by the minister to answer "I do" to all questions. When the minister asked if there was any one present who objected to the marriage, the groom answered, "I do" much to the bride's consternation.—Norwich Sun.

Known Here in Cortland.

   Mr. Daniel Ryan, who is to fill a week's engagement at the Opera House beginning on Monday next, is already well known to many Cortland people. For two seasons he was the leading support to the Maude Hillman Co. and will also be remembered as the pitcher of the Corning baseball team at the time of the Cortland-Corning game at the fair grounds last summer.