Ruptura Social y Violencia Política en Puerto Rico, 1898-1904: Antología de documentos

UNIVERSIDAD DE PUERTO RICO RECINTO DE RIO PIEDRAS FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS SOCIALES CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES SOCIALES

RUPTURA SOCIAL Y VIOLENCIA POLITICA EN PUERTO RICO, 1898-1904: ANTOLOGIA DE DOCUMENTOS

Mariano Negron Portillo 1991

Introduce ion

En mayo de 1990 sali6 publicado mi libro Las Turbas' Republi.canas, 1900-,1.9-04 ., ( co~dici6n del Centro . de Investigaqiones Sociales y Ediciones Huracan). En est:e .; trabajo me pr:0puse exp.licar la rup~tj°ra social que comenz.6 en P\+erto · Rico a parti~ de , la i~~asi6n de 1898 y que . se caracte~iz9 pqr el pr,ot;agonismo popular.,. el rechazo de di!erente§! ' ·. ~ecto~es popul:,ares a lai' :. . ·f ormas ma·s . evidentes ·de subQrdinaqiqn social ·: '""-asociada.s Qon el -anterior regimen espan~l-:, ;l.?t afirmaci6n del gobierno norteameri'cano y la ' lrrupci6p dei anexionismo como fuerza central en la vida politica 'puertorriquefia. Tod.o esto dentro de un rapido y decidido prqceso de tntegraci6n (desigual( . de Puert9 ~Rico a Est~~os Unidps! ~:

, La investigaci6n que culmiri~ en Las Turbas dur6 varios afios y . me lle~6 a examin~r distintos fon~os documentales (ademas de una variedad de otras fuentes, como 1a prens~ de la epoca) en archives en y fuera de Puerto Rico. Como resultado de la investigaci6n, maneje miles . de document9s in~ditos, muchos de ... los cuales .podrian result~r .de . iQt~res para aquellas p~rs,9~~s que deseen conocer distintos. aspectos ·de .las transfor~~pio~~s socippoliticas que ocuirierqn en ·Pµ~rto Rico durante 19~,c.~:;:imeros seis o siete afios de g9bierno no:r;teamericano .

. este voluman intento pr~sentar una muestr~ te~~tica que recoiJ ' las . posiciones, los discursos y los a6oritecimientos mas s~g~if~catJ~C?S _·/ 4e ~a ,- r:~p~µra s9oial . que provoq6 ' ia -_ ~nVa$!6n · de l~~a r-. ·; , ~e~ono;p.o, - ~~tura~m.ent;e, qti~ algunos doc\,.lll\7in1;9~ n~ se c~~~sµn~cr~b~q )~ -~n ~910 a~untg s1n9 que y para be9~ff2~q del lector, permiten una lectura mas aQarcadora. · ; .,._ •. , , r -

Con ·el fin de hacer la lectura mas c6moda, n; prganizac:lo los documentos en cuatro partes, aunque, como he sefialado, es evidente .. que .en cada una de ellas hay documentos que tratan de asuntos diversos '. y qu~ , podriap ser incl~idos en mas . de upa parte _ Las pr imeras dos de ~st.as se ref ieren · , pr iqcipalmente, a los .- , ,acontecimientos · ( acti vidades poli ticas, antago~ismos · y conflict9s, medidas gubernamental~s .•. ) del perj.oq.Q de 1898 a 1904.

La parte primera se refiere al gob~erno militar, que se extendi6 d~ 1898 a . 1900. · F~e, .. ·. precisame~te, dtjFante di9ho gobierno que se desat6 · en Puerto Rico la violencla campesinci que se ha · conocido hist6ricamente como las ·Partidas Sediciosas y baj9 . el cual se estableci6 1 categoricamente, . el dominio nort~americano sobre la Isla. En esta primera ' parte se incluyen dQSUJll~~~~s que tratan, particul~rmente, sobre: la viole~cia qampesi~a, las intervenciopes militares y poi~ticas del Estado '. ' :"' t

y las · primeras acciones en contra del incipiente movimiento obrero bajo el nuevo regimen. f..,J i .._; 1,..',:'.:

· La seg~rida pa i~ e cub t e el periodo de 1900 a 1904, en otras palabras, desde gue ~ se es t ablece el gobierno civil (mediante la ley Foraker) , , riJ~t~.11v guei · llegan a su fin los antagonismos socio-polit,ico§ ·'·a~ ; es t b1s " afios. Los documentos . se refie ·ren, entr.e q~rq~ , ~--a~~ '.~ t 1.~ f tales como la viole1;.cia,. tarito urbana como rural ., .el rol . d e1'l1 Estado y sus func1onar1os ant~ · los confl-ic-tps·,, ··el p r q.tagonismo popular y las muy controversi-a ~l:'es -elecci-OI'lcleS-- de .1902. :. :. :-

Las ,.pa.rtes tercera y cuarta se refier~n ·esencialmente a las v1s1ones y pos1c1ones de la mayor parte , de los principales ~protagonistas del periodo bajo estudio: la Federaci6n ·Libre de •:, Trabaj adores, ·' el Partido Republicano y gr.upos asociados a las .- Turbas de San Juan, el Partido -Federal y los admin'istradores , coloniales. .,. · · ' : l ·,

Sobresale en estas dos -l 6ltimas partes el contenido antiespafiol de los discursos de · los administradores coloniales y del Partido Republicano ( y {Jt-upos asociados) y la vinculaci6n que se hace entre el Partido FederaL y el . pasado regimen espafiol. Esta Vl.Sl.on, que en parte resul,taba exagerada, e: arra:np:eµ>a- de una realidad: mientras los republicanos, p6seedo;.. , res en este . tiempo de una vision social -mas avanzada que los s . fe.oerales, priopqtiian una transformaci6n de .· 1,a sociedad puerto3;;. rr,iq'l,lef'ia .. qu: 1 , mod~ i ;z;i;+zara las ·prac.:ticas polit~cas trad~q~ cm~les 1 • •- ;y la eco,nomia . --lo Cl:lal le gano · el . apoyo de con .s1der,4"bles sectores sociales, sobre todo urbanos- ., los fed¢r.~le_'s abo·~aban por unos carnbios coriservadores que no -signif-icar.an'. ·un · tr a'$ toqu.e of, soe!a;L muy grande y que se mantuviera una estructura valor"ativa ; de entronque hi ~pano.

e· Sobresale, tarnbien, el · techazo del incipiente movimiento r obrero a la violencia antisindical de las Turbas ya las , ~racticas gubernamentales que iban dirigidas a controlar el notable activisrno .. que cobro- el sindicalismo en estos primeros afios del siglo. Se hace evidente, ademas, la angustia de los federales quienes se encontraban en una posici6n clararriente ;;; .. defensiva frente a los carnbios que imponia el nuevo regimen, la OP violenaia politica que, en parte, se desataba contra ellos y el n protagonismo de sectores populares que se asociaban al Partido 1£ Republicano y rechazaban la cultura politica tradicional. ) ..t

;1: Los documentos han sido organizados cronol6gicamente s1 . mientras que las aportaciones analiticas han sido limitadas a ,~F- •· breves - comentarios cuyo 'interes princip~l es acl,arar puntos que puedan ser desconocidos para ·1los lectores 0 ll~arle la atenci6n al lector a la importancia particular ' que d~rig~-: algun documento.

He incluido en la antologia u os pocos escritos publicados en la prensa, u obtenidos de in ormes, cuando la informaci6n documental existente sobre algu asunto determinado no es adecuada o suficientemente variad en terminos de representar distintas perspectivas de interes. Usualmente, las citas de articulos periodisticos tratan de las visiones sociales de las organizaciones politicas o de a ontecimientos cotidianos no recogidos en documentos, coma es e caso de algunas actividades de las Turbas de San Juan.

Es posible que algunos de los dualmente, puedan parecer de menor examen de los mismos en relaci6n dejara clara su relevancia dentr pretende ofrecer sabre la ruptura primeros afios de gobierno norteame

docurnentos, tomados indiviimportancia, sin embargo, un a la totalidad del trabajo de la visi6n global que se olitica que significaron los icano en Puerto Rico.

Los textos han sido repro sin modificaciones, respetando sus caracteristicas, ta to las que se refieren a las particularidades de los autores omo a las de la epoca. Nose sefialan las errores gramaticales que las documentos puedan contener. En aquellos cases en que alguna palabra o frase result6 ilegible, se ha dejado un espacio en blanco en lugar de la misma.

Todos los documentos ( o 1 1

s articulos periodisticos) citados van acompafiados par su fie a bibliografica.

Parte Oficial. D. Manuel Macias Casado, Gobernador.

Bando sobre las partidas sedicio as.

Que habiendose levantado a gunas agrupaciones o partidas, que sin bandera conocida unas y- itulandose otras auxiliares de las tropas invasoras, merodea '' por los campos y pueblos desguarnecidos, sembrando la al rma y el desasosiego entre los habitantes pacificos, y decidido como estoy a ser inflexible con los queen las presentes circuns ancias atenten o puedan atentar a la seguridad de cosas y persons. ~ • ,' -:

La ~ Gaceta1 a 6 de · agosto de 1898. I r

H. B . ... M• Consulate s. Juari, sept~ ·29/ · 1898

Major General J. R. :.. Brooke .Cqnunandin~ the United ;States Fprces .in t .he Island of Porto Rico . •

I have the honour to inform yqu · that repres'entations have been made to me by the proprietors or managers o'f thr~e " sugar Estates, owned by British subjects near this city, to the effect that they have strong grounds for app~ehending disturbances in their respective neighbourhoods on the ·withdrawal of: :.the :.Spanish rural police, which will seriously endanger their interests.

The names of these properties are as follows:

1. The Central Factory of Canovanas situated near the town of Loaiza, about 10 miles from Rio Piedras, owned by the New Colonial Company.

2. The Progreso Factory at La Carolina about 6 miles from Rio Piedras, owned by th.e Porto Rico Sugar Factory, Lim.

3. The Carmen Factory at Vega Alta, about 20 miles from Rio Piedras, the property of Mr. George Finlay, British Vice Consul at San Juan.

In one case, that of the Progreso property, specific information has been received of a plot to burn the factory itself: in another, threats have been openly made to attack farms owned or controlled by the Central Factory of Canovanas.

In view of the probability that the Spanish forces will, within a very few days, be withdrawn from the district in which these properties are situated, I have the honour to notify you of the representations which have been made to me, and to express the hope that you will see fit to ~ake such dispositions as will ensure adequate protection to the properties in question.

I may mention incidentally . hat the prohibition to own or carry arms at present in force i the part of the island still under Spanish control, which I nderstand is also enforced by the American authorities, place the owners of Estates a~ a considerable disadvantage in de ending themselves against any organized attack upon their pers ns or - properties. . ·,

I have the honour ~o be Sir: Your most - obedient - humble servant

Lionel Cardeu Consul

Archive · General de Puerto Rico ( GPR) ~rondo de Fortaleza Caja -14A r· ' .

To Major qen~ral John ~- Brooke. Co{lllllander U.S. Army in Porto Rico , . ''

Sir:

Th'e1 1- undersigned, Mr. Carlos Doitt.au, . citizen of the French Republic and ' Mr / Joaquin Tornabells a subj ect of Spain, both residents of this .Gi ty _ of Mayaguez and old established in business, under the name of J. Tornabells and c. beg respectfully to state: that on the .night .pf the 18th to the 19th instant, the buildings of tl:>:e.Jr c offe,fi! 'plantation named "Collera" in the Municipal district of Las Marias were set on fire, the crime being commited by a party of about 200 armed men, who reduced every thing to a~p~s, after plundering and taking away all the coffee that was in ' store, even the portion that was in the tanks.

We had some men to guard the Plantation, who were sent by us for this purpose, on . ~uspition that .. the foul deed wou·ld happen, in view of the different fires that had already taJcen place in the neighbourhood, but all resistance proved uselesef'.

We calculate the loss of the buildings and the machinery burned with them, in a sum not less than $20,000 - Pto-Rico currency.

The coffee carried away from the store and the tanks under preparation for the market, amounts to about $4,000.

To such material damage we have to add the enormous loss caused by the impossibility of gathering the balance of the present crop, as all the buildings, machinery, tools and accessories for the different operations required in a Coffee Plantation -before the product is ready for the market- have been destroyed. We apraise this loss to the amount of about 9 to 10 thousands Pto-Rico dollars, making a grand total of $34,000, not including in this sum the amount of provissions robbed from the supply store of the Plantation.

The facts occurred in that memorable night, being thus presented for your consideration, we have to add that we formulate the strongest protest against these fires and robberies, of which we have been made the victims and as protesting as owners of the property and merchants long established in this island, we do so in accordance with the general principles of law and rules, which are observed among Nations, demanding the proper indemnification of the amounts lost as provided by the laws of every country and considering it as an act of justice.

Annexed to the present yo will find · consular Certificate of the general situation in thi "district, as also those of the Mayors of Mayaguez and Las Mari s a,s regards to the facts already established by us.

' 1-iayaguez P.R. October 20th 1898

Carlos Doittau i

AGPR sr' . Fondo·-"1e Fortaleza Caj ':a 15 . ,:•

J. ~Tor.rurbells •' • • I

CONSULAR AGENC¥ OF THE UNITED STATES

~· .-. i-OF

--AMERICA . Mayaguez,, Puerto · Rico

October 20th 1898

I Manuel Badrena, Consular Agent of the United States of America at Mayaguez P.R., do hereby certify that, it is a current topic in public circles, the existence in this Department of different parties of armed men whose aim is to destroy by fire the property of pacific citizens, specialy of the Spanish residents, with the purpose of ruining them and obliging them to leave the island. The number of places dest-royed so far is about sixty, causing besides the damage to their owners, great injury to the mer can ti le interests of the community. " · .., ..

In witness thereof and at the request of Messrs J. Tornabells & C. I sign and affix the seal of office, in duplicate at Mayaguez, Pto-Rico this 20th of October 1898.

Manuel Badrena U.S. c. Agent

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 15

Nose equivocaba Badrena cuando dec1a que los grupos que atacaban las haciendas ten1an un interes particular en destruir propiedades de espafioles. No porque se tratara de un conflicto nacionalista o algo por el estilo; sino porque en el siglo diecinueve los espafioles hab1an constituido los principales explotadores del campesinado. Este recuerdo estaba muy fijo en la memoria larga de aquellos para quienes el siglo de "oro" hab1a significado desposesion y penurias.

Ca olina P.R. Oct 16th 98

To the Assistant Adjutant General United States Forces in P.R.

Sir:

In pursuance to the special i structions I have the honor to report upon the conditions ex'sting in the district of Carolina P.R.; the methods emp oyed at the three sugar plantations in the district and th circumstances attending a strike on the plantation known as B enavista.

On Thursday Oct 11th I relie ed Capt. Scott at Carolina, and found things very orderly. Ver few taxes have been paid during the last year and the cit owes $1,500. There is only about $500 in the treasury. This partly the taxes of next year, which according to the anish methods, have been collected ahead to meet expenses. here is no property here belonging to the Spanish gover ent except the church. This formerly belonged to the city of Ca olina but was taken by the government. Some investigation dis losed that the natives were in an anguished and unsettled stats of mind. They seemed to expect some great and sudden chan es in their condition. They were seized with a desire for reven e for former wrongs. There exists bad feelings between the naives and the priest and the evening of Oct 13 the natives order d the priest to leave the town and threatened his life ad said they would break the windows of the church if he held se vices.* He came to me for · protection and I assured him secur·ty in holding his services. My provost guard remained in th vicinity and no trouble resulted at all. About 11 o'clock the same evening I noticed two men acting rather suspiciously and when I followed them, they run. I ordered them to halt b t they disappeared around a corner. I followed and as I reach d a hedgr, over which I thought one had jumped, a revolver as pushed almost against me and discharged. I was unable to cap ure him and have no clue as to his identity.

I also found that the employ es on the Buena Vista sugar plantation were on a strike. This plantation is owned by Mr. Esquiaga** and is about two miles rom Carolina. About 300 men are employed there. The wages paid average about 56 cents per day. Some earn as high as $1.20 ad y while some are paid 62c., 50c. per day . Boys are paid 25c. pe day. The workmen are paid every saturday night in good mone. There is a store at the plantation both ½eing run in con ection. At his store the employees can buy goods through the week on credit and on Saturday night t h at amount is deduced from their wages. If one of them buys anything from the sore and in payment offers a

peso, he receives in change ti and paper money or checks, whi-a:h ·are good only a·t tha-t store. If -one of the employees acc.umulatesr an , am . ount of "' this mon·~y and wishes to exchange -• it for good money he can do so at 25c. discount; i.e. he gets ?Sc ; , in good money for 1 peso oft e store's tin currency. The wo4kmen : struck for · higher wages an for honest weight at the p-J: antation , rstore--. · It · has been ' · he custom on the island for merchants to have two sets of weigh s; one to buy . with and one to sell with. This is not only t ,ue at the plantation stores but · ·a:tso in the towns. A po-Und of ,_._ rice or ' sugar purchased is nearly always one and a half r two ounces short. I met a committee from the strikers on O t. 12th and succeeded in inducing them to return to work as uring them hone:st we'ight in the future. About 200 of the 300 mployees on the p 1a ritation had joined the strike. I had an int rview with the owner of the plantation with the Mayor and wared him, against continuing the practice of short weights. The next day nearly all the strikers were back at work. Mr. Esq iaga has now gone - to Spain and has left another man in char e. I find today that honest · weight is being given the employees now. They are fairly well sati:sf:ied and everything is quiet. · ·

' Mr. Saldafia's plantation, wi · st · of Carolina, known - as Progress, is run on the same plan s ' Buena Vista, exc·ept '.'the employees have been given hones ~~ weight, and · o-ffered ' · no complaints. The plantation at Ca ovanas is run on similar meth0ds ; · a1though here there is so · e variation. The wages paid are not quite as high as at the oth rs, the average bei'n~ about 53 cents. The goods sold here hav also been short in weight. There is a gen~ral discontent all o er the district concerning ' the wages paid ~ - complaints have bee made _ by tht;:r peopl~ in · town concerning weights given · and' · l:>y esting , · them I · •tound them short, some 2 ounces to the poun. I had the Mayor issue a proclimation warning all merchants that hereafter those that sold any goods underweight would be unished by the law.

Last evening I received the otice of the appointment of Mr. Ramon H. Delgado.*** I infor ed Mr. Casablanca of the appointment. In a few moments ther appeared in front of my quarters about 200 natives who were represented by a committee of three. They stated they were thei to present a petition for the appointment of Mr. Torregrosa as mayor and to protest against Mr. Delgado's appointme • As their reasons for protesting against his appointment t ey said that he had raised troops to fight the Americans; he ha given horses and money to equip Spanish cavalry; he had report d a number of citizens of Carolina, who had refused to aid im raising troops, to the Spanish government and advised that he citizens be imprisoned. They also claimed that he used names of citizens on his petition to be appointed mayor, who ould not read or write and who did not know their names wee used. There is a violent opposition against him in the distr'ct. I told them that I

would forward their petition but that - as long as Mr. Del:gado was mayor they must ·obey him as such and kept the law. I enclose their petitions with signa~ures.

Mr. Casablanca, former mayor on Oct. 15th handed me his resignation which I hearin enclose. He will continue as ·major until Mr. delgado takes the oath of office.

I have the honor to be Very Respectfully Your obedient servant

Fred M. French Capt. 4th Ohio US ~ommanding

AGPR

Fbndo de Fortale z a caj·a 16 ··

*La actividad en contra de los espafioles y sus propiedades no se limit6 a los atagues llevados a cabo por grupos organizados. Gente de distintos pueblos tarnbien expres6, mas o meno~ espontanea.mente, su resentim,i..ento hacia propietarios.., y ot,_r as .personas, como sacerdotes, de origen espafiol. :: , .

**Eiquiaga ,~ra ;., espafio1. ""' : ,"' (,

un conocido comerciante y terrateniente

***Rain6~ H. Delgadp, fue lider regional del Partido Federal. P3ptilar entre los suyo~, era visto por sus opositores como ·un antiguo colaborador del regimen espafiol •

r,~ Al 'Monor.able • General- . aenry Gobe nador Militar del- Distri~o de :. : Ponce · :· , ~- • C • • ; ,, ...,. 1 :"-. · Sr:'··;_~--.11 • t \ !_. _ f · \' t

.:: ··-•, • Dofra ., Amalia Gonz.alez espo~·a de . D n Rodulfo Figueroa, . • ·. comparece ·ante~·su ,.;digna ,. autoridad pidiendo justicia. · ',1 '. - ·: ,

Mi esposo fui reducido a·'pr' sion el dia quince del pasado Noviembre por orden de un ofic al del ejircito america.no, e incomunicado primero en la Carce de Ponce fue trasladado a la de la ciudad de Caguas donde hoy se encuentra.

Mi esposo desconoce los mo hoy despues de transcurrir veint se le ha recibido declaraci6npor la cual se le ha privado de los medios de defenderse.

ivos de su prision porque aun y dos dias de su carcelage ni i se le ha notificado la raz6n ibertad, no proporcionandosele

Si como lo ha declarado e Gobierno Norte - Americano, susisten en Puerto - Rico las 1 es civiles y por lo tanto el C6digo Penal espanol, seame permi ido protestar respetuosamente de la infracci6n de esa Ley que o admite que ningun ciudadano sea privado de su libertad sin q e se le notifiquen las causas de su prision dentro de las seten a y dos horas. Si por trat~rse de un procedimiento iniciado por un juez militar americano, no debe aplicarse a mi esposo el Cod'go penal espafiol, yo me acojo a la noble y hermosa Cons ti tuc on de los Estados Unidos de Amirica que, ni en paz ni en gue ra toleran la prision secreta ni los procedimientos que lastima la dignidad de la conciencia humana. Mi marido es inocente, r; pero si se sospecha de 61 algun delito, deseo que se le juz ue.

Masque a nada, Sr, yo acudo a la rectitud nunca desmentida como Gobernante de Ponce, supl · candole se digne ordenar la escarcelaci6n de mi esposo Don Ro ulfo Figueroa porno resultar contra 61, cargos de ningun gine o, y si asi no lo acordase, disponer se le notifique el moti ode su prision, dandole los medios de justificar su inocencia Pido justicia.

Ponce Noviembre siete de mil ochocientos noventa y ocho.

Amalia Gonzalez

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza

Caja 17

* Rodulfo Figueroa, opositor del r gimen espafiol en Puerto Rico, dirigi6, durante la invasi6n, un cuadrilla contra las fuerzas espafiolas ya favor de las nor eamericanas. Ademas, mientras las tropas norteamericanas entr ban al pais, Rodulfo gustaba de pasear una bandera norteamer'cana por las calles de Juana

1 ' D1a'z y sa·nta ··-~:rsab'el. -· ·: Poco ·despues ·de·::-,ha:ber ., ocurr.ido ·, los asuntos relacionados con esta carta, Rodulfo fue nombrado ·· jefe de la polic1a de Juana D1az. M!s tarde pas6 a dirigir la policia municipal de Ponce. Rodulfo estuvo vinculado al Pa~tido _..... Re.pU.bl.iqano. _Es; pos_i~.le que , su encarcelamiento hay~ tenido que .. --- ver con · alguna act~v1.dad que no ·tue ~: del · agrado ·de , las ~tropas norteamericanas. -ya·"."a ·- fines de julio>un ·- militar :· 1norte'amerieano ,"!"> c,, hab1~ teni~o que , detenez:le cuando, tras pen~trar en la alcald1a >;) • • de Ponce, t;ra t6 de lanzar por e1 balc6n ·:..Uhos · s :.tmbol'os de la -: C:fm911arqu1a· .. ~· esp~fiOla. . , . i~- I'.; :•I, ~-:-:.- j ~.1. 1 : 1 ';' :.~ • ,1 ;· , : C :.: :: :. ). · ; i. -:·· ·" s:.:. ·; ·)".,. • ; ,£~:~ ..~_ ·.. i"l ! _f )•. ·· -: .•• r' to,• I : ::. :1 •'. :. ;,

, ,. : .. ·, :, . ,·. • .• '1' {, .. -. I: .:, . .... ·.· ,·.. :,. , ~ • I i • • • I ,; I: '.

:- L 1:.f-: .:··,. 1 ) f-_. r r r. •.·,:· ·: ; - r- _, ·. ••' j .. ;_·. ' :,l-J. , - •. r • I .-..-, "('•"• .- ::, . .,, ,.•

Telegram General Henry, Ponce.

The Mayor General Commanding is 'n receipt of announcement by tihe 1 rec~nt ·.. ,Mayor, · ·Mr. eolom, · of,. Ponee, .·of the election ,as an '· ·Alca-lde-·· of · Josi..Llorens :· Y. Echev rria, •also an announcement, of :.• ·- that · fact by the . last named gentle an. He desires . th{lt ·,you inform ·· the parties · at interest, includi g the , :0ouncil,,,. th at ,:-- ur1der · the military government of this islan all vacancies occuring i~ the mayoralty or membership of the council will be filled by appointment ; from these headquarte s. Acknowledge receipt.

AGPR Fonda de Fortaleza Caj-a c.f6 '· --~ , ·

w.v. Richards, Assistant Adjutant General ·' ·,.,

Telegram

General Henry

November 10, 1898

Brigadier General Chief of Staff

Th~ Mayor· G~ne;i:-al comm:a nding. directs m~ ~o .infqrin yq.~. that he -haf? .appole,ited Mr. Lu~s'· ·po:trata · Doria, ·· Mayor ., of ·. P.onc~, vice Ulp-iano Colom, .. r ·~1dgneci.· The , appoihtment , was J:nailed . toi day _ ·and Mr:.· Dpr4a :.··sho:uld .'; take '!. ' charge · of ' tbe. o-ff-1:ee ., a~ - spon Ta~ :: he qualifies,. . · · · · · . · .. · · ·' · ·!' · ·,' j • I • ;'"; , ,' .. . . ;. M·. ,;~ --::Sheridan,.. : . . ·.•,.;r,: . 'j -: . t' .· :

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 16

Los militares norteamericanos dejaron clar~nierife es:tabled'i'dd que eran ellos quienes hac1an los nombramientos de funcionarios .- y que no aceptaban 'ningun menoscabo de esa autoridad.

n r- ' ,.· ,r; .·- .'I'h e cases of arrests are num rous. The , offences are usually ,., personal assaults ori'.ginating in he vendetta or ;tl)..ey are predial r •.-- larceny ... The evil-disposed clas es rose against th.e Spal)iards, and murders, robberies; and arso were common. It is claimed by some that property to the valu of many million . d9~lars was AU-rned,. apd personal property a d money in large amounts were ~. l?~izeq e, ~Ij,d ca..tt;" ied away. This la lessness was not stopped until ;- . 1:,);le ~iican :troops had taken co trol and established garrisons :,. _, Jn th ~ : most cfisturbed districts.

; • l • f ' • 1 _, Brigaodier , G.eperal George W. .S.V. ~ ; Civil Affairs of Puerto Rico,• .1899, washington , Governme t Printing Office, 1900, p.19.

In. compliance with the terms ·of the ' 2nd , Enqorsement ,,.- on an of•ficial odmplaint · from the U.S. ~onsul, .San Juan, Por to , ,R:i.co, directing ' an inve·stigation and report upon alleged di~order in the ; jurisdiction· of Quebradillas, Port'o · Rico; I hav~ ·-the ·honor to -report as follows: · ,•. · : 1 I. Upon -. •inquiry I ascertained that since th~ latter ,_ days, of . September ·or first days of October, 1898, s ·om:e - sev,~n ·_.families have moved from the jurisdiction of Quebradillas. These families were, in the main, of Spanish and Canary Island blood, some of them having been employed in the City _ Hall upd~r . Spanish-,.I)\lle, · thez:~py., ih<;;qrr ing the ·displeasure of ni any nativ~ Porto Ri--q.ans, , -in, that , jurisdiction. The families in question left their property practically unprotected, and as a natural and logical result under the state of affairs escisting on the Island at that time it was in part destroyed by fire and otherwise ••• [Noviembre de 1898]

Very respectfully Paul E. Divine Major 6th us Vol Infantry Commanding Post

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Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 17

Noviembre 17 de 1898

senor:

El ayuntamiento que presido, en sesi6n · celebrada . anoche, acord6 d;i.rigir a usted- la siguie e exposici6n.:

Que este pueblo, por especiales condiciones topograficas, esta muy expuesto ser vi.ctima del bandolerismo que esta azotando a algunos ·... p u blos de , ,1a isla, y no . ti ene actualmente para su defensa ma:S ·q e \lJl escaso cuerpo de pol;i.cia municipal, compuesto unicamente nueye hombres• : ·,

, Por tanto, suplica usted se sirva facili tar las armas necesarias, rifles y rev6lveres, ara dichos policias, a fin de que puedan defender a esta poblac'6n en caso de ser atacada.

Tambien suplica la corporac · 6n se sirva destinar a este , pueblo un pequefio destacamento d soldados para auxiliar a la polic-ia . en- · caso necesario.

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza caja 16 .·

e usted respetuosamente, ederico E. Virella lcalde de Arroyo • l

Al Hon. Mayor General Jefe del D partamento de Puerto-Rico

Al Honorable Commanding. senor Mr.

San Juan, Porto-Rico, 2 de diciembre de 1898

John R. Brooke, Major -"-i'- General ;-

Mi respetable sefior -y amigo: tengo · ·.especial gusto en enviarle l ~s . n9ticias que he recibido ultimamente de la Ysla / -' en materia d~ ; 6rd.h , p0blico, extractadas en las hojas inclusas. Copias de telegramas ; informes verba:i-es, parrafos , qe : .cartas particulares, que vierien a demostrar de mode cdncluyente c6mo va recobrando Puerto-Rico la · situaci6n · normal de -los dia~ anteriores i la guerra, y c6mo se va afirma!id.6 " la paz .: puplica, que ya ej'erce . SU -~~nifico influjo en todas lai ciudade~y en t6do~ los pueblos.- A~ i r •

Queda respetuosamente de Ud. alto -amigo y s.s • '

Luis Munoz ~ivera Presidente del Cortsejo de Secretaries y Secret~tio · de Gobernaci6n. , ;• · • .I

[Ejemplos de] orden publico. ,_\ .. ,.\

•Noticias recibidas ultimamente de la Ysla, sobre <'

De Arecibo 11 Nov. 1898

Al Secretario Gobernaci6n - San Juan , ' f.

Gracia grandes esfuerzos de esta Alcaldia, poderosamente secundada por autoridades militar, hace muches dias no ocurre incendio ni desorden alguno.

M. Perez Aviles - El Alcalde.

De Adjuntas. 20 Nov. 1898

Al Secretario Gobernaci6n - San Juan.

Desde el 3 de Noviembre no ha ocurrido incendio alguno: se nota tranquilidad relativa.

El Alcalde - Pablo Font.

De San Sebastian. 11 Nov. 1898

A Munoz; Secretario de Goberna i6n - San Juan. Hace 20 dias no ocurren incendios inguna clase. Tranqui1idad absoluta • Gonzalez · Hernandez - Alca-lde ' . -. .•·' --< ,De -Yauco" 11 · Nov. 1_898..,• '-,

Al Secretario Gobernaci6n

Por consecuencia medidas tomadas rei a absoluta tranquilidad en el pueblo y barrios rurales. Aun te algun prop6sito de robo e intimidaciones a particulares. Dr. Gaztambide. De Utuado 2·0 Nov. , 1898

Al Secretario de Gobernaci6n - an Juan. Reina tranquilidad esta jurisdicci6n y han cesado des6rdenes. Martinez - Alcalde.

De Lares 1i Nov. 1898

Al Secretario de Gobernaci6nNo continuan incendios ni des6rdenes

El Alcalde.

De Las Mari~s 19 Nov. 1898

an Juan. Reina tranquilidad. I · -· -. ~ ,· secre.tario , de Gobernac-i6n - S n· Juan. · ;t--:;, • C ;---· .6 r ;- '

Desde 2da. quincena Octubre no hab a sido incendiada ninguna casa en esta jurisdicci6n: noche jue es 17 hubo incendio barrio "Jurnias" casa Leon Olivieri: autore preses.

Alcalde.

De Mayaguez, 26 Nov. 1898

., Al Secretarto de Gobernaci6n_ San Juan

Participo que creo ext1ng~ida s partidas de " plateados (?) 6 incendiarios de los pueblos vecinos de Afiasco y Las Mar1as. · La noche del incendio de la hacienda del Sr. Olivieri mand, ·dci~ ~ parejas de polic1a a practicar las ·· lnvestigaciol)es . del, ca~o, ,. dando por resultado traer 8 presos que han resultado casi todcis ~' convictos y confesos y que han hecho relaciones important1simas sobre los autores de los incendios de cinco haciendas mas en Las Mar1as.

Santiago R. Palmer - Alcalde. .;..;

De Sabana Grande 22 Nov. 1898 ; . ~ . . -~ t - -~ ' ? ~- 'J i-j~;... t rr: t..,..,. ;-1·'- •

Al Secretario de Gobernaci6n - San Juan.

Aqui reina la mas completa tranquilidad; prueba inequivoca que las masas estan contentas con la nueva situaci6n.

Modesto Cordero - Secretario del Ayuntamiento.

De Lares, 12 Nov. 1898

A Secretario de Gobernaci6n - San Juan.

Por esta jurisdicci6n reina tranquilidad: proseguimos sin descanso a los criminales. ;

Virgilio Acevedo - Alcalde.

De Fajardo, 30 de Nov. de 1898.

Ynformaci6n verbal del Sr. Subsecretario de la Gobernaci6n. Existe tranquilidad absoluta en toda la comarca, sin que se hayan reproducido los desordenes que tuvieron lugar ; ep _ los comienzos de la ocupaci6n militar, gracias a las medidas adoptadas por las __ au tor idades. : · l, --;i \ , ,•·

De Loiza. 26 de Nov. 1898.

· ·Ynforme personal de David Carr 6n, Consejal del Ayuntamiento

Hubo en los primeros momentos del cambio de nacionalidad alg~n temor y bastante alarma, pero los esfuerzos desplegados por el ~lcalde evita toda clase de ~esord nes. Actualmente, existe all1 perfecta paz moral. ·

•1:

De Patillas. 25 Nov. 1898.

Ynforme verbal de Don Jose L. Berr els-, Al'C'alde.

Ni existe en ~quellos campos , _ ni temor- de.- ~e pu~da_ .fc;:,rm~:i;s~ · habi tantes: del termino se d 'edic~n preocupaciones de ningun gen~ro . .

artida alguna de malhechores en lo sucesi vo. Todos los abitualmente al trab~jo, sin

De cayey 24 Nov. 1898.

Restablecida totalmente la pa moral, todo sigue una marcha regular y ordenada.

De Humacao 28 Nov. 1898 ·- · Ynforme verbal de los sres. don An onio Roig y don Jose Ramirez, ricos hacendados de la jurisdidci6 . -

En Humacao, hasta ahora .. no ha menor tumulto. Los individuos y 1 y tienen toda la. protecci6n de militar.

'abido un solo incendio n.i el s propiedades son respetados a autoridad civil y de la

De Ponce. 29 de Nov. 1898.

Carta · particular de Don Luis de . Po rata Doria, Alcalde.

Unicamente ocurre alguno que otro robo · de -ganado __ en los barrios rurales, sin mayor importan ia. No existe el menor rastro de ninguna partida incendiaria. Las autoridades judiciales activan la tramitaci6n de los proc sos por robo, y la policia & mis 6rdenes persigue tenazmente a los ladrones. La ciudad esta tranquila.

De Toa-alta. 30 Nov. 1898.

Ynf orme personal de Don Octavio Garcia Salgado, irtfluyente de ·aquel pueblo, Juez -municipal. propietario il. 1 ;::, ( ·· :· .s ;o, ., :-: A_ ·,. :"· consecuencia autoridades locales tuvieron lugar en el quietud.

las disposiciones tomadas por ' :, las se han repetido los ; escandai.os · .,que pasado. Se vive ahora alii en completa -r De Barceloneta ,- ::: :ie -, Nov. 0 1898 • .

de no mes

~Carta particular del -Alcalde Don Eduardo Giorget~i . •• .c:

Con las medidas , ultimamente -1: tomadas, han des~par~cido . los robos de ganado. Todav1a existe alguna intranquilidad ) ~ntre . los propietarios de los campos, pero gracias a la actividad desarrollada por el Juez de Ynstrucci6n del Distrito, ya estar presos los que se suponen principales autores de los hechos criminales ocurridos hace poco, desaparecera en breve el estado de inquietud.

De Manati. 20 Nov. 1898.

Ynforme personal del Alcalde Don Gregorio Kuinlan.

Hace mas de un mes que ningun hecho constitutivo de delito se comete en los campos de Manati pqr partidas de .salteadores 6 incendiaries. No se nota la pr esencia de estas e,n. ninguna parte de la jurisdicci6n. De modo que el temor ha desaparecido · y los propietarios reanudan sus tareas. >

De Maricao. 25 Nov. 1898.

Carta particular del Alcalde Don Victorian~ - Liquet . .... .

Poco a poco va recobrandose ·- la tranquilidad perdtid<:l. Aun existe algun temor, pero ya no se realizan los hechos escandalosos ,• de los primeros dias d~ la invasi6n • .

De .Coarn.o. 22 Nov. 1898

Ynf orme verbal del ·1n'Crtde · - Don Florenc i o s ·ar{ti~go, . hij,o del primer propietario de la localidad 1 •.

disposicion~s de las auto idades militares y civiles •y el auxilio prestado -por las fuerz s del ejercito americano ha:n devuelto completamente la tran uilidad a Coamo y su·s alreo.e~res, ., - De . Piedras. 29 Nov. 1898. Carta particular del Alcalde D. En ique " Acosta. _ : ':..'.' Procef;F.do$ \ ,. ._ preses 10s pr' ncip,c;les p romovedores de los escandalosos __y crimfhales hechos ue aqui tuvieron lugaren - dias pasados ' • --., \., -:

J;., Luis Munoz Rivera ,--- Presidente del ~onsejo . Gobernq.ci6n. * AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza •:·, -Caja 17

de S cretarios y Secretario -~ -de

* Munoz Rivera presidi6 eI Cons-ejo ~e Secr.etario; ; · -heredado del f..,~_, r;egi_men auton6mico. Este gabin~te funcion6 ·mien tr as -· fue c onveniente para el gobierno :mili -ar. A comienzos de 1899, el ,__ - - General henry, tras unos -roces on Munoz, no tard6 en aejar demostrad.o ., ~uien _ ~ra la: autoridad en -Puert<;>_ . Rico y puso fin al gabinete. : I r; '

_

Ghr c;mological. Record of Major General Guy V. Henry, Commanding Department 0£ Porto Rico, Beginning -December 6, 18-9 8. [ Extr-actp] r·, • , ,

Dec~ . 8 Wrote Pr~sident, thanking him for confidence, outlini'ng ,.. p9lic,y. , gel;lerally ,·_; $tat;: j;i;ig _ t~at . lack of c~valry encou1;aged ~he _-banditti, asking th~t.: re·ports of depradations be recei:v ed with allowanc·e... · ,•,, . " · · -,~... , ~, . .r f

Dec. 17 Wrote Secretary of State complaining of action of alcalde, Rio Grande, in threatening to raise taxes of citizen who had displeased him.

Dec. 14 Assigned Lieut. Frank Techter, 47th N.Y.V.I., to examine into a report upon island ·police matters. , ,·:, ,.

Jar/ ~ ?. ~ :{18~9) Wrote· the President stating thatJ· taxe s q,ad been reduced and further reduction · ·was contemplated,, ;:advising that people are incapable of selfgovernment and also s'tAting that the present form of government is better than any that couid ·· be devised for existing conditions and enclosing some orders.

Feb~ . 7 . Placed insular police under Frank Techter, late Lieut ... - t • "'"l :), :" • •

Feb. 20 Announced that alcaldes and councilmen must obey Qrders from these headquarters without question and enjoined upon people necessity of selecting best men for office.

Feb. 21 outline plan and scope of Insular Police.

Feb. 27 Wired Commanding Officer, Aguadilla, that mf iitary ·contro.l would cease March 1 and that Secretary of State would " appoipt .a man to fill vacant alcaldeship ,if necessary.. ; ,.,. j ' ' ~.- : ;.:... ..· ,,. ( '"; ' ,·. . ; Feb. _2Et' :wro te· the Preside n t ,:giving ,personnel . of new ,cabinet and ---: ·its :· organizatiC?i:i; citing mi:sl'ilanagement · under old ~egime with respect to· roadwork, giving Mr : Rivera's, future plans as reported stating that island is unfit for civil government . and that the first thing to do is to buildup country ...

March 2 Wired Commanding Officer, District of Ponce, to close Democracia if satisfactory explanation could not be given in regard incendiary article printed on Feb. 25 and to notify all commanding officers in district to watch for and report such articles.

March 20 Wrote Commanding General, San Juan, to send troops from Arecibo to co-operate temporari y with the one in Utuado in scouting mountains with _' a view to complete restoration of law and order. · · ·

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'I :'. L

-. : ,

Fondo de Fortaleza ·. r ' ' ,.' r ' :~. rif-·,0.r .. ,;

CIRCULAR

· San Juan Puerto 1 • ' Ric6 f., Diciembre 28 de . 1898 ,.- . ' . . . f

Sr. Alea~~~ de Ia todos . los alcaldes]

Senor: •; ·,

De acuerdo con las· indicaciones del Honorable Mayor General Comandante del Departamento, y a fin de que tengan representaci6n en las Corporaciones Municipales elementos de las distintas filiaciones politicas del pais, se ordena por esta Secretaria lo siguiente:

Io Los ayuntamientos clasificaran la lista de elegibles en grupos de liberales, radicales e indefinidos, y enviaran al Comandante General y al Presidente del Consejo, sin perdida de tiempo, copia calificada de esa clasificacion, que debe hacerse con la mayor exactitud.

2o Cada vez que ocurran vacantes de consejales en los Ayuntamientos, se dara cuentas a esta Secretaria, la que pedira al Consejo Municipal respective, de acuerdo con el Comandante General la propuesta de personas para cubir dichas vacantes, designandolas entre las que figuran en las relaciones de elegibles, de modo gue vaya nivelandose la representacion de los partidos en el seno de las corporaciones Municipales.

Sirvase cumplir desde luego y sin demora alguna lo dispuesto

De Vd Atentamente

Secretario de Gobernacion [Luis Munoz Rivera]

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Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 17

32

San Juan, Puerto Rico Diciembre 30 de 1898

Al Honorable Mayor General, Comandante del Departamento.

Senor:

Recibo de manos de usted dirigiera Mr. Carroll al Honorab respondo a los cargos que me pa fin de que Mr. MacKinley y usted este asunto •..

opia de una inf ormaci6n que e Presidente de "1'a ·· Rep'G.blica . y ecen mas serios y formales, a puedan formar exacto juicio en

Paso ahora a las noticias qu da Mr. Carroll relativas a la prisi6n de Santiago Yglesias ya la federaci6n de los gremios. Santiago Yglesias es, segun lo informes que facilitara el General Macias al general Broo e, un anarquista espafiol que residi6 en La Habana y que de al 1 sali6 expulsado hacia Puerto Rico.

En Puerto Rico predic6 la doctrinas del mas exagerado socialismo; promovi6 huelgas de t abajadores y agit6 entre estas el espiritu de indisciplina.

El general Brooke, opinand que resul taba perniciosa la labor de Santiago Yglesias, indiclb al Secretario de Gobernaci6n la conveniencia de impedir que p osiguiera su obra nociva. El Secretario record6 al General Brooke que los principios liberales, de que no abdica se o onian a que se expulsase a un ciudadano. El General Brooke orde, 6 que se notificase a Santiago Yglesias el disgusto con que ll Gobierno Militar vera sus propagandas, exponiendole que se le expulsar1a sino modificaba su actitud. El Secretario cumpli la orden. Y lejos de ceder, Santiago Yglesias insert6 al iguiente dia en un pequefio peri6dico que administra, una re efia de su conferencia con el Secretario, resefia autorizada po la firma de Ram6n Romero. El General Brooke, mand6 que se den nciase el hecho al Juez y el Juez decret6 la prisi6n.

Es necesario advertir que lo Circulos de Obreros funcionan sin llenar las reglas que exigen las leyes actuales y que, sin embargo, se les permite funcio ar libre y ampliamente, no imponiendoles trabas ni dificulta es. Yes necesario saber que "El Liberal", organo del partido q e existi6 bajo la jefatura del Secretario de Gobernaci6n, fue uiza el unico que acept6 el aumento de salario para los obre os; aumento que sigue pagando en sus talleres tipograficos.

Nose atent6 en Puerto Rico contra la federaci6n de los "Gremios", ni se realiz6 -acto alguno que en ese sentido pueda interpretarse, ni el Consejo de secretaries aconsej6 nunca que se mermen las libertades publicas, sin las cuales no pueden vivir los pueblos que ponen sobre todas las cosas · el ··' ·cu~to de su dignidad. -·,· - : ' · ·

Respetuosamente,

Lufg : Mufioz Rivera AGPR · i Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 21 : ,_) -,

·l ·' ; t ;-, • ,- -~ :, t. t

.. •. I: - f ·

34 Ag adilla P.R. Fe ruary-2 r.J89;9 ...., ..

To General Guy ·. V. , Henry U. s. A. Comdg. Dept Porto Rico

General:

In accordance with instruction contained in telegram of January 31-99 and your letter of the same date, I took charge of the office of Alcalde of this to and relieved the existing council. I saw the chiefs of the wo political parties;--. and asked them to make out lists of cou cilmen leaving out ·a1,1· men heretofore objected to. Mr. Queb s arrived in ample time yesterday afternoon and together visited the chiefs of the two parties and consulted them and hey agreed that every one should work together and get a co ncil that would serve the people and the interests of the town - and a meeting was called of all the representative men o the town. At Mr. Quebas suggestion the meeting took place at my house. The first thing done after the assembly took place, was for the two parties to wrangle over past differences. After sometime this was stopped and the party leaders were asked t present their lists which was done .•. The Autonomists or Radica s objected to two of the Liberals on the ground that they p id no taxes .•. Knowing that some of the Autonomist were in the ame position, I told Mr. Quebas that I would waive those ob'ections for the present at least in order to secure harmony. Th n there was more wrangling and I told Mr. Quebas to tell the that the good of the town and the island demanded that they top wrangling, set aside personal differences and work to ether, and that a military government would have to be kept up f they continued to act in that way. Finally they all agreed to chop their politics and to meet together ••• ! considered only far to give the Liberals a chance if possible, by making he council even, though according to your instruction it might have been composed entirely of Radicals •.. The feelin between the parties is certainly bitter and I think it wil always be difficult here to get a good council of Liberals a the members of that party dont agree among themselves - outsi e of any other reasons... Mr. Quebas told me as soon as e arrived here and before seeing or talking with any polititi n that the chief trouble here, or in other places on the i land was that "everybody" wanted to be "mayor", and that by re oving that office from the

question you had also - removed the chief course of dissension and that he thought matters · in a little while could be adjusted. I think he is right - but it will take a little time to adjust matters.

AGPR ·'--•·'--r Fon4o : de Fortaleza ' . _c, Caja 19 f ,; . r;, .- ! ' )"')~:- ;-

..'"J:'i' ' -

respectfully Frank Mansfield ·~ I

Very

UNITED STATES DEPAR ENT OF AGRICULTURE

'

OFFICE OF ~oio INQUIRY : WAS~ INGTO , D. C.

pril 10, 1899

To the Red Cross National Relief Association.

The starving condition of he working populatiol) in the Coffee districts of Porto Rico wh'ch comprise the larger pprtion of the Island appeals not only to the sympathy, but to the prudence of the American nation. To allow these friendly and faithful people to suffer and di while we are in the midst of plenty would be not only a reproac before the world but a danger to our peaceful occupation of th's and the other dependencies. Yet to continue to feed them in efinitely through Government bounty or private charity would be demoralizing to them and galling to the spirit of the Porto Ricans generally.

It is important therefore, o find some other and better mode of relief. The present diffi ulty is due to the short crop of coffee in Porto Rico and the xtremely low price caused by excessive production in Brazil, w ich have reduced the income of the Island Planters this year to l ss than one-third of the usual crop. There is so little capital in the Island that they are unable to borrow money on their 1 nds and numbers of them have been compelled to discharge the ajority of their laborers or even to entirely abandon cul ti va ion. These laborers have no other resource, no savings and no redit and instant destitu-tion has followed their discharge. Gene al Grant reports 39 deaths by starvation in one district, and my own observation throughout the region convinced me that at least a hundred thousand people are without bread or meat or medicine for their sick.

I am not familiar with the organization, but in this emerg suggestion, the adoption of which relieve the present distress while the Island in the future.

lans or limitations of your ncy I venture to submit a I believe would in a measure it must work great benefit to

The Porto Rican coffee has no market in this country, though in Europe it is considered among the best in the world. If it could be favorably introduced here the increased demand would at once advance its price which would give new credit to the Porto Rican Planters and enable them to resume wo f t : . •

Very respectfully, Roy Stone

Caja 21

Fortaleza

MEETING EN CAROL

Despues de avierto el acto y manifestar al publico el objeto de aquellas ~anifestaciones, uno de los representantes de uno de los gremios hizo uso de la pala ra otro de J ellos manifes-tando al pueblo 6 publico que ya ha 1a ll'egado - e .l .tiempo de las libertades para la clase obrera y continuando su discurso con frases muy inconvenientes.

Despues de este orador ta 6 la palabra otro de ellos tambien, sin duda para tranquili ar los &ni~os, manifestando no estar conforme con lo expuestp ,.p su - cd~pa'.nero,.. pues -c;reia que debia est.ar en armonia el t raba o con e1 capi t'al y ·que & las huelgas no se debia ir nunca j;>or ue se· .:f ~l ~aba al 6rden.

Despues hizo tambien uso d la pal-abra Santiago Yglesias empleando estas 6 parecidas fras s: "El obrero 6 los obreros no deben trabajar mas de ocho horas, por estar consideradas por un · dia' de trabajo, y que deben exig'r al Burgues · - al hacendado ·como mitii:mo j ornal, un peso p r las dichas ocho horas, de t~ a bajo : _' · ; :- t

Que por ningun concepto d ben trabajar los obreros mas tiempo que el serial-ado por el Ge eral Henry, aunque el Burques necesite de I m~s , para que en ese caso sean empleados en ,,:, , sustituci6n d~ pquellos ;· los que o esten trabajando '1

Que si el bu ~ques no qui .ere p gar . un peso como minimo jornal & las ocho horas de trabajo que 1 s - trabajadores u obreros deben declararse en, huelga.

Que en Cuba han habido muchas ruinas debido A la explotaci6n del Burgu~s 6 ~urgueses c~n las cases trabajadoras, lPOrque no puede s~r aqui . ,J. o mismo? Pues pue e ser.

Calder6n - agricultor

Juan Jimenez - agricultor

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 24

Emilio Pinero ,., ... agricll i tor __ Pinero - propietario

Central de can6vanas Puerto Rico

[J : •; • I

His Excelleri6y '- : a rigadier Gen. oavis · Commanding Gen. Porto Rico

r., 24 May. 1899 '·{ ·-- · : .I have ·the honor to submit for your information the enclosed papers showing the "inciting nature of the speeches of some of the speakers at the mass meeting of laborers held at Carolina on ' - ·sunday" - last r' the 23rd inst. The men who '• have signed are men to be :.- rEHied on ahd of some position in the Distric. They were present :- at ;tfie mEfetthg but in order ·: to chew the r- fear and ignorance there c.. :·si-:till exi't's in- the Island as regard justice, I would point out :- f , to your '.Excellency that these men who have ·signed · -do not wish their names to be brought before the public for fear of.. 'Vi:olence being used to them or their property. 8 ', In the ignorance of the lower classes · is the g -r ,eatest factor ;·, ..,, '°of danger, and the influence of · such ·_ a demagogue as santiago Yglesias~ who ' poses as their liberator - is r so great that at his bidding or advice they would stop at nothing. ,""; ' •; ' ! · .,, -Trusting that - your 'excellen6y wi11 -· see.;•fit t6 take i= such steps as to prevent a repetition of such speeches -as were given , at the meeting on Sunday last - :

I have the honor to be sir: Your most ob~dient servant

AGPR - :_ ·. ·Fondo de -Fortaleza Caja 24

San Juan Pto. Rico, Junio ·10 de 899

Honorable

Brigadier General Comandante en Jefe del Departame

Senor:

Me he enterado de la carta dirijido M.S. Marr, dandole cue pronunciados e ·n el pueblo de la con motivo de un meeting de obre informe, se ha dignado u. remiti

- ' .. .

ue a su superior autoridad ha ta de los violentos discursos arolina, el 23 del pasado mes, os all1 celebrado, y que, para a este Departamento.

En su consecuencia, tengo e honor de manifestarle, que se tomaran medidas para que nose epitan esos hechos; y que, de repetirse, seran entregados los autores a ·10s tr.ibunales, de , ~ conformidad con sus instruccione.

A'GPR

F6ndo d~ Fortaleza caja 24

Muy respe~uosamente, Her~inio Diaz Navarro• Secretari9 de Justicia , .

*Dia~ Navarro no tard6 en c ~ar a Santiago Iglesias y ·manifestarle la "conveniencia" . e que no incurriera en lo que el gobierno y los propietarios c nsideraban como exageraciones en sus discursos y que silo hac1a de nuevo se le aplicarla el rigor de la ley. Diaz le inform . al Gobernador Davis sobre su entrevista con Iglesias.

The Adjutant General Dept. Porto Rico San Juan, P.R. Sir: .

Manat1, P.R. - Julys; 1899 · ~o r

In compliance .with the Endorsements I have - the honor, to report as followsl :. ~,... -

I have investigated this case and know personally all the people cone~rned, a~ I was stationed in the town of Ciales for about three : ,n9-,ntbs .., ,... . ; " -i :: ; -:<.U ,.. •~·

All the trouble that has .· ocurred ±n the municipal government is due to political or party jealousies and dates back to . the time of the: , l~nd.in.g ,_ of American troops on this Island.

At, that, till'.le Spanish . troops were stationed at Ciales, and the m~l'l_\~ e,rs.. of the Radical·· - or as now called Republican - party had to leave or be killed.

When General Stone or Schwan occupied Utuado with Ame¥-'ican troops, Mr. Virgilio Ramos was the leader of about -tnre-e hund'.red Porto Ricans, and left Utuado and made an attack on the S~ari1sh troops in Ciales, in which the Porto Ricans are said to have lost twenty one killed .

ThE!y retreated t o Utuado and wi.th ) the! assistahce of • the American -troops started to make ·. :a . ,s ·econd , attack . when ;, the President's proclamation stopped · f urther offensive , action/ ·, ·~. .-:,

Af~er - the - Spanish . troops had left the 0 districts, : Mr. Ra mos, by acclamation, was appointed Alcalde · , ···and the • municipal government was formed.

Mr. Ramos continued in office until at the request of the Secy of state, Munios Rivera, General Brooke relieved him, and appointed the present Alcalde, Esteban Rios Munoz who was a member of the Spanish or Liberal party.

The district of Ciales is overwhelmingly Radical or Republican, but the Municipal government is liberal, or as they claim now the "Autonomist party" with a ratio of eleven to seven in favor of the Liberals, which was made by Munios Rivera in order to control the district.

Since the change in nt, the Liberals have dismissed J. nearly all of ·the former employ es and replaced them either by Spaniards or members of the Span sh volunteer force and which has caused great deal of dissatisfa tion.

Juan Montez is the acknow party in this section. He is a not accept any political office political leader in the distric

leader of ' the· ·Republican large property owner, but will and under him Mr. Ramos ,f s the of Ciales.

·

office. He proved that he was n t insolvent and · was re-instated at the new session of the Munic' al government. ,,

The ·remainder of the Rep lican party in the Municipal government, knowing that thts ae usation was false withdr~w from the council and remained away un il Mr. Ram6-s was re.:..."ii,stated.

·' The -only :rrecommendation ' th t I can make is that· a general election should be held and·- the"· ·city government revised on the result of the election.

· Both Mr. - Ramos, the ex-Alea · the · present Alcalde, controlled apparently attempted to carry Governments.

de, and Mr. Esteban Rios Munoz, he district satisfactorily and out the wishes of the ~ ·u.s. H.L. Bishop Captain 5 ·caval'ry Commanding : · ·

,'• ! 1 ·

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 26 -:,·.

· He - was dismissed from the icipal government on a majority 1 r: vote that he · was insolvent; was ot a tax ·payer ·and have not hold ;J I. I•

'-~ , 1 'st fitie -d t. ,:'· G·. T: Aide-de Camp .- S~p ~µ._an,,_rJ ~. R~ , · _ sir: ·,1 • ·1

, · Headquarters Post ··of :Arecibo re ··Arecibo, P. 'R, Aug;_:--~tn i899 Langhorne, • 1, caiva -1-ry,

.

I have the honor to return herewith the certified declaration of one , Florencio - Perez y Pere~~ · a~ ·alleg~~ bandit, . whp_wa~, wouqied an~t capt'l}red by the Insular ·poli'ce, ~tat.ion~~ at Quebraqillas, o~ the nignt of June 13, · 1899 . . .,., · ... ' ' •.~

I understand that the particular charge against Perez y Perez is, . haying form~~ one .of~: a band 1 which '· roBbed arid bu~ned ., . ~~he _P,qu s~ ,pf -~enor Pedro~Jaunarena, somewhere near San Sebastian, :- ],-~ :-_qgt.obe r., 1898. -: . _ Upon the wounded man's f being brought ; to · QUebradillas, he :. w~sf suff~:r.ing .(rom his wound and claimed that he was afraid that ' Reyes Ruiz, the Alcalde, would have him poisoned or · in some ·other way "disposed of" ••• As the wound became worse, the life of the prisioner being ,; pUpposed to be· in danger, he made ·a · statement or dec laratio.n betore th~ Municipai Judge of Quebradillas ~ which . stateJ,'llent is herewith. .. . . · . · ; 1· -: • ·1 •

In these statements it is noted that Perez claims to have been incited to , ~ad acti9n~ against the Spanish or Conservative Party, by Reyes Ruiz, Dionisio Gonzales and Arturo Umpierre.

The fi r ,s t nam~d :has •:- been Alcalde of Quebradillas since October, 1898. :, r , r

The other two, I understand, are at present members o~ , the Insular Police... ·~

I attach no great weight to the prisoner charges against Reyes Ruiz and the two others. At the close of the war the Porto Ricans, being in control, retaliated upon the spaniards for many years of oppression. These acts of retaliation, though wrong, were extremely natural. I think it very probable that men of equal standing to the three accused by Perez, being the leaders of the Porto Ricans, did incite the peons to acts of crime. It was not altogether understood in October 1898, that such actions were abhorrent to the Americans.

In my opinion at that time a movement was made to drive the spanish element out of the island. This movement was, generally speaking, a political one, but in certain cases private vengeances were satisfied at the same time ...

I know nothing against Reye Ruiz or the other men, accused by Perez of ·complicity, that ould tend to · corroborate the prisoner's statement~

Reyes Ruiz denies the whol statement.

Statement of Florencio Perez P.R.

My name is Florencio married, two children. I District of Quebradillas.

Very respectfully, (!legible) Captain 5th Cavalry Commanding Post a Prisoner at Que.1:>~adillas,

Perez, 3 3 years of age, in the barrio of Guajataca,

I was shot in the left 1 g -June 13, ·1s99 -Barrio of Aibonito, Distri~t of San Sebast'an, about 12 midnight -by party of four Insular police (Quebrad llas station), commanded by a Corporal -and two Municipal poli e of Quebradillas.

Was in a little house ren house. I pulled up a board from out; my leg was hanging down and were· fired. It was dark. I don 1 shot my revolver was in my house, one brand new Machete without ha

d by me. They surrounded the he floor and was trying to get was shot in the leg -six shots know who shot me. When I was also my rifle on th~ wall -also dle. . • . .

·, A~ter tlie · police had shot me I was brought into Quebradillas in a hammock.

Queeition: Why did these men want to capture you?

Answer: In October 1898 nt with a party of bad men who robbed the house of Pedro Jaure a; the house was burned but I don't know who burned it. I stol a cow and carried it homekilled it and ate the beef.

There w~re about 150 men in he the party of robbers.

I was taken prisoner by _ the s panish Guardia civile and put in the jail at Aguadilla. I was afterwards taken to Mayaguez · , but as the Americans were there, the guard went away and I went off and came home. I stayed around for three __ months and · was recapture by the Municipal police of ·· Quebradillas, by order of the Alcalde and confined at Quebradillas, -was sent to Aguadilla, -was sent to Mayaguez te~ days afterwards

I heard that my little child was sick and ran away to my home -that was on or about February 2nd, 1899.

After this -in March I think- a party of Conservatives and some Americans, from San Sebastian or Lares, came to my house to catch me but I was in the mountains.

Question: Why did the various parties went to catch -you?

Answer: From false stories that I was the leader of the bad element.

Question: What men told you to do certain bad adtions?

Answer: Reyes Ruiz, Dionisio Gonzales and Arturo Umpierre told _ ·r me to do things (to attack the spaniards) ·aga.inst the Espada '~J. :1 ;, Blanca. These men went to my , house and privately told me to kill ··' and s ack and rob the spaniards, and Reyes Rµiz said "we must not call each other by our .own names". We wete not to respect even our own relatives or recognize them when necessary to proceed against them. _;

I have made -· the same declaration ·to the Municipal Judge here.

I belong to th~ Republican part¥-• - I am afraid that if I stay here I may be poisoned by the Alcalde (Reyes _ Ruiz) o:t -his _._ friends. · '· ; ·; ·/,Ji } ~; :-

I am married, have a wife and two childr~n, both very young\ ~ I certify to the correctness 6"f this copy. · ",-'i

Quebradillas June 23, 1899

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 24

ment of Puerto Rico

n ., P.R. August 6th, 1899.

To the Adju ~~nt G~neral, U.S. A my, ',.. f'.: ,r:,W~:ishingtop, D. C. ' .-

Current year budget require nearly two million dollars this h.a~ ..b~en very thoroughly studied and reduced and compared recent ·years proportion of expen$e for ministration very much less the part for ,. public work educ~tion nd charities very much greater ' than ' formerly but two officia s now receiving -salaries four thousand dollars very few h gh as two thousand general ~d~inistration judiciary and udicial procedure just been ,_entJ~ely reorganized estimated . ncome about equal expenditures ·' receipt customs supply three fou ths revenue tobacco and co:ffee industries are almost prostrat and except with best modern appliances sugar at present price cannot be produced with profit hundreds of sugar estates are a andoned common labor commands only thirty cents per day and vas numbers are wholly unemployed under such conditions it is imp ssible to secure from internal revenue more than half million do lars annually to largely extend free list will correspondingly de rease receipts and deficit will necessarily result largest singl item in present budget is ·half million dollars for public works o cut this off means abstention from all improvements on roads w ich most urgently demanded to .. save expense transportation of gricultural products ·arid 1g1.ve '"~.¢lnployment to hoards always in g eat want , which is next door ' to ·~' i tarvation schools absorb .one t ird million while three tlmes "~: that urgently needed the state o destitution and release from ;"·former iron rule of Spain : has i creased very largely criminal ~: class who can only be kept in subjection by closest surveil+apce '.'. this is supplied by insular pol ce four hundred in number of ·.:::r natives organized into a militar body and scattered in groups of three to ten in all over rural county the army cannot do this work effect ually this costs hun red · sixty ·thousand jails ·. ~wo ·· hundred twenty five thousand to r~lflove duties on all cheaper fbod ' ~upplies lumber coal machinery .~erosene and similar artici i'. es bon$umed by . poor or used in roduction would afford s qme industrial . relief...AGPR Caja 29

''de Fortaleza

Sept. 20, 1899

To the Adjutant General, U.S. Army Washington, D.C.

[Extracto) : _,..

I am f creed to the condlusion that an elected assembly would be no more harmonious [Davis se refiere·•a las dificultades que ha visto entre los partidos) and I fear it would be followed by appeals to the Washington Government to re-establ~sq Military control. .\ ·' _, -

rr{ a gre~t many municipilities there are constant squabbles and petty rivalries, all based, so - far as ·r can see, on the · ·· desire of one set of men to secure the offices and emolument s and ·' ·o·f · the , 9ther to remain in power. ,. ,. -~ " -=,

T}:le fin~ncial administration ie : notoriuosly bad and corrupt in maT~Y pla~es and · I feat.' will not .m~terially improve when ~unicipal o(ficers . are ·elected by . the people. ~;

Gen. Davis ·' _f.. 0 AGPR ::ir-: Fondo de Fortaleza :r ~aji ; 1s ·.· · ·1 J_ ~-, ·; ; ,.,_

·j --,-., ; ..,,-., t t !. •! '1 ;; I! l • -~ •,·.•:. ·El·:,.,,gobernador_ Davis, al · igual ·que otros altos funciohiir:ios, t <1"' 1.rrd1.caba una y , otra vez que ·'. l ,o ,s puertorriqueflos no ,~staban capac~itados para el _, gobiern·o prop'io y que las relaciones , entt-e los :- dos partidos principales - Federal y Republicar{o - eran am~rgas. Esto, ; ultimo era cierto. Desde el siglo diecinueve, ·· ,·.e"l rre-setitimi ento·· · de los · ortodoxos { lu~go republicanos) hacia · los d. ibe.rales (iuego ;federales) fue ,notable. Entre otras cosas, , est:e resentim~ento _ se -atribula a ia< persecusi6n que los ortodoxos d~cran hal::> ~i; su(rido · ·bajo el g,o.bierno auton6mico, en el c~al figur~ prominentemente , Mufidz ' Rivera. Hab1a tambien importantes di~isrfcirtes ideol6gicas, · ya que· los ortodoxos se distinguieron -por posiciones _·pol.iticas - mas avanzadas, y las naturales ambicic;,nes de poder que todos los . partidos y organizaciones compartlan. Los fed ·erales, en cambio, desa- rrollaron un gran resentimiento hacia los republicanos por las acciones de violencia polltica que ocurrieron durante los primeros· afios de gobierno norteamericano.

Polic1a Insular

Puerto-Rico

P.R. Br. ·capitan del 4o Di,strito P.I. arcelone ta

Noviembre 25 de 1899

Senor: ·

Habiendo surgido · esta tarde en Hatillo una cuesti6n de caracter grave entre ·el Alcalde e aquel pueblo y uno de los guardias de una pareja del des acamento de Palomar que se encontraba all1 e,n comisi6n del se vicio, y por la misma gravedad de la cuesti6n y por la trascende cia que pueda tener ese hecho escandaloso por tratarse de lap imera autoridad local de un pueblo, no puedo menos que ponerl en su superior conocimiento para que Vd. con su elevado criter'o proceda en la forma que este le dicho. ·

El hecho pas6 as1: habien o verificado en Hatillo la confronta que tengo ordenada loss bados a las cinco de la tarde, la parej a de este puesto con la de Palomar compuesta de los guardias David Flores y Jose Rodrigez Perez estando de encargado el primero, este, segun su propi relate, antes de salir del pueblo se dirigi6 a la tienda de D n Enrique Marin Fernandez con objeto de saludarlo; en dicha tien se encontraba tambien el Sor Alcalde del pueblo, Don Fernando edesma a quien tambien salud6 por ser su amigo. En estos memento lleg6 el otro guardia, Jose Rodriguez Perez y habiendo deteni o su caballo sobre la acera, sali6 a la calle el Alcalde y on formas poco correctas le manifesto ue sacara el caballo de a acera ue s1 no lo sacar1a el; el Guardia le contest6 en buena forma gue lo har1a inmediatamente, y asi lo verif c6; poco despues, habiendo comprado el referido guardia una c jetilla de cigarrillos en la tienda por medic de un muchacho qu estaba all1 presente, este, al darle la vuelta al Guardia dem str6 el temor propio de los nifios ante un hombre de armas, en onces el Guardia le dijo: no temas e no estamos en los tiem asados (refiriendose a la Guardia Civil), entonces volvi6 a salir el Sr. Ledesma y dirigiendose al Guardia le dijo: l on guien habla Vd.? - con ese muchacho contest6 el Guardia, mb extrana mucho ue Vd. se tome la cosa como su a ero si Vd. se uiere tomar me es i ual. Entonces el Sr. Ledesma le dijo gue era un malcriado y un atrevido, le contest6 el Guardia y entonces al Sor. Ledesma montando en c6lera sac6 un revolve y apunt6 al Guardia dando al mismo tiempo la orden a una patru la de municipales de que se armaran y prendieran al Guardia In ular lo que trataron de hacer una vez armadas de fusiles; mientra tanto, el Guardia Flores que en todo este tiempo estuvo tratand de apaciguar al Sr. Alcalde, le agarr6 la mano desviando el rev lver y tratando de hacer paz.

El guardia Rodriguez le sign if ic6 A los municipales que no estaban autorizados para prenderle y como estos insistieron carg6 su fusil y dijo gue a el no lo tocaba nadie (los municipales) ™ el no podia permitir gue lo desarmaran, cedier.on los municipales ante la actitud del Guardia 4nsular y entonc~~ el Enca~gado de parej a Flores ap.rovech6 .. la oportl;tnidad para retirarse con su compafiero viniendo .en el acto A ~a'rme cuen.ta y relatAndome los hechos tal y como acabo de expresarlos. · ·

Como quiera que un · hecho de esta naturaieza que se deje ·pasar por alto no podrA menos que ser depresivo para este cuerpo y traer como secuela invitable funestas consecuencias para i el prestigio de que d~b~ gozar .•. ,,.· .·

· AGPR

Muy atentamente, Angel Pania gua Tenient~ P.I •

Fondo de Fortaleza c ~ja ; 32A i3;)_; . ( I:'"

San Juan P.R. February 24th 1900

To the Chief of the Insular Poli e San Juan P.R. - r • Sir:

I have the honor of submitt'ng to you the following report referring to the mission conferr d to me by you.

From Ciales, I proceeded to the Barrios (wards) of Risas, Cordillera, Front6n, Santa-B& bara, Jayuya, c. . Don-Alonso, caonillas, ·- .Viv1, · -and afterwards o the City of tituado. In all these places, I learned that ave y sharp and active propaganda was being made against the United States and its Government.

The prevailing establishment of the formed by the Islands Windward Islands.

' ' ' ·. - item of said • propaganda was, the "Wes.t Indi s Confederation", a . ·Republic of Cuba, Po to Rico, Santo Domi'rigo and the

It has been impossible form to gather a sworm deposal of these facts as the people complic ted in these affairs are very tidy, and distrustful. All I cold do was to acquire as many confidential notices about the intended uprise, as it was possible. The only written declara ion I have been able to obtain is the one I have the honor to en lose.

In the first place, I proceed to the tow~ of ,Ciales P.R., •·. where I found , that a Mr. Jesus • Santini• ex-Officer of the i. r' r,.; · Cuban -Army ~r,.d who had been atterly engag~d . in. political q / propaganda, had been seve~al tim s there, exiting the people to ,·uprise against the United states _sovereignty in the +sland of Porto Rico. ,. ,-, r

During my excursion, I lear ed that the following . persons were more or less involved in this pernicious propaganda. Avelino Rodriguez (of Ciales) member o a gang of bandits, which ·committed arson and robbery . . ·Car os Vidal (of Manati) - who some time ago was tried for robbery, , nd ran away to Santo Domingo, from where he returned after th war. Eduardo Rodriguez (of , Front6n, -Ciales) Teacher in that ard, who not only . iJ'l his own house but all over the Barrio akes propaganda agai,nst the u. s ... ""

Ramon Rios and Lorenz o. Joy (Spaniards) Live in th~ same f plantation, Joy insured his hous some time ago and set it on ,... ·· fire. They both are decided enemi of the U.S. Government.

As a ge~eral ~rule all the Spaniards residing -~n this section of the country are against the U.S. Government and induce the ignorant natives to uprise against the U.S.

I beg to call your attention upon the fact ¢hat, according to Mr. Casanovas words, stated in the enclosed signed declaration, all the people involved in this attempt of uprising against the U.S. belong to the political party known in this Island ; by t l).e denomina,tion of "Federal Party"., ' • t. •

Through conversations and chattering in several places I learned that in several parts of that _., ju,risd-:j.ctio n, {ire arms and ammunitions were kept. Among other hou~:es-, where ~uch- depots of arms exits there are the following: Mr •..r sPintueles - (of Ciales} a Spania;rd... Marguez & Co (of cial es) vSpaniards - friend~ of Santini- ~ :• Mr. Juan Vicens ( of Ciales:)- a Spaniard merchant .•. Jose Gonzalez (of Ciales) Spaniard... _ , There are several.- other Spaniards and natives, who r have fire arms - -hi-dden above all in · the ,neighbq-r-hQ09-:c ~of Utuado,: where according ;to my -information ther.e are mo1; e t.b~t 400 conce aled fire . arms -.i · ,'". , ,.. . "°'. i ;.- ., _ - ; ,

,•-

, -:• I beg to call your attention about the fact that on ·. ·. Washington t birtb.day no Ameriq_~n flag wasJ,-raised in Utuado until eleyen -o' c ,lock . when- somebody .:. made ~ ~ -rema~k about - this fact. , ')

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza caja 39

;.~ ·-'. ,...... ·, Very respectfully

,

* Santini era un pintoresco miembro :--del - Partido , Federal, siempre dispuesto -a r ealizar -gral').des despliegues de .- patriotismo que irritaban a sus enemigos . .

Resulta interesante ver, comot a pesar de la bu~a: acogida que recibieron -los norteamer-i.a.anos durante, ; la invasion y ila inmediata y generalizada aparici6n en la Isla de discursos favorables a los Estados Unidos, desde muy temprano se man if estaron las sospechas, ... traducidas en vigilancta y espionaje, hacj,.a aqµell.Qf;Lpequenos grupo s que rechazaban !~l nuevo gobierno -y q}J:e fa-Vtorec1an~ la ind~pendencia. Es curiosa, tambien, la forma en i que se exageraban los objetivos de estos grupos y como se aprovechaba toda oportunidad para acentuar la supuesta participaci6n de espafioles que, despues de todo, eran consider ados por mucha gente como una

Leopoldo Garcia Corpora~ of Insular Police

influencia retr6grada en el pa1s. El Partido Federal, que no era independentista, era, tambien, ob eto de rum~ r es como el partido al cual pertenec1an los 11 subversi os". ,i r •• • f..._ r· r. ..., . .

San Juan P.R.

To the Chief of Insular Police San Juan P.R.

Sir:

53 Fe.brua-ry , 28. 1900 - '.j ·t: f

I beg to have the honor of informing you of the results of my investigations while visiting several towns of the Island in obediance of your orders.

The first town I visited was Guayama P.R. in which town, as well as in its suburbs, I could observe that people have been induced to bear a bad feeling against the U.S. due to the active propaganda made there by a Juan and Manuel Budih of Patillas, known as the Cubans, and a man by the name Toro. As general rule all the people that were Spanish volunteers keep their arms in their houses.

From Guayama I went to Ponce where I found that the mayority of the people at the Barrio of "Playa" are anti-Americans and all the Spanish merchants there advise the ignorant people to up-rise against the U.S. Government.

In Guayanilla I heared a speech pronounced by the Priest of the town against the American Government and in all the Barrios belonging to that jurisdiction, a pernicious propagand is being made against the U.S. A short time ago a man named Jesus M. Santini, an ex officer of the Cuban army, was there dressed in the Cuban uniform and wearing a sword, who made several speeches in the Barrios against the Government of the U.S.

I have no doubt, that the ignorant countrymen are being mislead by people disaffect to the U.S. and I fear that before long some trouble will take place due to the formation of gangs of bandits under the pretext of political ends.

Very respectfully Jose Fonfria

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 39

Honorable .Secretary of Puerto Ric , San Juan, P.R.

Sir:

ew York, June 27th, 1902* \

· I .·am inf·ormed, through the . pres·s of my country, · of the investigation ordered by. the Gover ·or for the purpose of clearing up the Vandalic acts commited by the Republican mob in Puerto Rico.

Until - know, - I have not ment , was the victim, because I looked a screen barefacedly to ·pr otect th who under the shelter they enjoyed horrid part recorded in a civiliz

oned the outrages of which I pon justice as a ·mere farce: er imes and disorders of those played in our island the most d country.

If , it is really your pur ose to chastise, with the : punishment they :deserve, the ·nume ous crindnals who ·· infest· that infortunate island, I comply wi h - · a duty of conscienc·e ; ·by supplying you with . the followin data which ·will ·add to the information that you must already have gathered about that band of outlaws who dishonor us.

· on - the 13 · of September, 1900 the offices of EL DIARIO ' DE PUERTO -RICO were attacked for the first time, and a ·part of · the printing material - was destroyed. · On the 17 of the same month, between seven ahd eight in the ev nlng, said offices were again attacked. I had been in charge of hem since three days, because the employees of the propietor, Mr. Luis Munoz Rivera, had abandoned- it. This fact had been due to fear of violations on , account . of the numerous threats t ey had received.

As I have said, that evenin a mob of fifty or , sixty men destroyed the offices. They pulle down the doors, by means of iron levers, penetrated into th building and destroyed the press, the pririter' -s cases, desks and other materials. Finally, a group of those murderers assaile me. The first blow was given by a man named Miguel Nunez, a aker, the only one I could recognize because I lost conscio sness. I received wounds and contusions of so serious a charact r that I had to remain in bed for more than a month ...

Mr. Gustavo Lopez, who was keeping me company in said building, was also attacked and received several blows.

It was not through lack of precautions that an act of so savage a character was committed, a violation such as was unheard of on the island of Puerto Rico, even in the most despotic epoch of the Spanish colonization. My affirmation that there was not lack of precaution is upheld by the following facts: I

At half past five in the afternoon of that day, I received warning that an assault was being prepared .•.

Mr.··-Munoz Rivera imnediately :asked help ·from the· G<;>vernor, and ·two gentlemen, :. Mr. Luis R. Vel&zquez ··and Mr. Agustin Guevara, went to the Executive Mansion for the same purpose.

An hour later, at 7 o'clock, when the doors of EL DIARIO DE PUERTO RICO, began to be demolished, not a single policeman appeared · to prevent it~ I · again notified Mr. Munoz · a nd · the headquarters of the· Insular Po'lice of what was going on.

As witnesses of these facts I name •.• [varios]

These grave crimes naving : been committed, I was requested only on·ce to ' make a declara·tion, that same night by the Municipal judge- of San Francisco. Later I was never summoned to appear in · court, nor was I informed of any one having been impz::isoried. :. , .

I do not wish to omit this detail: when I was iri the SALA DE SOCORROS, were I received the first medical treatment, Mr. :Quevedo Baez, the physician who dressed my wounds, addressed these words to me: ' "THERE YOU HAVE GOT IT FOR STANDING BY A DESPOT LIKE MUNOZ RIVERA, WHO "IS THE CAUSE OF THE SPLIT IN THE PUER'I'O ·•·.RICAN FAMILY. IF YOU WERE ON OUR SIDE, NOTHING · LIKE THIS ·· COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ·youn... . .

Those men, who sell themselves and who have ruined ·. the reputation of Puerto Rico, " ought to be chastised with all ' the rigor of the law, especially as those acts were done in a country protected by the American flag, which is the flag of liberty and progress ·.. · ·

' Most respe6tf~1ly, Bernardino Diaz

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 110

* La carta se refiere a hechos ocurridos en septiembre de 1900.

Juan Poma (funcionario) .. Partici a que a las 8: 30 de la noche condujo al cuart"o de socorro a Be nardino Diaz para ser curado de lesiones que le fueron inferida en la imprenta _ d el "Diario" ignorando quien sea el autor de la mismas •·

Seda cuenta que aproximadame tea las a de la nophe . de ayer un grupo de per~onas asaltaron la imprenta del diario,. :tirando al - sue16 las cajas .con los ti-pos destruyendo una rueda _ de .. la m-aquinaria y ·rompierido varies ntime os de la edi•ci6n del "Diario" del dia de ayer constituyendose el juzgado de $an Francisco para el esclarecimiento de -los hechos · . ; { ,

AGPR

Ddcuinentos Municipa.les San Juan Policia·· (partes diarias)

Legajo 108 Caja 258

m6ri Llovet . de · septiembre de 1900 ;

Guayama, P.R •

. October 8th, - 19.00 -

"The·· Commanding Officer, CAYEY, P.R.

Sir:

In compliance with y"ou~ req~ est I ' the following _ st:atemen;t regarding.. the ,;_' this town Y1 ~te:rday. ,· ·

have the honor ·to, submit riot that took · place at :, :·

Yesterday morning at about ~alf past twelve, while · at , the American Cafe owned by Mr. Richardson, accompanied by some of my own friends, I neard some gun shots, and inmediately proceeded to the spot and found that a personal encounter had just taken place in · fr6nt of the old ·ruined house belonging to sucesion Lafuerte, between Mr. Buenaventura Pereira and Gabriel Capo, which resulted in the latter being wounded, where upon I ordered his medical examination, while the other was sent to Jail in compliance with my instructions. . In~ediately ,after this disagreable incident had occurred the people - beg an ta gather themselves about the corners in small groups which gave vent .to their bitter feelings against the Federalist Party in a hostile manner; one of these attempted to get hold of Mr. Pereira while in his way to Jail, with the deliberate intention of taking an undue revenge, which was prevented by the intervention of Mr. Robertson and some other Americans who accompanied him to the jail. The rioters had lost all respect and consideration and neglected their duties as citizens and were seemingly anxious of holding out their actitud, as they strolled up and down the streets, disturbing public peace and alarming and causing great consternation among the families. Many were injured: some menmbers of the Municipal Police and civilians. Such was the excitement prevailing among the mob that they even attempted to attack my own private residence by throwing stones there at. In view of this, and after I had intimated them to disperse, I was compelled to repell their attack and ordered the two Policemen who accompanied me to fire into the air, which caused them to retreat and follow another direction.

At 2 o'clock p.m. another group appeared before the jail with the intention of getting the prisoner out of his prison, but they were promptly stopped by the Insular Police which patrolled the town under orders from their officers, no further results having followed.

They kept the same attitude until 4 o'clock p.m. when the excitement was nearly over owing to the help of the Insular Guards and municipal Police, and assistants.

Some time . after, I was info med, to the effect that a body of about 30 or 40 men had arrive in town, and inmediately went out to meet them, they stating hat they had come to offer me their assistance in case that su -h was required in order to reestablish order and return peace to the people. , I then ordered them to stay around my residenc and keep a peaceful position and inform the Insular Police a cordingly; but being confident that their ~s~istance was not ne , essary I advice them to return to their homes whidh they did -so e time after. ,

Such =·. occur.ences have, na created a state of const~rl).ati.on, ·.and · it is gener lly feared that . such may be repeated . in .a still larger propo-r ion, and I bel-ieve it ou_i:,'. ,duty, to, ii:;' ;as f~r as pos sible, ca_us such an abnormal, ,si~~a~i'o p · t'o c ease.-

I sti.p.uld - say, - before I end his report, - th<it ;the pqJ:iti(?al excitement prevailing · among t e lower - classes 4 which are generally uncontious of their errors, but who ·ar,e ·- ·being pernitiousiy influenced by certa n kind of doctrines, is largely responsible for these recent tr bles.

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 58

Very Responsible Mayor 1 {·, - r

: .

San Juan, Oct. 17, 1900

To . the Hon . .· John A. Russell Attor ~ey Gen~u:al ·.

Sir: . ~-· ·',.-.In a~cordance .with your ~equest ·· I ~ y ·e the horior · to inform you as follows: '_-::-o' -· •.,· , _ ,-r.. -~ ·,-~ ,... ...;., ' -. -:..· -,~ ,,•i;/J :, . , In the early ltlorning of the 9t}1. day,.,, of the p ~ esenh Month I .,, co:menced1 my trip from Hum~cao to Guayama, and I arrived at 'the • l~J~t named ..o; Town at l O o'clock in the for~ hoon of tju~ - sam~ "day. ·, :, l.-· .at ' once . went be~o~re the Municipal cou.:rf't; ·' fo ;r ,-: t .p ¢ · t>urpo~e of examining the papers wb,ic~ were there h e ing ~~,prepated AT! the investigation of certain occurrences on the.. afternoon of the 7th. day of October, and · I did this in obedie.nce to a telegraphic qrder sen~ me by you. ·

I ·wi":i l now set . forth the results of the inve~t f gations which have taken .. place, ·~s they appeared to me.

on the afternoon of the 7th. of October, Ventura Pereira, upon passing by the side of Gabriel ,GG\>P.9, said 0 .• "I have a good mind to kill a R~publican", to which C-qpo replie,clc"' Then why don't you kill me?" Pereira inmediately fired a revol;~e ~ 'ag c,.inst Capo, and caused two wounds, which, according to tne 1lfeport of the Doctor, will not be cured for some 20 days. · Four , American citizens interfered one assisting the wounded man, and the others detaining the agressor.

In order to correctly understand the facts which ocurred afterwards it is necessary to take into account the state of excitement in which political strife , has placed almost all the good people of Porto Rico. a'-J.. ;:.. '; .·

On account of the shots fired to Capo, and . the exclamation uttered by Capo, a crowd rushed to the place of occurence composed of a great number of persons, and when they became aware of that which had taken place, and particulars of the matter, and of the fact that the two people who had had the preliminary quarrel were political adversaries, and also when they heard the words which had been uttered by Pereira and capo, the crowd commenced to be divided into two crowds, and that which had been a personal question took the character of a dispute between two crowds. The people, indignant on account of the act commited by Pereira, uttered insults against the latter, and there were heard even shouts of "Lynch him! Lynch him!". The Municipal Police interfered, in order to scaterred the crowds, and some of the people obeyed, but others did not, and they followed Pereira as far as the jail. Action followed in different forms 1 and the excitement of the people continued to become greater, and crowds

formed in different parts oft e Town, which crowds, whenever they found an individual or a ·gr up of · individuals, belonging to the opposite political party, a tacked them. There then occured a series of acts, difficult to tate with exactness, but there resulted something like 18 p rsons wounded, most of them slightly, but some seriously. Am ng the latter was on named Jos~ Rodriguez, who received a bulle .- wound in his neck. He ' charges, as the author of this last act, a Municipal Policeman · , _ who stated that he declared before the Cou t that, seeing himself ' attacked by a crowd, it was necessary for im to discharge a revolver, and he does not know wheter he woun ed Rodriguez or not •.. A crowd of men ·a:rso attacked with stone the · residence of the 1Mayor of the <Town ·

It appears that afterwards occurence took pia ce, in every respect punishable, w ich was the object of an investigation in the Municipal ourt of Arroyo ..• in the early month of said 7th day of the pre_ ent month, there were asseml::>led r togethe~ in Ar~oyo ... the mayors of Patillas, of Arroyo, and of Guayam:a; that thereafter, during the same day, a crowd of prople were seen to enter the said ~st blishmerit of Casal, and depart · therefrom, armed with machetes; that a man named Bird ~as s~en in the same way to depart sudd nly for Patillas upon becoming aware of what took place in Guaya a, and he returned, accompanied by the Alcalde of said Town, an with some policemen, and with a great number of persons, and t ey were joined by another ' crowd of men from Arroyo, among whom th re were policemen, and they all marched together, and all armed towards the Town o{ Guayaina, and, entering said Town, they di ected themselves to the hose of the Alcalde,'' and afterwards to t e ' house occupied by ~he Club of the Federa'l Party, where they w re furnished with a lunch, and they afterwards returned to t eir Towns, without any other unlawful act, as a result of sai meeting... · With all considerationj

Emilio del Toro, · Fiscal

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 58

Carcel de Caguas a 25 de Octubre de 1900 . ~-.;p .> '..J

Sr. -0 • ,-J.,q se - C1 · Barbo9a \ ' ·, " (i ""r ··tiJ '

Qu.erido am igo y co.: Anoche -: me mand6 el CapitAn Molina, un telegrama de U-., par.a el en q~e me decia Ud. que tubie~a .c.alp,~,--, . denra-s.i.ado he tenido y t~r:igo. • , , r i ; ; :··. ,. : f · A. -esta , hora que escr ibo comp.leto 3 dias, y : 2 noches ._ de . carcel de la manera 6 sea purgando el deli to que c;:_ometL t', f i Qu~,.,,... , .-j ! ! .•• bajo el Gobierno de EEUU de america . . Muy bien. E). ~;. Pais de la justicia y reparaciones rapidas. En .fin :, gue se yo n 9 quiero co.n.tinuar hablando de esto.

A Gabriel lo deje en su cama sin recurses propios - a su hija Belisa (quiero decir) Juanita la casada con el practicante aquel que dejQ ; cesante el Dr. Vazquez por vengarse de mi la tengo tal'[\bi~n con , sµ , mar ido en casa pues se enf ermp , en , Coamo, y no hubo mas . q':El 1,ven,i rs -f t , a Guayama d4?, mane~a que .e stoy sosteniendola. Tres._ 0 famil :i;a& y pr:,~ ,o. ·: ·· -.,_.. , -..,c

· -:;;-~·ara; :~~~;:te de ,' f: e,s.t~ recibo ,' 1.toy carta de ------=,--,--- en que"~· me decian que- md. e1pp_o,sa ~sta tambien de cama de resuel tas de la · noticia que le-, die rpn 9 e; qu~ yo - ha}?ia caido gravemente herido y que asi me t~nian .~ preso ppn- -r~iedo de que me escapara de aqui y fuera a Guayama,, a, .~acer .lai;; ~lecciones. _ :•-

Vea usted como esta - mi -,aa niil\o : No he recibido ni una letra ni de los , correli,g-ionarios -de Guayama ni los )de esa Capital.

:· °'$.game Ud . q : ~ trami tes son ·-~-sos tan lar.gos de tal indul to. 1 : Cua-ndo en .- la ,..conciencia de todqs y de.l Go~ierno tambien por ~.., informaci6n. de Ud, debe cons tar ., la infam~a que se ! ha . cometido , 1 acumulandome que portaba una navaja vieja de afeita:r ..• .. Y vea si. : puede uno tener calma rodeado de las circunstancias con que me encuentro con mis familias.

Aqu1 estoy bloqueado y casi incomunicado y no me han puesto .,, • • • ·t. a barrer las calles por la magn1m1dad del partido federal que ha pedido se me exima de los trabajos forzados pero que se me tenga los 30 dias presos y los 10 dollars de multa.

Mas aun han canj eado dos 6 tres pre sos y ez:itre el~los . a ,D , _ Esteban Garc i a que entr6 despues que yo. lPorque Uds : no'-. han ·. metido presos a Camunas 6 a Soler y han pedido Uds. el canje por m1?*

amigo y C.

Juan Ignacio Cap6

Me urge mucho mi salida para ir e a atender a ·· mi familia ·

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 16

"' Cap6, · republ icano ,· le proponia a Batbosa que se arregla:ra, con el Partido Federal, un canj de prisioneros de distintos partidos para poder quedar . en libertad y pedia, quizas sarca'sticamente, quiz as since arnente, que se apresara a un irnportante lider federal pa a lograr el canje. Hac1a · el referencia a otros intercamb · os de prisioneros que hab1an ocurrido en Guayarna. Este int resante aspecto de la pol1tica local, corno era de esperarse, o aparec1a en las inforrnaciones publicas de la epoca, aunqu, s1 he encontrado un par de re~erencias so~re estos can1es en algunas cornunic~ciones privadas. Por cierto, el Gobe nador orden6 que se pus1era en libertad a Capo. ,,.·

INFORMATION REQUESTED IN RELATION TO MUN. POLICE AND APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL POLICE.

To all Alcaldes

Please furnish this office with the following information at your earliest convenience:

3. Was previous approval of Central Gover nment ' , ' f 0r appointment or special police, asked and received. '

Cha·s. H. Allen

1. The number of regular Municipal Police, and autho;riz.ed by the budget. ,(. ,.· ,:;...:.:r1 r-' :~ i \... ::· · ._.;- ~-; <2.i,:-,: i:~ :· ·· · 2 ~ '' Whether .--: or . not any special police are employed. If so, when •:.[• · ,"· a pt)o inted, . -and by what authority. t :4 ,.r::- r ·! f itd1.: ' ; ,: L • ,,: : I f- f:; "!,-.;· -:-'.$ft: ·,.i' ::..,

Ejemplo de respuestas · a· la petici6n de Allen. ·

SAN GERMAN, Alcalde of, Nov. 11, 1900.

Acknowledges receipt of the Governor's letter of the 8th inst., and states that in answer to the Governor's letter of the 3rd instant, he informed him that there existed a special police force in the town, appointed for the purpose of maintaining order during the elections, and confessed having created this force without the authorization of the Governor. Supposes that complaints without foundation against this force have been made to the Governor a force that has been done away with. States that if his conduct is in any way dissagreable to the Governor he is ready to abide by the consequences, and in order to better do this, he this day tenders his resignation as Alcalde of that town and also as Delegate to the House, which office the electors of that District of Mayaguez have honored him with.

CAYEY, Alcalde of, Nov. 10, 1900.

In reply to letter of the 8th inst., states that the Budget allows 7 policemen, but that 4 more were appointed owing to necessity for increased service. This increase was submitted to the central government, and returned without objection.

RIO PIEDRAS, Alcalde, Nov. 10, 1

Replying to letter of the 8th allows ·7 polieemen · . , The Alcal policemen, but ·i;ame were dis cha letter of the 3rd instant.

nst., states that the audget e appointed several 7 special ged on receipt of Governor's

ARECIBO, Alcalde, Nov. 10, 1900.

In reply to letter of the 8th int., states that Budget of that town allows Jl , p0licenten. ··•That he appointed, by authority of the Council, 2 secret pol-ice, · which e understood was authorized by Military Orders.

PONCE, Alcalde, Nov. 10, 1900

In reply to letter of the 8th i stant, states that the Budget provides for 83 policemen. That here are no specials.

TOA ALTA, Nov.. ' 1-1, 1900 states that there are only one Mu icipal policeman in that town. That the Ayuntamiento, after app ying in vain to the Chief of Insular Police, appointed 6 speci 1 policemen, and that same were all dismissed on Oct. 28th, 1900.

NAGUABO, Alcalde of, Nov. 12, 1900.

Replying to letter of the 8th inst., states that number policeman in that town is four, but that, b sing his action on G.O. 180 he appointed 25 special policemen during the labor strike. He believed the Alcaldes had the ri t to make these appointments, specially as in San Juan, .where he Governor resides, there is a force of Insular Police.

LOIZA, Alcalde Nov. 12, 1900

States that two municipal polic men are authorized in their budget. That ten special policemen were appointed, and were on duty on the 10th of October, an on election day, to prevent disorders, which luckily, did not occur.

SALI~~ s, Alcalde Nov. 13, 1900.

Stat~; ~- -that regular force of police is composed of 5 men. That 30 specials were appointed, and . this nu:iµber has been gradually , __ decreased. Says they did good servic:e the night of the · disturbance, while the Insular Police only served .to incense the , people against him. He has turned the matter oVier t p the Cour~ -·r: - J~

FAJARDO, Alcalde Nov. 15, 1900

States that the budget of t he Municipality provides for one inspector of police and 1-3,.... rec,uiar policemen · . That;. _ the force is composed of the regular number. That the council ·: appointed 48 special policemen under the authority of ~.o. 110 ~:\ ~·'nh •·q , SAN JUAN, Alcalde Nov. 17, 1900.

States that the number of poiice•~n provided for in the Budget is 70. That a few special police were appointed but that same were dismissed at the beginning of this ·- month. Th-at these specials were appointed as G. O. does not state that authorization from central government is necessary.

To Quinones, Francisco M. San German, P.R. Nov. 13, 1900. ,'. -.I' '.;if 1 :--, Declining to accept his resignation, and advising that his ~-~r- services have been eminently , satisfactory. , I

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 61

Henry Barracks, cayey, Porto Ric November 14, 1900 _

My dear General:

I find on my return riot was much worse than any of the reports gave reason to sup ose, and as it was a very fair example of what occur:s nearly eve y day somewhere on the . Island, I thought you might like to hear some of the details.

It seems that a Federal na ed Munos, who is a cousin of Munos-Rivera, had his store open n the day when the Republicans were celebrating the election o McKinley and other events of that day. They told him to clos his store and threatened him with trouble if he did not. He cl sed the store then and. next_ d~y complained to the Alcalde and ha the persons arrested who - had made him shut up shop. The Republ'cans inmediately said that they would attack the jail and releas their friends. It was talked about freely all day, perhaps it as not believed but at any rate . no means were taken to defend t e jail and it was attacked at 6: 15 · P. M. The Municipal police made a feeble resistance and wounded a couple of men and one o them was wounded himself, but they only had a few cartriges ad cheap pistols and soon they were entirely helpless. Then the r~soners were released and the town wa.s terrorized for the rest of the . night.

The crowd yelled "Burn the t wn", "Down with the soldiers", and "Hang the Alcalde". They tor down the sign in front of the Federal Club, threw stones into t e houses of the Federals, broke all the street lamps, etc. Among the leaders of the mob was one of my dishonorably discharged men and a man who has made several ineffectual attempts to work for officers of the command. They are a pretty bad lot.

The Municipal Judge and the Mayor and a part of the police took refuge in the quarters of so e of the officers. The American families were considerably fright ned and one of the ladies came to my house at 10 P.M. Mrs. swif and the little girls happened to be at Doctor's Moret house a ittle before six o'clock. He suggested to her that she had b tter get out of town and had accompanied her to the foot oft e hill below the barracks when the firing began.

I do not know about the Insu ar Police. They certainly went into the Plaza and fired several volleys in the air. They could have defended that jail easily nough. Captain Carter however gives the Insular Police credit or quieting things down. They have since arrested 17 out of 35 rdered by the Municipal Judge.

The men of this command acted with the ' greatest self cont~ol and the best discipline. They went to camp cind :were held there under restricted liberty for several days. Th~y have not been mixed up in any of this trouble. I believe they would 'be glad for . - fin oppoi;:tunity to d<;> som~thing. *

·:r_~, ~. ·:··r pe1 teve· the ,. wl,lole ~ff air was as ridiculous and disgusting ' piece of busin•e~s ~s ·ever was seen under the u. s. ·flag.

·,

Eben swift** 1

·: AGPR , r Poncio de Fortalez~ -Caja 63

* La posici6n del gobierno norteamericano fue la de mante~er a las tropas al mar9en de l9s · conflictos sociales que ocurrieron entre 1900 y 1904. µa int~rv.~nciones del Estado fueron dejadas en manos de la Poiic1a I n~ul~t, :_.creada en 1899. ·,, · .>

1 ~.

El mayor ' '' swift er~ e~ comand~hte del Regimiento ·:~uerto Rico, entonces estacionado en el fuerte Henry Barracks en ;Cayey. ' ' ,c. :·•.' t ' ' I '

Sr. W.H. Hunt Secretario de Puerto Rico San Juan

Estimado Sr. •- Hunt:

'

No me • , ha , sido posible -aun e ectuar mi v.iaje , a · San Ju.an y como la-. traslaci6n por tierra of ece algunas dificultades solo , podre . aprovechar uno de los vapor s ul timos de este . mes • .

. Anoche ha . ocurr ido aqu1 un s eso lamentable que per . suerte n.o ha tenido fatales consecuencia

• Por razones de ciertas peque que solo pueden inspirar desde~ a conciencias serias, a parte de los consejales - republicanos -que formaban , entre los miembros del comite . cuya - sustituci6n pidi6 y obtuvo el pue lo por unanim:i,dad el. -dom.j.ngo ultimo, . propuso un voto de censu : a contra m1 sin fundarlo en cosas - -determinadas, en la sesi6n que celebraba ayer noche el Ayuntamiento.

Ya me retire del salon dejand en la presidencia al Alci;ilde sustituto.

Despues de haberse mucho la moci6n, ya en el memento en que se iba a a la . votaci6n, el pueblo que llenaba el salon de sesione prorrumpi6 en - gritos y manifestaciones hostiles a ,los . onsejales firmantes de dicha moci6n y se opuso con un vocerio que se votase la moci6n por considerarla una injusticia. L~·, e p_losi6n reson6 en el e xterior y sobre dos mil personas se aglom raron fr ,ente a _ la ca~a de la ciudad protestando contra el vo. o de . censura y . aclamando al pabell6n americano, a la justicia y al alcalde. ·

El orden fue restablecido si nadie ni persona alguna recibies sesi6n hubo de ser suspendida. Lo entera.

que se disparase un tire por un golpe siquiera; pe~o la lamento todo esto con . mi alma

Me limito a referirle esto hechos sin comentarios ni consideraciones para que el Gober ador y V. los conozcan tales come ellos son y han ocurrido.

Dev. muy sinceramente, J. Guzman Benitez

AGPR Caja 63

ondo de Fortaleza

Ponce Nov. 22

To Gobernador Allen

Sesion anoche ayuntamiento presentamos mocion voto censura contra Alcalde Guzman, retirose este presidencia tomandola sustituto Torres. Abriose discusion y Torres en vez concretarse dirigir .-. ~iscusion, hizo dis~urso poli:tico el c\).al lejos 'fundamentos voto trcrto . conci tar . algunos adictos que entre el publico asistia. Entendimos en este momenta evi tar conflfctos .- p_ermanecer callados rectificandolo solo algunos conceptos por f , •-' t • P1erlu1s1, interpretandolos Torres de modo avieso en ese estado Torres pidio al publico alli congiagado reiolviera y ~ntonces armose gran escandalo sacando armas policia y consejo quedo sin garantias. Qel balcon casa municlpal alcalde Torres y Guzman insultaron consejales. Toda la noche a:la:rmada ciudad muchos disparos pobl,acion trayerido intranqui1idad · ~ amilias. Continua estado exitacion y rogamos irimediatas ·9rdenes garantia _ y tranquilidad. Sirvase enviarnos al a cto policia insular sale f comision para esa.

Aria.s, Salicrup, Colon, Besosa, Morales, Chevalier, Pierluisi, Musignac.*

* Se trataba del sector tradicional y '' <;ie mas prestigio del Partido Republi9ano en Ponce, el cuat no' estaba conforme con la situaqJ.6n de eferyescencia social gu ~ caracterizaba la ciudad bajo el liderato de Guzman. · r.;a · ·ciudad "revuelta" socialment:_e (como se tlecia), llegaba ·K:~· preocupar a algunos republica p os, quienes t ambien se encond:·i:lban' de frente con la ag~!f1 ~ }6n de los · segu i'c{ores del alca :t.~~ ~ d ~;>~u __ propio partido.

AGPR.· ,, fonc'iJf d~;'-·For taJ'. e z a Caja '63 · ·· t

HEADQUARTERS HENRY BARRACKS

Cayey November 23, 1900

The Adjutant General Department of Porto Rico

Sir:

In expantion of my telegram of yesterday, asking that the insular police be requested to make some arrests I . have the honor to report: · ' .,. 'r:hree nights ago two men of my command, passing the bridge . at t}:l~ · East of Cayey were fired at; they saw a man there whom they caught hold of and were then attacked by a considerable .· c;::rowd; Lieut. Steger, officer of 1;-he day happened to be near, ran t<;> · th.e spot when the shots were · fired and the crowd ra n away when t;hey saw him. · •·

. There hav,e __ be.en numerous other affaii;:-s of this kind . . Capt. Butler, , P.R. -~~g. _yas attackeq at the same place; I have never 1 .- been able to get pc;>sitive identification o~ the offenders before, r but this time P~CHb MALO (Bad Frank) , and a Spaniard · named VARGAS were identified; I am tofd they are · leaders of the bad ... element in the· town. · ·· ·

I ordered that complaints be lofged against them; after · two days I was convinced that the municipal authorities either could ~ot, . or would not make the arrest•; they ·said that Pancho Malo was not in town while I knew that he was walking the streets and had refused to go to the Alcalde's office. .

captain Molina arrived last night and very promptly arrested Var~as, the other man has probably _;left t own now •

., Very respectfully,

EBEN SWIFT

Major P.R. Reg. u.s.v. Inf. Commanding

AGPR. Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 63

The Adjutant General Department of Porto Rico San Juan, P. P.

Sir:

Cayey, P.R. , November 25th, 1900 ~. ·F ....,. ·. ,

In reference to·. recent correspondence on the subj 'ect ' ' of ·disturbances in Cayey I have the honor to report: · ··. ·

on the evening __ of the 21st, ,,I was informed that there was apt to be trouble in town ·. owing to -the events of the previous night, the offe-nder s being s 'tii.l at .large. I went to the City at once, saw ·many of , ~¥ lti~n 1;:)~t all were behaving ·themselves : ~s I passed down the street: : t -,saw a n .ati ve, .with a large piece of wood •vi:ii ,,. his hand. I pointed' -him out to a policeman . ;a:hd,1 15ass:ed o rr} ·''I believe that the policeman clubbed this man and then in trying to arrest him accidentally ; s}:lot .., pim in the back,·', ·and ·h 1iins elf i n the hand at the same,_ ,ti ~e ~:iAfter r:,~i.$ a 0 few , sh0tsl were· fired ~y ·some , one 1 -~pp_a ;l: ~~tl~ t 'in ·me~e ,wanton,-desii-e to:, ma~e:: 1a noise.~ ! ~aw soldiers hurrying to_ camp. . i.p an orderly imannerL in a'Ct::'ordance witJ1 ct1fE!1r i.6 :rdersf ·'in · s u ch cas,~s. At roll call held·•· a few ·1 m:inut'e'~ after~·' there ~,were only thr~e or four absentees' inen who f probably did not hear of the trouble ...

lri a large 'exp·ei_i_.¢nce ·w:-ith soldi-,a.rs of many nationa'liti~s ~ 'Indians ; Iris!:1, Negroes , . Am~ricans. and . Puerto Ricans and evetj_ with Am erican __ . College ~t1:1p ~nts I have- .·not seen a bette: -,~?~ave~ body of men that I have here under my command. · · · ' · ·

In view of these fac;ts I trust I may be - allowed to modify, tlie ~: severe restr:i.ctj,qns which I have pla,ced upon my conunari'a "irt obedience to your instruc'tions. The camp has very narrow limits and the men are six in a tent. I believe that they have not deserved the reputation for misconduct in the town of Cayey.

Very repectfully, Eben Swift Major, P.R. Reg. u.s.v. Infty. Commanding ..-. / ~

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 63

Via Cuba n Lines

SECRETARY CORTELYOU* Washington.

April 11, 1901 ·!

Person arrested (se refiere a Santiago Iglesias) left Island to avoi~ tri~l~ now charged with having failed three times to appear in Court last year for trial of criminal -charge conspiracy to raise price of labor. Laws clearly define this a crime. His personal written acceptance of s~rvice of - recorq. Action of court legal • • Bail fixed at two thousand. We will ask for reduction. Court reluctant to reduce bail owing to dangerous character and bad record. Feeling among Po:r-to Ricans extremely bi'tter, his selection for labor work here very unfortunate. Death of one person and wounding of others in riot - last year freely attributed to his agitation, his affiliation witll Spaniards:; thus intensifying situation. Situation requires our outmost caution.

~-UNT GOVERNOR

· AGPR -Fondo de Fortaleza , r • , ..caj~ 78 .

*Secretario del Presidente. .

'

pesar de que bajo el gobierno norteamericano se fijan ciertos derechos laborales que no - exist1an . bajo el anteripr gobierno espafiol y que los trabajadores puertorriquefios agradec1an, los administradores del pa1s -_no veian con buenos oj os el acti vismo obrero de la Federaci6n Libre de Trabaj adores:' De este se responsabilizaba principalmente a Santiago Iglesias, quien era tambien objeto del generalizado discurso antiespafiol.

San Juan, April 15, 1901.

t

To the Honorable, The Secretary of State Washington, D.C.

Sir:

I have the honor to l!ayi before . you, for the · atterition of -the Pr~sident, the · following matter::-

- On . the 13th instant a Committee · , · representihg the ."Federaci6n Regional"*, and consisting of the following per s oris:

Estanislas Sesman, Acting President Federaci6n Regional; Ricardo Serrano, Treasurer; Rosendo Rivera, Member : Board of Governors; Pedro c. Timothee, Pr.esident Executive Committe,

Called upon me with the request that the inclosed statement of this order be brought to1lthe attention of the President of the United States.

The Committe also requested me to state to you that Santiago Iglesias, now in the United States with a petition purporting to represent the laboring people of Porto Rico, does not repre~e~t them, and is against American institutions in~., his sympathTes; that he has only been in the Island of Porto Rico about three years, and is a socialist agitator.

The Committee also desire me to state that the Federaci6n Regional is an .. independent la·bor org·anizatio ft~ witfi ,- branches throughout the -Island ·of Porto 'Rico. · ,- "· ,·; ' • · · · -. · ·=, ·_:.J _ , ,·- · :::'"r~·c'-,._~ ·f~r:1

I told the , Committee ·that I would comply ' with ·thei~ ' request, and I do so with pleasur:e; ··· · · · .. <· .; · ·c. ,-~:.r · 1 ,,

AGPR caja 78

Your obedient servant, (i,HUnt?) Acting Governor Fondo de Fortaleza

* La Federaci6n Regional(FR), fundada en 1899, fue la primera organizaci6n obrera insular en Puerto Rico. Muy pronto, el Partido Republicano, en su estrategia de aliarse a los sectores o grupos no tradicionales (entendidos como mas avanzados

socialmente), trat6 de atraerse a la FR. Esto no fue del agrado de varios lideres obreros quienes, encabezados por Santiago Iglesias, se separaron de la FR y crearon la Federaci6n Libre de los Trabajadores {FLT). Durante su corta e-xistencia, la FR permaneci6 aliada al Partido Republicano y a las Turbas Republicanas de San Juan en continuo antagonismo hacia Iglesias y la FLT. Durante los primeros afios del siglo los encontronazos entre ambas organizaciones obreras fueron frecuentes •

30 de abril de 1901

Al - Honorable Jo~seph F·Oraker

Senor: ·

,::,·-~. · l>or si ' 1 'pueden sar & · u. ·de · alguna utilidad, me permito remitirle algunos -':=- datos relatives a la ' vida del Agitador ·pol1ti-co Santiago Iglesias asi como la constancia de su conducta pesima, y de sus antecedentes nada honrosos.

Si algunos otros datos publicos pudiere u. necesitar, tendre verdadero placer en proporcionarselos.

Aprovecho esta ocasi6n para ofrecer a Ud. los sentimientos de mi consideraci6n mas distinguida.

Respetuosamente, Manuel Egozcue Alcalde de San Juan

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 78

Egozcue, como otros funcionarios del gobierno, no tuvieron reparo en tratar de desprestigiar a Santiago Iglesias ante las esferas de poder politico y sindical de Estados Unidos. En varias ocasiones enviaron a Estados Unidos (o la comunicaron en persona) informaci6n sobre la vida publica del 11der obrero.

The .Federal faction -, has persistenly endeavored · to stir up discontent in the island on account of the departure of these laborers and their wives and children, and has called on the insular government to prevent their migration... And in the second pJace, the emigration of these people can do no ·great harm to the island... Porto Rico has plenty of laborers · and poor people generally. What the island needs is men with capital, energy and enterprise .•. (p.75)

However, actual deeds of violence arising from political differences have ·been remarkably rare. ,' The excitement generally ends in words. But occasional ,personal encounters and one or two riots have occured arising solely or principally from political causes. During the interval between the adoption of the election . order - and the election day savera1 · small disturbances · ocurred at Cayey, ,· Arecibo, Dorado, and other places ... * . (pp. 4 5 · ~4 6) · • ,,

First Annual Report of Charles H. Allen Governor of Porto Rico from May 1. 1900, to May 1, 1901, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1901.

* La posici6n de los administradores locales fue -la de min1m1zar lo mas posible la magnitud de los conflictos politicos y la violencia, atribuyendolos a las peculiaridades de la pol1tica local ya la actitud del Partido Federal. Despues de todo, los antagonismos resultaban no s6lo del protagonismo de distintos sectores populares y de su deseo de deshacerse de patrones de subordinaci6n social heredados del anterior regimen espanol, sino en afirmar radicalmente el gobierno norteamericano que era visto como el liberador de Puerto Rico.

~e_ie grama del Alcalde ·· d~ Cidr a. [ F ~rrer J .-al Gobernador. 18 -4~ jurio d~ 1~01. ,, _

·Gran · tumul to :· pueblo- _ herido . gr:av~ j,uez policia no hay :. s~guridaa ·'individual. : , :,·

Telegraina d el Comandante del Puesto de Policia en ·'Cidra al Jefe de la Policia Insular. 19 d~ julio de ' 1901. .'- .,-,~.-

Ayer ,2 ·. pm· ·fuerza desta 'camento ctara y ·, pareja . enrlada ref orzar este atropellada por el · pueblo di'sparo ·· carabi:qas grupo hiriendo juez policia que se encontraba en ellos muerte horas mas tarde guardias present~n golpes · de piedras y palos • : : i;~ : ·. \ ·'· - r l. • • _; • • I•

Areyzaga ' ; · ;:., : ( -~ .'u, · "-· J. •of: .l~!.,I --l: ; f ·');:: ; . ...

To W. Hunt, Governor

From - Guayama, Alcalde of Guayama, P.R. Apr. 11, 1902.

Reports that striking bakers peacefully ·paraded town; results satisfactory. That at 8:30 several shots were ·fired at Desengafio st., Francisco Boyer being wounded. Agressor unknown . .Affray presumeii to be personal affair; matter .· investigated by • _. court:. Thr~e men . have been arrested. -Some excitement .prevailed - -during the affray, as services were going on at both :churches. Women ran in c .onfusion; Police scattered crowd and restore: order . •Thi_;ngs quiet last night and today. No mutiny. Order , .is now ·complete. Wo~nded man better. ,, ..

AGPR

Fonda de Fortaleza Caja 115 ,. • J • -· i •

·.·

Attorney General San Juan, P.R. May 1, 1902 · -. ' ,·

Some time ago, there was a shooting affray in, ,.Guayama, and a citizen was _· b~dly injured. I am inf9rmed that inquiry- was made by the Police Judge, and that no one was held in connection with ~he shooting~ · · ·": ·: • ,·- :.. ·-:j .-~:j. ' ·;;·~ ; ~:· ·. :> \

Lately, · Mr. Bird a sugar planter . nea:ir. P~tiJ.las ..,. who~,e . family 'r¢sides "::th•,, Guayama , - received a lette;i:- threate;ning :; ~is li50n and 2 :S\\'im-~-Jf~hef1Te tter was sent by one ·. '.IDodo'~~ - ,l1r. Bird g oe.Si -ito G.uayama ·-=- ~ n ·,sa:t"u~4-a:y ·.evehing · to - :r;emain <C~?;'.·,<..[ SUnday with ,..,_pi.¥i. _ rWife ~nd \. c ch1.idren' ~~· Las't ~$'linpay" he tel±s me .-, be w~s threaten~;- -~Y 1;:.b i~ .same "Dqdo" while in company with s .everal other p~.rson~ , wa:~:t 6it:~p9ing in front ' of his private residence. Mr. Bird told him that he desired to have nothing to do with him at all, and that he would defend himself if he was molested. Therafter Mr. Bird was deno'l,lnced before the Police Judge, and is now. ;await-in9.· t1;ial on a cha·rge of , naving threatened this same "Dodo". , , .• , , , • :, l _,

It is sa .id that the Pol.ice Judge is largely influenced by political considerations in -the conduct of his office, and that although the p_erson whq shot and aided in the shooting of the first person reffered to in this letter are well known, he yet declines to call as witnesses those who - could advise him as to the - truth of the matter. ,,. • t ··,. • • ,· •• J," .. I hav~ heard s .everal complaints, from time to time, ,. against r .this Police, Juq_ge, · and ' his..official co:µ~se does not eeem to -meet :with the geb,er~:l approval of conservative men. At the same time, I realize that there m~y be injustice done him ·in these complaints, and I therefore respectfully request that you have some investigation made by some capable person, who will make a report . advt sing ,- µ~ . whether .or . n?t it ~ is adv isable to replace him by ·appointing someone -~~se. · · ._,

The situation · in Guayama is bad, and while responsibility for it may rest in part with the Alcalqe, I am afraid that responsibility also falls upon the Police Judge. - · •'

Your attention will much oblidge me.

W.H. Hunt, Gov.

AGPR Caja 58 Fondo de Fortaleza

* Dodo, lider de un grupo de "merodeadores" de la regi6n sureste, se dio a conocer por sus confrontaciones con gente prominente.

ROMAGUERA

Central Aguirre, May 21, 1902

· Informs '!-{r . - Santiago_ Palmer that the notor1ous : ".Dodo" and 5 othe'rs went to the Federal Club with the o:t;>ject of attacking him.

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 58

Las Tu.rbas demandan al News

·:;- • ·.i -: EJ: Preside'nte .cfo ~,;Las -Turbas~• : en nombre de la organizaci6n ha demandado al "San ju.an ~ews 11 rr por supuest,a . difamaci6n en el articulo "Las Turbas en Asamblea" .••

Se alega que el articulo "es una difamaci6n hecha con malicia notoria contra el Comite* o Asociaci6n, tendiente a privarles del beneficio de la confianza publica y trato social y desacreditarles, menospreciarles y deshonrarles y en su virtud debe el NEWS pagar a las turbas c f nco mil pesos de indemnizaci6n.

The San Juan News, 27 de mayo de 1902, p.4.

* El Comite para la Defensa del Partido Republicano, nombre oficial de las Turbas Republicanas de San Juan.

83

San Juan P.R. Junio 16 de 1902

Al Secretario de Puerto Rico

Hon. Sor.:

Como ___ ~eel Gobernado1=" de :J.a Ysla ha confiado a Ud. el encargo de practicar una investigaci6n . con referencia ·a.. los atentados : que vienen realizando las Turbas republicanas de San Juan ··contra las persorias y las p;ropiedades 1;.engo el h ·onor de prover ·--en ·su conocimiento al objeto indicado, los hechos siguientes:

En la · tard·e del dia 15 de los corrientes y siendo proximamente las cuatro 6 cuatro y media, encontrandome en : mi establecimiento tipograf ico donde se imprime el peri6dico oficia.:l "La Gaceta ' de Pto Rico", acompafiado de los Sres. Don Pedro · de Elzaburu, Don Jose Yilasica, D_- Bernardo Blandino y el empleado -de la referida casa Don Antonio Fernandez, se. present6 Jose Maule6n y sin respeto alguno, · apoyandose en el marco de la puerta lanzando el ' cuerpo hacia la parte interior, nos llam6 la atenci6n con · signos indec orosos y en actitud provocativa. ,* Ante tal .exabrupto~ : el que suscribe di6 parte al .. Tribunal de -po'licia~ celebrandose al dia s~guiente el juicio, . en dond:e , a pesar de haber probado err absolut6 · 10 ~currido, fue absuelto libremente el ofensor lo que demuestra la fal,ta de justicia ·alli para los ciudadarios · honrados. .

Espero que Ud. se servira citarnos como tamrien a los testigos indicados, para asi .hacer la justicia que procede en este caso.

Respetuosamente, Mariano Acosta

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 110

* La irreverencia contra las personas mas acomodadas caracteriz6 a Jose Maule6n ya las Turbas de San Juan. La burla, a veces, era acompafiada no solo de gritos y gestos sino de simbolos coma la bandera de Estados Unidos o instrumentos musicales que alegraban las actividades de esta organizaci6n. La cotidianidad de las Turbas, que se afirmaba mediante el desafio a la moral ya los gustos de sus enemigos, inclu1a, prominentemente, un rechazo a las federales ya sus valores sociales.

AGPR

Honorable Sr Secretario de Puerto Rico San Juan.

senor: ~..; :-~ t~ .,:o : £3. r,,

\ : [ ~' 1,..Jl:'.i:""f.- ·-. : · , • r:~.:" ;. • : Poco · 4,c. crstumbrado ; ." -a mo l estar , las autor idades pero endontrandom~ p 'reso y .no pudi endo ' pedir explicaciones que los hombres · deben e ~ ijir a los -9.tros ~ hombres -cuariqo .esJ:os ' Se ven injuriados' . 'me veo ..en el . impi-escindible caso d,e ) :ecui:'rir ,. a SU t.s Ho~ora't~ilidad para ponerle en co~oc ·~miento lo sig~i~nte.:=·, - -_, u: > • • ·_y

Al' Llega:r; ayer a 'ia visi~a de Reglamento de , esta .- Carc~l ; -mi co~re _ Jua#i p '~gani encargada que, es de mi casa y de mis hijos, mani-f-esto q\la al pasar poz:- la. 'Calle de la- Cruz donde esta la "Federaci6n · Lib r e" fue , u;t.t:ra,jada por Zoilo Betclnc ourt · ,quien E!'Sga ~ r6 'pat:.a·:.·en~ima de el la, y los demas que es~ab~n - coh dicho Betancourt _ se : mofaban, quien 'iba acompa"i'iada , cle ' SU hijo trienor de t:t'e s · a 'fios / y· coirio : yo . considero . senor que a las muj,eres se les .. d ,ebe'L '.1:;'•e 'spet~'r por . que 'es ~+ sexo debil' . y aun mas cuando estas carece.n, de .. alguien que .r. las . d .ef iendan, y considerando que el Sr Batancourt se ~prec iia de s er p\,J.en __ mas6n y donde creo los hombres -'deben ser ...serios y de . bu~11as . costum.bres,- este Sr ha . faltado a la ··socieda a ·"y a l' as l eye~ qu~ .. hoy nQ s rigen. No quiero cahsar mas '· la ateric i, 6ri · de 'v.a ~· y esp~ro sea atendid~ mLqueja. , , '- : 1 _ / ~· ' ., ' , , • ' ' ·. •

· carcel Publica de san Juan P.R. Junio 23 .de 1902 · AGPR ; F6ndo de For'taleza Caja 110

,

:

SECRETARY'S OFFICE P.ORTO-RICO

Sari ,Juan, Porto ,. Rico, : ., July 9, 1902. . ;_

:

To the -. Honorable

.

The Gov~~nor of Porto Rico, - San J ~an, P -~·

·. :··, ~.OA '. tne fifth day of · June ' , 1902, I . h~d- ~the honor to receive -from ,: ' y'ou · a ·c ·oinmunj.cation ·calling my attention to an enclosed document signed ' "The -C~ntral ·committee of the Federacion Libre : of San Juan", and inviting my consideration of the charges in · s aid document :; also suggesting that the matters contained therein were 'of '·'such·t importance as · to warrant a thorough, searching and -imp artia:i"··-1nvestigation; and requesting - that . the same . pe made under my:• p -~rs'onal supervision ~ .- , . .

. I beg to report to you that I have devoted much time, since the receipt ¢,f your communication, to the complaince with your sugge'st,ion Immediately 1- I caused a · formal :notice to be prepared, addressed to the Central Committee of the Federaci6n Libre, 'setting for.th ' the · substance :, of your communj.cation , to . me and . ilotify ing -~said ' committee that ' I . would conduct . a1'- inyest~gation personally at the · secretary•s - Office on Monday afternoon, . June 9, at ··2 · -·o' ¢lock, and inviting , said committee to appear and procure the· attendance of all wit-nesse$ possible, for the purpose of suqstantiatipg the charges contain~d in the instrument -filed with y9u, and inviting the · assistance and cooperation of said central committee i h every way p oss i-ble in enabling me tc) arrive :-at . . a::. full ' t and fair conclusion . r~specting the . matte.rs in controversy'-, · as well as · all other matters of, a similar character.

In response to this notice the said · committee appeared at . _ the office of the .-· Secretary at the ·· time menti;onep, together with '' a - large number of other persons, · •:for - the . purpose of _, , giving evidence in suppo~t of the , : charges , in . ·-question. During - the following week I examined about fifty witnesses who were produced by said committee, all of whom were duly sworn to testify to the truth regarding tha matters involved in said investigation.

. , .

.,_

During the process of the examination of· said witnes-ses, a communication was received, signed by Jose Mauleon and forty-four others, requesting to be allowed to appear at said investigation in order to p resent further testimony respecting ·the ' matters involveci, and upon the conclusion of the hearing of the testimony a,dduced by the off'ice:ts of the Federacion Libre Mr~ - Maule6n and his associates were notified to appear and present· testimonythey should see fit in connection with · the same or similar ,. matters. They di c;l so appear and . proc;luced apout twenty witnesses whose testi,~ony was taken in ·· the same manner as that · of those produced on behalf of the Federa'.cio'n Libre; and in addition to all · of .this testimori_y ~ ti e persoi).al statements of Mr. Santiago Iglesias , representing the Federabion Libre, ·· -and of -Mr : Mauleori and ; others in opposition thereto, were take n; all of which; · together.,.. with the entire testimony adduced upon said hearing, have been .. . extended. ' and are herewith presented to you in connection with .- my . · ' c onc :hisioris ' thereon. .: ·

. The ' '/ · dc;>euinent . ,'•up·on which said investigation was held consisted of ·:. a ' series of charges by the Central Committee of the Federacion Li'lire against what was denominated . an organized· gang known as Las Tu:tbas, whose deliberate purpose it was charged was to sy~tematically ' attack the Federacion Libre ·in order to disband the . trades unions · which· .. it · had organized, and the specific c;hargesf . coritained in said . instrument related to certain alleged assaults 'c omrni tted upon members of the ·Federacion Libre ., on the streets and in the municipal jail of the •city of San Juan

. . Prior to the time· of · the filing ·_ of this · complaint, other charges were made · that disturbances had , ocurred on·.. the streets 9f the city of San Juan, and that · the participants therein were largely the ; ,·meinbers of, or · affiliated : with certain labor or political -organizations c:m the island; and the partisans of the contending !'actions have !"epeatedly charged each 'other with being ·the ·responsible cause of such disturbances. On the one side of this controversy is the · or·ganization k ·nown . as . the Federacion Libre, the charter of which indicates that it is an. ·organization of . laboring man holding a charter from the American Federation of Labqr and ':-' which was ·or'ig'inated · by one Santiago Iglesias who ~ppears ·"to ·hav e been· 'during ' its· ~ntire existence practically the controlling force in said organization, and while it is true that Mr. Iglesias ·pers'onally does' not appears to have · h'ad any :direct participation in connection with the disturbances which are :related · iri t.he ,:· testimony; st'i11 , · by the .··' opponents of the Federacio·ri Libre · , alm:ost ' without exception, ;he is charged witll being the coritrolling · factor who • has dictated . the policy movements of said organization. · ·

The Federacion claims that it has been attacked and its members assaulted and its lodge rooms attacked by its opponents for two specific reasons; · · · · · · ·· · · _, -

1st _:_ Because · it has declined to· · ally · _ it sel.f with the Republican , Party or to -permit its ·· - niemb9rs to participate in Republican politics; and

2nd - Be.cause by the -'· terms · of the ' charter· und.er Whicb . it is organized its members are not permitted to · hold ·any public office,- , and -· that . its . opponents, being themselves ... largely ..officials and employees of the municipality . of San. _Juan, and there-fore incompetent to become members of the organization, have marked it for destruction . '.t .•• • .·· .;.. The Federacion Libre · ·charges that · its a "ctive ·opponel)tS and aij sail.antsi~consist of . an -orga nization which they have: seen fit ~:. _tc:, ·g ,eno~-inate . Las Turbas, and which they· allege _ is prgan~~ -ed for _· -\'. the 1peci~ic . purpose of destrbying :it .. . . . · .

Mr. Mauleon and his associates in the Jnvestigation in q~estion appeared in a somewhat ·three-fold capacity - first as individua1·s; ~econd as members of · an organization known -~s "the C-ommitte~ -rfor -.the defense of ·the · ·Republicari Pa~ty; ·and JJiir..d, as m~mbe rs .ofir,- What appears to be· a "'rival' organization, known a s the Federacion · Regional, .- the members· of which . organization also appear to be affiliated with _ the Rep~blican Party ... ·:. • ;.

, I '.· wa~ ,. in some · doubt up · to the time · of the ciose of the · testimony in ·the case as to wheter or not the opposition to the Federac;:ion -, Libre should be placed at the door of the s o-c alled "Coltl.L--qi:tte of _-:De fe nse", or upon the Federacion regiona l; . but . since that time L have received , a certified copy of a resolution adopted by. the Federacion Regional, · as follows: · ',, : _

FEDERACION REGIONAL DE OBREROS SECCION 'DE - SAN. • JUAN ' .f

· Luna i 50, Altos·. =· Presidencia

San Juan, P .R. Junio 28, 1902.

Th~ _ Hono rable -· . . . Secretary of Puerto-Rico, San Juan.

Sir: The : FEDERACION REGIONAL passed in its last meeting the resolution to inform Your Honor as follows: -

-

That ··the disturba,nce-s and unrest shall be stopped as soon as the men of the FEDERACION LIBRE discontinue their assaults against the laborers not in their union , · and -Igle sias ,-be .· discharged as organizer of labor unions in Puerto~Rico. _:.,, .. .. ,

Respectfully _y,ou;-s .,. . .... -:

Joaquin A. Becerril

President

• • -1 • ,.

Enrique Pacheco

This somewhat remarkable , doc~ment wou-ld appear tio ~ssume on behalf of the Federacio~ iegional a full measure . of respo_nsibili,ty for the con~inuance of disturbances in question, -: -.an~ . by r~a4:i,ng _ it in a conye;:~e serise, .. it appear s, , to l:>e both a _, :.·, ., noti~ :tha-t th e Federacion Regional is willing - to assume . , .:, ;r-espo11si bi-:J..i ty . for . the .continuance of sµch disturbances, unless , the · ~hings :, Jt demands _ ther~in ijhal~ be acc<;>inp~i,shed • I.t - also tends to support the general conclusion at which I have arrived, that these disturbances, . as a matter of fact, are very largely the outcome ,_ ,of .: the rival ry- between . ,the .-,.two labor ~rgan .izations. :"' •f '° i •~ •• , I .: am .,.. f :µl ly convinced, however, by the testimony, .tha t a ·... .large ·c•·n\linber, of tne alleged assault~ in . question haye ._ been 'grossly macjriified for . ulteriqr p\lrposes. . .. . ' .

. Under 1 ;., t,hese . circumstances we can only .arrive at probabilities in · attemp:t_.ing . to . determine · the .truth of the testimony of the various witnesses, and my conciusion - is that . ,both . part,ies _,to :the controversy mu~t .be qalled on . to · assume some _'sh-ar~ .i,n , the · respc;>hsibili ty fo~ the ,. cionditicn of affairs which • f, is d1,:5close<i.. ._ ,., • • •• -,. • :' • : • :'."if • • • • ;")

It , is ... charged in , .th~ . evid~nce that the . opponents of the Federacion Libre, many of whom appear tQ be eithe~ employees or minor officials of the city of San Juan, have been protected in the.ir misdeeds by the off icia.ls and . the municipal and police courts . 9f the city, ~mcf .that th~ act~ori of these qourts has been such that it ·nas been impossib;I.e to secure . the . conviction and punishment of .the opponents : 6{.. ;-tl').e Federacion Libre in said courts; but that on the contrary, upon some occasions, the complaint was resolved against the complaining witness himself, causing the . p~nisl'iment . of -~ the . wrong ·party. ·.: . . . ~, I. •, •" ;a ' . : -~ ( . :. •- /,' '

Whatever may be the truth respecting these charges . and complaints, it is a happy solution of this phase of the controversy to be able to say that I have every confidence that no such complaint will be made by either party in the future, inasmuch as the institution of the new courts for Justice of the P.e~c::e; . endowed with exclusive jurisdiction in petty qriminal matters, and the selection .of Justices of the Peace whose ._ability ,

and impartiality are above reproach in the·' COlI~Ittl.i~i ty, insures that equal and complete justice will be done in the future in matters of the character we are discussing. I 4eem . ~t. only pro.per to say, in passing, that in my opinion, ·· there ·, has · been a looseness and l'axity in . the matter of the pro~pt prosecution of criminal -~ charges in the ··-Police Courts in the city q_.f Sari ' Juan ... : ; . .

I am . of the opinion that the Municipal jail ·ha:~ ··· been conducted in an 'improper, and in some respects cruel ma~,ner, and · that both of those · who have been officiating as jailers·, (Benito Mir6 y Quintin Flores) should -· be replaced w:i, thout delay, =a:nd ..that t,he practice of compelling • prisoners to work before they have been found guilty of any of f~nce, shou;td be forbidden, , ;·and, that the practice of permitting a jailer ·to select a corporal; or · sergeant ·, f -rom among the · prisoners, ,. .regardl~ss of the character =or : brutality or otherwise of such p~isoner, should likewise be i· lminediately forbidden. ., , .' ,, : · .: · ,' • ·: > ' ~:

In··'conclusion, I feel very . con.fid~nt that no repet"iti6n or continuanc~s of these or similar occurances wil,l ti:'anspir~ in this community. Under the provisions of the new Pena1 code ' and Code of . cr.iminal Procedure wh-ich have been in _ effect ·since the irst :: day -: of July, · the .-. new co.µrts of Just:i,ce ·C)f the . P~ace have been esta blished, and their jurisdi,ction is such that ~hey have a plain and simple duty to perform in the premises, ~nd there is no reason to doubt ·but thcit - that duty wil'l be ·promptly discharged... · · ' • r

In this connection ! de;m i.t only jus~ ice to report th at in my opinion the Insular Police have ·attempt'ed to do their whole duty during all of the matters.. r~la1;.ed in the testimony herein, arid I h ·ave c· no doubt but: that with the add,itional and improved jud'icia l surroundings which have no}i come int<;> existence for the enforcement' of the - new criminal lawp, that they will be able to preserye . that ·- -degree of peace . ,anq - cj'o.od · orqer throughout the island, which is the wish and constant prayer . of . every · lawabiding citizen. · .· '•

All i of · ;which .- is respectfu.lly L~ubmitted~ ·. _ ... ;,,

Chas Hartz .ell ~ecretary of Porto Rico

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza

Caja 78

90

San Juan, P.R. July 21, 1902 .

To His Ex c;:ellency

. Mr. w. H. Hunt Governor ··of

Porto Rico

Sir:

On the 18th, instant- I received a communication rrom· '• t:ne ·PresiqE;!nt of the District co.urt, ordering that the · keeper of -the Municipc;tl jail be suspended from . office, on account . of the proceed1ngs of, said Court, aga~nst said keeper. _

J;'. -~ish to let you know that in : accordance to the s~ggestions of your 'letter 17.th instant, that reached niy off ice enclosing the report ~f , tbe . Hon. ·Secr~tary of Puerto Rico I ordered the two , keepe:,;s ' of the Municipal jai l, Quintin Flores and Benito , Miro,* to be dlscharged at once. T~e;refo:,;e I had tiie honor to : make it known to the Honorable P~es iqent of the 1)isti::;ic Court, in answerin g his request' .

I · send you this information in order that you may be fully acquaint::~a - with the f act:s. .

Respectfully, Manuel Egozcue Mayor of . the City Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 110 :_,' '

AGPR

*

Durante mucho tiempo se acus6 al 1a· carcel municipal de estar bajo el · control · de . las , Turbas de San Juan. En 1902 el Secretario Hartzell · e~contr6 . que en · ella' · se habian cometido unos atropellos y recomen~6 ., que se ·expulsara a los retenes. Benito Mir6, r uno de los retenes y 11der de las Turbas, fue figura de alguna irnportancia en la vida pol1tica de comienzos de slglo . en San Juan.

OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OF PORTO RICO SAN

JUAN

San Juan, Porto Rico ·· August 15, 1902

The Hon. Acting-Governor, San Juan, Porto Rico

Sir:

Your valued letter of August 11, handing us copies of certain charges lodge with · you by Mr. Santiago - - Palmer, ·· effecting the conduct of the Insular · Police of Caguas; ; has been received.

In accordance with your request for an investigation of · these charges, the undersigned, a majority of the Commission of the Insular Police, personally made this examination, going to Caguas on the morning of the 14th inst. The charges as set forth by · Mr. Palmer, were more particularly against the conduct of the Judge of the Peace, and naturally this commission made no investigation into his conduct nor that of his clerk, Carlos Buitrago, except where acts of the Police were involved with or formed part of the complaint against the Court.

The investigation was conducted with the greatest care and impartiality and we herewith transmit to you for your information the original testimony.

As a result of the investigation we are of the opinion, that the Justice of the Peace and the Sanitary Inspector have been over officious in arresting federals for ·small offences, and that they have not shown the same zeal in punishing republicans; and this .·is undoubtly true : of the Police Sergeant as well but ·· there was nothing in the investigation to reveal any such state of - feeling or resentment against the Police as would appear from the charges .•.

Finally the commission cautioned the Sergeant, informing him that , under no circumstances -was the station to be .used for political -gatherings, ·or as a -general meeting place •..

AGPR Caja 110

Very respectfully, R. M. Hernandez Benjamin F. Butler Fondo de Fortaleza

Mauleon en libertad

Aduladores, serviles lacayos y la escala social, se agrupaban al lado del vitoreaban histericamente.

ralea de la ultima ex-presidiario y lo '

Casi se le llev6 en brazos a la ambulancia donde se le instalo. Ya prop6sito de ambulancia; los animales que la tiraban se parecian tanto a los mulos del ayuntamiento, esto es mulos que pertenecen al municipio ...

ta procesi6n consistia de una desentonada orquesta, un vagabundo - portando ·1a bandera americana, la cual se la profa~aba al agitarla al frente de un bandido, el carro tirado por mules muy parecidos al ganado caballar del municipio y que la llevaba a Mauleon y algunos de su gavilla, y cuatro coches mas 11,eno de 1a gentuza · . ·

La parada recorri6 el partido republicano! Regional Republicana turbulento Jose.*

la ciudad gritando iviva Mauleon! iviva hasta que llegaron a su cuartel en la donde hubo felici taciones para el ,.;

The San Juan News, 8 de agosto de 1902, p.4.

* Mauleon acababa de cumplir una condena de carcel en la pr1s1on de Puerta de Tierra, donde, por cierto, se indicaba que tenia toda· clase de privilegios que lo distinguian de los otros · prisioneros y que correspondian a su posici6n de importante figura politica y, spbre todo, de gran arraigo entre algunos sectores populares de : la capital. Loque ocurri6 luego de 1~ salida de Mauleon de ~, prisi6n fu• tipico de las ac.ti vidades que llevaban a . cabo las Tur bas. Era muy frecuente que las mismas tuvieran un cara.Gter ·· festlvo que incluia una orquesta que tocaba distintos tipos de musicacomo el himno de Estados Uniqos, " que era ;( parte de · su · repertorio regular - y que frecuentemente era precedida por ,: la bandera de Estados Unidos/ simbolo 1, de las rtuevas libertades de accion, que mucho apreciaban los grupos asociados a las Turbas cuya memoria larga no olvidaba las represiones y persecus~ones sufridas bajo el regimen espafiol.

Las Turbas en su fuerte

Todo el dia una indescriptible horda de individuos se congregaron frente al Club Republicano en el No. 12, calle de la Cruz, llenando la atm6sfera de viles expresiones... (Mau1e·6n gritaba al todo pulm6n) usando los epitetos mas sucios ...

Despues los turbulentos recorrieron las calles· de la poblaci6n, llevando a la cabeza una desentonada orquesta, hacienda el dia completamente repulsive. Esta desaforada horda visit6 las casas de los jefes del partido republicano y donde quiera que se paraban tenian la audacia de tocar el himno nacional, '!The Star Spangled Banner"_ ...

The San Juan News, 12 de agosto de 1902, p.4.

94

Humad ~o August 27th 1902

Civil Governor San Juan

Last night mob gathered at Plaza, two shote; as a signal heard Luis De-:J,. gado and ,others rushed to attack people assembled as· usually at Noyas drug store. Delgado shot twice wounding Almiroty and child Casablanca. People then shot Delgado who . is slightly wounded. Two policemen came and fired,- · bullets striking drug store walls : Mob killed Octavio Guzman at Santa Rosa street and seriously wounded Hilario Hernandez at Piedras street. Young Solier killed near drug store by Policemen it is said. Another man at Carrera street hurt with knife by Pedro Martillo. Impartial opinion against Police. I heard Policeman Cordova propose to assault botica because Delgado was dead. Further attacks are expected. Citizens disgusted and alarmed.

Buso Alcalde

AGPR

Fonda de Fortaleza Caja 116

Honorable Gobernador Civil de ~uerto Rico

Hon. Sor:

Los que escriben vecinos de la Cidra, refugiados hoy en este pueblo, donde la Policia Insular es verdadera garantia de~ . orden, ante V.H. exponen:

Que han tenido que abandonar sus hogares y familias, porque la Policia de su pueblo, en criminal contubernio con una turba de republicanos, han 9onvertido a aquel pacifico poblado, en un ~ampo de intriga-s y calumnias:

Que se ·les persigue a todas horas yen todas partes por el s olo deli to de ·ser federales :·

Que se les provoca con el unico fin de llevarlos a la carcel, como sucedi6 a los vecinos de alli Felix Vega y Jacinto Nieves, condenado el primero i tres meses de ·cirdel por el .Sor Juez de Paz de Cayey, siendo · inocente, y siguiendole al segundo una ·causa por atentado contra la Policia Insular, calumniosamente.

En · todo esto lleva siempre la . parte -activa la Policia, y sirvenle de testigos, un grupo de iepublicanos, -: gue, aun durmiendo se prestan a el~o.

El imperio del terror se ha manifestado tanto, que no hay quien se atreva i declarar la v·erdad, temiendo de ser perseguido cruelmente.

Y eomo · no es posible que eso perdure; y como tenemos confianza " en ; que .,. y.H. no puede permitir, una vez que lo conozca, que continue tanto desmin, a V.H. ocurrimos para que se sirva poner coto a esos abuses, devolviendo la tranquilidad i ese pueblo; . ya las familias que hoy sufren la ausencia de seres -quer•idos, justicia que esperamos desde Comerio a-. 2 de septiembre de 1902:-.

Muy respetuosamente

AGPR Caja 116

Jose G. Vazquez y varias firmas mas Fondo de Fortaleza

Cartas como estas, dirigidas al Gobernador por personas (mayormente federales) atemorizadas por la violencia y queen ocasiones abandonaban sus municipios, eran frecuentes a comienzos de siglo.

San Juan, Porto Rico, Sept. 3rd. 1902

Major Even Swift

Commanding the District of Porto Rico San Juan, Porto Rico

Sir:

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt this day of your communication, enclosing copy of a telegram received this day from the Commanding Officer of the United States troops near Cayey, and relating to a verbal application by the Alca-lde· · of Cayey to Major Howze for protection of the inhabitants of that town from mobs and rioters.

In response I beg to advise you, as you · are unddtibtly aware, that the people of Porto Rico are now engaged in a heated political campaign, and that it has been anticipated by the Insular authorities that more or less difficulties would be engendered in different parts of the island during that time. I have been . . advise of the ·difficulties which have transpired in ,. Cayey, and have · directed an investigation respecting the responsibility therefore, with the idea that the parties guilty of all infractions of the law shall be brought to justice.

I entertain no doubt of the ability of the Insular Police of Porto Rico under the direction of the Governor and Police officials, to maintain law and order, and I can think of no more unfortunate occurence that could happen, to retard the progress of civil government, than to be compelled to ask for military assistance in the preservation of law and order on the island.

The situation in Cayey is •not · materially different from that in a number of other cities on the island, and the precedent of allowing the use of United States troops for police purposes in any one of these places would certainly lead to vastly more troubles and complications than could be compensated by any benefits to be derived therefrom.

I therefore advise you that I cannot consent to Major . Howze' s request that he be permitted at this time to patrol the · town of Cayey for the purposes mentioned in .his telegram·. . ·:,

J. AGPR ' Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 115

Very respectfully, Chais. Hartzell, Acting. Governor ··

From BLONDET, Carlos H.

San Juan, P.R. Sept. 5, 1902

States that in Guayama, several persons desirious of uniting the Porto Ricans, have formed a committee called the Union Puerto Riquefia Americana. As soon as this was known it was tried to be prevented by threatening the President. Threats were made by Alejandro Soto and one Dodo.

The complaint was also followed by some persons among which were municipal employees to "Las Merias" in order to prevent the holding of a political meeting which it was thought was about to be effected.

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 58

99

Septiembre 18 de 1902

Honorable Gobernador Civil San Juan

Senor:

Son tantos los abusos que a diario se cometen en esta localidad por los guardias de la Policia Insular sin duda alguna obedeciendo 6rdenes del Comandante del puesto que nose ocupa en ~bsoluto del . cumplimie~to - de .su deber toda vez que no repr ifl}e la ~onducta ._ de sus subo:r-dinados que no hemo-s dudado en dirigirno~~a V.H r pidiendo se separen de este , puesto todos los: policias que lo componen, medida que se impone para poder-evitar mayores males, pues soliviantada la opinion caracemos de la s ,eguridad necesaria para nuestra tranquilidad toda vez que est,9 §l funcionarios .; que son los encargados del orden son los primeros que lo . perturban. 'I

Hacen politica ostensiblemente y valiendose del atropello tratan de someter a los que no comulgan con ellos los cuales son denunciados a diario sin motivo justificado, valiendose de te~tigos ~~a l_s,os y no admitiendo en los juicios que aqui celebra el ttiburial 6 juzgado de paz, los testigos que los denunciadospre~entan, · . siendo estos objeto de condenas impuestas caprichosamente por que el juez de paz apoya a estos funcionarios sin oir la parte contraria.

0 • Nosotros, que somos extranj eros completamente extrafios a la politic~ (causa de estas perturbaciones) que representamos aqui la riqueza y que estamos vinculados en familia hace muchos afios, con nuestra influenci~ contenemos a los que son obje-to de los ·citados atrope,llos para -queen ning(m caso se diga que las "turbas 11 que exi'sten en otras poblaci-oh'es, en este pueblo interrumpan ., la buena marcha del gobierno;. pero come a pesar . de ello obs~rvamqs que nuestra actitud no se aprecia en lo .l'que vale por las autoridades que estan llamadas a responder del orden: no hemos vacilado, contando con la cooperaci6n de todos los demas _ propietarios y vecinos de la localidad para haeer esta d~nuncia la que estamos , puestos a sostener si su autor1dad abre una investigaci6n _ en averiguaci6n de los hechos citados.

Respetuosamente, [Varios propietarios, algunos •~ de los cuales se identificaban como espafioles o franceses.] ,I

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 69

100 Cayey, P.R. Sept. 30, 1902

Hon. Frank H. Richmond Acting Attorney General San ._ Juan, P.R ,

Sir:

Yesterday morning I requested of the Captain of - Police ,. a li~t _ o f all persons who toolc part in the occurrence of Sunday and particularly the riots near the bridge. · I attach heretb the r~port he has handed me.

The list submitted of those participating in the bridge . riots can easily be doubled or tripled. I ~m able myself to add several names and among them a ringleader or two. ·t can - also i9entify on the streets at almost any time a great many other$ who figured in the riots.

I want to hold every guilty man and in any case when the police do not make the charge I want to make it myself. This would doubtless bring on trouble and I would want the assurance that I could subdue the mob or at least put up a fight l want no more defeats of the character administered Sunday. I await your instructions. :.;.: ~.' Yesterday the streets were lively with people and large ~ ) :ium~e!'s of those who participated in the .riots were in evidence . : \~ , . A few shots were fired at different times during the day . ; Arturo Rivera was arrested and charged with the shooting of . · another ..• Many Federals were escorted out of :town under police protection. In the instances under my observation · Several of the mob lurked in their trail apparently with t~e i ntention of ~ intimidating them •

Last night the town ~c.l~ quiet and today is the same. One man was cut · on the head with a club this morning. His assailant prominent in the riots Sunday, is under arrest ...

Respectfully

c. H. Foote

Acting Justice of Peace

AGPR Caja 115

Fondo de Fortaleza

Telegrama de Lugo Vina, alcalde de Salinas, al Gobernador 3 de octubre de 1902.

'.' Al regresar de Salinas ano~h.e se me di6 conocimiento que a las cuatro de la tarde individuo Miguel Laino dispar6 frente Alcaldia a Alcalde Sustituto . Villodas cinco tiros revolver hi~iendo a Teodoro Marzan en brazo y Pedro Dessus en la. frente. Alc~lde ~ustituto no , recibi6 he~ida. Juzgado entiende asunto. Poblaci6n correcta tranquila. Por telegrafo estar cerrado a mi ' llegada no comunique anoche suceso.

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 69 ',

Telegramade Jose de Diego al Gobernador. Mayaguez, 4 de octubre de 1902.

· Candidate Federal Camara Luis Montalvo herido alevosamente de dos tremendos garrotazos. ocurri6 la agresi6n en cal le tan concurrida como la de Mendez Vigo, · fugandose el . criminal. No a~are6i6 policia alguno en el lugar del suceso. Agresor dispar6 tambien tiros sin hacer ' blanco. Pueblo indignado, procure calmar animos · evitaci6n conflictos. Ruego a u. nuevamente supresion Policia Municipal. ;,

AGPR Fonda de Fortaleza Caja 117 , ..,.

103

From Wilcox Guayama, P.R. Oct. 12, 1902.

President of Federal Party returned from trip in country badly wounded. Claims he was attacked by men in road with stones and revolvers and he returned the fire in self defense. Difficulty ocurred at country store. One man killed. All parties under arrest • - From ; .l. -' Guayama; Alcald~ of Guayama, P.R. Oct. 12, 1902

; ;

States that this afternoon, between two and three o'clock, while Miguel Romaguera was driving through the Barrio Guamani he fired several shots at a group of peasants who were returning from the town, causing the death of Elias Santos. The town is quiet, but very much impressed by the events which have occurred. There are fourteen persons under arrest. · ; , .

From Wilcox Guayama, P.R. Oct. 16, 1902. -~ States that he arrived · in .Salinas to-night ... About fifty shots ,w.ere fired shortly after his arrival, and he found the town in -confusion, only three policemen being .there who seemed . helpless. When informe.d that Wilcox was Governor's delegate .the police placed themselves under his , direction and made :some arrests and order was restored

From CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF PONCE Salinas, P.R. Oct . 17, 1902.

Complain that office of the Federacion Libre of Salinas was robbed by "turbas" encouraged by corporal of Insular Police. President was clubbed and made prisoner. Requests protection for Federacion.

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza caja 58

TELEGRAM

Cayey October 27, 1902.

Governor Hunt San Juan

104 ' ,

In San Lorenzo three Guardsmen badly wounded two persons dead about twelve wounded. I have ordered a Physician from Caguas as there is none in San Lorenzo. Here everything is quiet and do not anticipate any trouble tomorrow. Lieut. Silen going to Cidra · tonight. I have attended to the matters you telegraph ~bout ·~· ., · ' , , a.•/

Techter

,-

Telegrama al Gobernador Juncos October 28, 1902.

Honorable Gobernador San Juan

· Heridos ayer San Lorenzo curados segun informe de medico de Caguas. Si voy a San Lorenzo peligra mi vida y aunque se que V.H. castigara severamente a a:utores · yo queda ria de todbs modos estropeado. Esta tarde han querido atropeilarme vecinos de est~ pueblo. Yo no debo ir ~i V.H. no me da garantias -~uficientes. ·: ·

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 58

Barreras , l t T

105

Rio Piedras, P.R. Nov. 1, 1902

Governor Hunt San Juan

Nothing of importance has ocurred here number of shots fired at three different barrios either, for wanton alarm or -to . draw force out - of· town·.. Two persons · here assaulted with clubs but - .did not recognice agressors.

Techter

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 61 • I

' , • I•

! ·, .',_

106 Mayaguez, Nov. 4, 1902

The

Hon. Wm. H. Hunt Governor of Puerto Rico San Juan, P.R.

Sir:

I have the honor to make the i following r ,eport upon our wo:rk ) 1.s your Specia,l Representative in .this city- during the polling hours of - this · day: ·: ··

_

As the telegram, which I signed and sent you together with Messrs. Chapman, Keeler, and Beatty, implied, I felt that the mission was one which carried with it a great moral responsability without the accompanying authority or powers to act. This was doubtly so because to a certain extent, not through any fault of ours but because of having fulfilled · o'i.1r duty honestly on a previous occasion, we had become personas non gratas with a certain element of the political power reigning in this city. I refer to the occasion on the 28th when we acted as special police under the orders of Mr.---=-- S. Hord, Chief of the Bureau of Internal revenue, as well as during the subsequent investigation carried on by him in the Election frauds committed on the 28th. I, Sir, as an old soldier have learnt to obey orders, and not to compromise on anything short of my sworn duty, even though I, to-day, exercised my rights as citizen and voted the straight Republican ticket

As you were informed by Mr. Keeler [ en Hormigueros J by wired he saw the Federal judges present, waiting long before the hour appointed for opening the precincts. The doors were not opened till at least 8:15 and then the Federal judges were told they were excluded because they were not in their places at 8:00 a.m. as the law ordered. Mr. Keeler came into town and reported the case to you and to Mr. Butler by wire ...

In precint No. 9 a question was raised about the admission under oath of challenged voters. This the law distincly provides for, but the Republican judges refused to admit Federal voters under such conditions. This matter was reported to Mr. Butler directly and he wired we to straighten it up and to tell the Republican judges that the presiding judge would be "prosecuted the day after to-morrow under Section 16 of the law!

As a matter of fact, Mr. Governor, • the judges · ot each precint were very partisan and almost hostile. · The · two Republicans being the majority and having received . their private , · orders -· and thorough drill in ~11 electoral tricks from ' :their "bosses" · scouted the very idea oi consulting with any American. Even ; if the Federal minority judge were desirous of calling we, the Republican majority would reject the idea ...

Thus the judges did pretty much as they liked. Our authority was nill ...

The Municipal Police also, creatures of an hour, dependent upon and therefore subservient to the will of the local administration, were committing all kinds of abuses short of serious personal violence. As there were only two of us to oversee the carriage or miscarriage of justice in fifteen precincts, they too did about as they pleased. Federal voters were held in waiting for hours in one line, while Republicans voters were passed in inmediately ...

Hundreds of federals who ha d registered on the 14th, 15th, and 28th ult. arrived to-day to find that their names were not on the lists ... List have been taken (as on the night of Oct. 15th) by the Republican judges to the Alcaldia, policemen posted at the doors with rifles and carbines and admittance refused to the Federal judges . What was going on inside can better be conjecture than known by all but "the chosen few" ...

Facts are painful medicines at times, Mr. Governor, and these are facts that the Federal party stand ready to prove at any fair and impartial investigation. As your representativet commissioned by you I feel bound to call your attention to them. Well does Don Mateo fajardo know that I would report them to you faithfully, hence the protest against my appointment made by wire last night by him and Mr. Fred Cornwell. I must do my ·full duty according to my conscience and oath and report ttie whole unvarnished truth to you. The remedy is not within my authority.

Respecfully submitted

David M. Traill

AGPR

Fondo de Forta l eza Caja 117

El triunfo del Partido Republicano en 1902 (que ya hab1a triunfado en las elecciones de 1900 cuando el Partido Federal se abstuvo de partic i par), cont6 con el apoyo de una base politica que los republicanos desarrollaron desde muy temprano Yen la

cuaJ. se destacan los sectores urbanos. ·El Partido Republicano logr6 alcanzar un fue -rte respaldo en las principales ciudades de la •Isla. Por otro laclo, 1·0s republicanos tambien contaron ·con la confusion creada por ~un clima social de gran conflictividad y con "estrategia-" -electorales cbmo las que desoriben Traill y - dtros · · funcionarios norteamericanos. . •. ;

Telegrama

Lares, November 4th 1902

Butler

Supervisor San

Juan

Your two telegrams received and case resolved satisfactorily. All day a , source of trouble has been carelessness of some policemen to keep voters in line. As result · some of first • arrivals are still in line while later comers have voted. I formed lines over and again but the policemen allowed new to take place. Before one booth I noticed that men from early morning were ~t tail end, while new arrivals were at head. The first comers complaining I directed order to be changed and end . reversed, afterwards Sergeant Torres arrived and counkermanded my .. order .· and on my again appearing near booth declared he was chief in so loud voice that large crowd collected. What should be done? I fear closing hour will come before all have voted. There are crowds standing about but so far only one small fight.

S·choenr ich

AGPR

Fondo . de Fortaleza Caja . 115

110 Mayaguez Nov. 4, 1902

Hon. Wm. H. Hunt Gov. Porto Rico

Sir:

As your special representative on election day for the town of Anasco I have the honor to report:

Doors opened at 8 a.m. Already having knowledge of a little game the Republicans played with the town clock on the 28th I set my watch at 8 o'clock sharp the minute the polls were opened which corresponded very nearly to Mayaguez time ...

The police did not refuse to do anything that I asked of them, but were somewhat lax in their duty, due to their being bossed by the ruling party. Neither did their Lieut. Noa refused anything that I asked of him, but if he exhausted his capacity I would consider him somewhat incompetent.

I am pretty well satisfied that all the police permitted the leaders to put their men at the head of the .line thus preventing the opposite party (the federals) from voting until late and many of them did not get to vote at all ...

The Alcalde also interfered in this manner, I remonstrated with him, he denied it, but for during the last two hours of election he sat in front of the door of one of the precints and had republicans picked out any where he chose along the line and had them voted ahead of others •..

Very repectfully, Chas A. Beattey

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 117

111

From Hillebrand, H. T. Guayama, Nov. 5, 1902

Advises that he arrested the ringleader of a funeral procession celebrating the decease of the federal party. Says the chat · ·which accompanied the procession not only referred to the party in indecent terms, but included two of its · most prominent 1eaders; and he made the arrest while the proceedings were .going on, on the porch of a house occ·upied by ladies bel:ong i ng to the family of one of these gentlemen. says Corporal Cayetano cepero and two guards of the Insular Police witnessed the affair and laughed. Says he awaits the Governor's · decision to either refer charges against the Corporal or to appear as a witness against him. ·

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza caja 58

EXECUTIVE MANSION

San Juan, Nov. 6, 1902.

Respectfully referred to the Chief of the Insular Police. I recommend that the Corporal be suspended at once, and that the investigation be had.

w. H. Hunt Gov.

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 58

Telegrama al Gobernador Hunt de Aniceto Berrios, alcalde de Barranquitas, 6 de noviembre de 1902.

Acabo de llegar a Barranquitas donde me encuentro con que ocurri6 motin como a nueve mafiana. Result6 muerto Juez de Elecci6n Republicano Precinto Num. 37 disparos hechos · de Oficina de Correos. Dos heridos, Francisco Rivas y Pedro Arroyo Delegado :Camar~. Se reciben fuerza de Aibonito. Reina orden a la fecha comunico Ud. constituido Juez de Paz. Presuntos autores muerte _y disparos Hotilio Rodriguez, Teodomiro Rivera, Salestinc;> Marrero fugados presos Osvaldo Rivera, Pedro Ram6n Davila y ·Enrique Rivera.

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 119

113

To INSULAR POLICE, Chief of San Juan, P.R. Nov. 7, 1902.

I am advise by Chas. R. Manes of Guayama, that on the night of the 3rd. of November, two horses were stolen from him. He suspects that the stealing was done to prevent him reaching Salinas the morning of the 4th, and he complains that the police authorities would take no steps to find his animals, and that he had to employ a peon to recover them, and that the guilty parties are not, as yet, apprehended.

I recommend that the investigation be had which wi~l ascertain the truth.

'I' W. H. ! ·Hunt, Governor.

From Manes, Chas R. , · Salinas, P.R. Nov / -·17, 1902.

Was attacked by one of the mob of Salinas at about 5 P.M. Believe my report to you has something to do with it. Expect trouble tonight

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 58

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF PORTO RICO

SAN JUAN.

November the twelfth 1902

The 1 Gover-nor o f · Porto Rico San · Juan

Sir: '

On ~he thirthieth of August Mr. Andres B. Crosas was appointed by the Acting Attorney General as special Assistant Attorney General and as a special fiscal to investigate and ' report upon the death of Pio Solier Octavio, Reyes Guzman and Hilario Hernandez on the night of the twenty-sixth of August in the municipality of Humacao; and also to investigate and report upon the circumstances attending the wounding on the same night and in the same municipality of Luis Delgado and Jesus Almiroty.

In compliance with the duties thus delegated to him Mr. · crosas proceeded to Humacao on the second of September and commenced his investigations on the following day. on the twentyseventh of October the typewritten report of Mr. crosas was handed to me, together with a typewritten copy oft.he testimony in relation to the matter taken before the justice of the peace. This morning I reseived a typewritten report of the declarations made before Mr. crosas, which I have not yet had the time to examine.

Mr. Crosas in his report has expressed the opinion (p. 17) ._i that Captain Berrios and the force under him have been guilty of grave violations of the police regulations and of the laws of Porto Rico. In view of thesa statements I am of the opinion that Captain Berrios should be inmediately suspended and that charges against him, based upon the report of Mr. Crosas, should be at once formulated and heard at Humacao, or elsewhere as may be the most expedient, by a commission or comittee or such other body as you shall appoint for that purpose.

I enclose with this communication a copy of the report of Mr. Crosas, together with a typewritten copy of the declarations taken before him. I also enclose a copy of the declarations taken before the justice of the peace. These declarations will be useful in the trial of Captain Berrios.

In the course of this report Mr. Crosas, upon evidence adduced before him, reached the conclusion that Emilio Girona, a member of the insular police force, was guilty of the murder, on the night in question, of one Hilario Hernandez, ·a citizen of Humacao. I have deemed it my duty, in view of · the definite character of the evidence presented to Mr. Crosas, to prepare a sworn complaint CQarging the officer in question with murder. I have directed his arrest and that he be held without bond for trial in the District Court of Humacao.

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 116 -· i' .. '· .:· ..

f I

I have the honor, Sir, to be Your - obedieht · servant, Attorney General ' .

Hon. William H; Hunt ,, . Governor " of Porto , Rico, ·San Juan, P.R. ·

(Through Col. T • .Hamill), 1 (Chi~f · of In~ular Poli6~)

Sir:

May 19, 1904 ... ..

I have the "honor to . respectfully submit the following report of an in\restigation made by me in Caguas, P.R. regarding a disturbance which took place in that town on the night of the 10th inst. between · 8 . 30 and 9 o'clock, and also to enclose herwith the evidence taken on this occasion.

There are seventy-three pages of testimony, of which a good part is irrelevant and inmaterial, but to be absolutely impartial I accepted any and all testimony offered. In the enclosed testimony both sides are about equally represented.

According to the testimony given, there is sufficient proof that the parties responsible for the disturbance above mentioned are one Carlo Toro-Fernandez; R. Faura, Justice of the Peace at Caguas; and Sergeant Padial of the Insular Police.

The evidence shows that Carlo Toro-Fernandez led a crowd of about twenty to thirty armed with clubs, and some with revolvers as shown la t er, around the Public Square of Caguas at about 8:30 P.M. at a time when a concert was being given in that Square by musicians of the town. He and his followers obstructed the sidewalk and used language intended to create a disturbanc.:e. From the Plaza he led his followers to the Republican Club. Upon arriving at the corner of Munoz Rivera and Betances streets he said to his followers: "Now is the time! Three abreast and forward " inmediately firing his revolver, after which a general skirmish ensued, he and his followers finally retiring to the Republican Club. Several witnesses state that he was the only one who had used a revolver, and the man who was wounded in the leg by a revolver shot, Clemente Ortiz, states that Carlos ToroFernandez fired the bul l et which struck him.

R. Faur a, Justice of Peace at Caguas, was in so far responsible that he was around the Plaza and at the corner of the streets where the shooting took place, fluorishing a revolver and saying: "What are you running for, you Unionists? You are not so brave now. Stand your ground, don't be cowards!" then after the shooting was over causing the arrest of some Unionists, charging then with firing the shots that wounded Ortiz and two other other men, whose names do not appear in the investi~ations.

Though it is proven that Toro-Fernandez wounded Clemente Ortiz the Justice of Peace had, up to the time of my leaving Caguas, taken no action against him. It seems that Toro-Fernandez is protected in all his depradations by this Justice of the Peace, and therefore does not hesitate to commit any unlawful acts.

The responsibility of Sergeant padial lies in the fact that he, having been advise at least half an hour before hand that this disturbance would occur according to his own testimony and that of some of the other witnesses, failed to take proper precaution to prevent the same from taking place .•.

I would further state that the men who have been known as Republicans in Caguas for the past few years took no part whatever in this affair, and the men that Toro-Fernanaez has gathered about him are, in the main, of the lowest class. Most of them seem to be toghs. It also appears that most of the respectable people from the other side retired to their homes when they saw that something was going to happen, only the rougher element remaining to clash arms with the crowd captained by Toro-Fernandez.

It is my opinion that to preserve order in caguas it is necessary the present Justice of the Peace should be removed and an absolutely impartial and inflexible man be appointed in his place; also the commander of the Insular Police of that town should at all times have at least ten men under his command, be a man of strong character, and possessed of a great deal of executive ability.

In conclusion I would draw attention to the fact that nearly everybody carries a revolver, and as the law forbids searching there is very little opportunity to prevent the same.

Very respectfully, Wilhem Lutz

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza caja 168

118

August 10, 1904. ·

Hon. Beekman Winthrop, Governor of Porto Rico San Juan, P.R.

{Througn Col. T. Hamill) (Chief Insular Police)

Sir:

In compliance with ·orders _ ·da:ted, - Executive Mansion, San Juan, August 8, ·1904, and d.irected t to me through the Chief of r1s~lar . Police, I proceeded to Manati to investi~ate the cause · o'f' ' the ~ist~rbance which ocurred in that town on Sunday the 7th inst., as well as the conduct of the polica there at that time. From the ~estimony I have been able to · obtain, the facts appear to be as follows: · ·

The . Republican Party of Manati had arranged for a meeting in the country. ·They assembled in front of their headquarters, and before leaving t9wn paraded through the streets, accompanied by a band. on arriving in front of the drug store of Mr : Gavina - del Pozo, . who is a prominent .Unionist, they stopped, and some of· the men in the party s ho uted "Hurrah for the Republicans! Down -- with the Unionists!" which was repeated several times. Mr :· Pozo, ,his son Virgilio, Ezequiel ~ontanez, Agosto MQQtafiez, and others were present in the drug store. These are ···all Uni:onists. After the repeated crying of "Death to the Unionists!" Ezequiel Montanez stepped . · to the door of the drug · store and shouted "Hurrah for the Unionists! Down with the Republicans! " / for which he was promptly }:lit over the head with the butt of -a revolver by one Juan . Bonhome,. After he had been knocked down .Rosario Carrion, alias·· Marino, and Ramon Ortiz , .flag .bea-rers · of the procession, . proceeded to ·revers ·e their ·poles and bel_abor Montanez with them. A general melee follb~ed, but Montanez · was the iOnly one hurt. During this fight the police were conspicuos for . their absence.

Sergeant Carballeira of the Insular Police, who . . was in conqnand at ·.. the time, states that he had given orders to the ', Guardsman of -that precint to the effect that during the time this • procession was - in his precint he should remain with it, so as to prevent any ~• d1$turbances ·which might otherwise occur. This the Guardsman failed ' to do, and the Sergeant·· i11forms me that he has preferred charges against him... ·

I would state that Rosario Carrion, Ramon Ortiz and Juan Bonhome are known as toughs. Their bond was furnished by Mr. Virgilio Ramos, Mayor of the town, and his brother who is president of the Republican party. Lieutenant Marquez, sergeant carballeira, and some prominent foreigners who would prefer not

: to have their names mentioned, state that . Mr. Ramos, the Mayor, and Figueroa Maestre the Municipal Judge, are very often seen in the company of the toughs above mentioned, and that these tqughs, as well as some others who have -figured in scandals in Manati, are . almost inmune . from punishment . when . brought , b~fore the ·.Municipai Judge. . . · ... .•

Mr. Hill, Internal Revenue Agent at Manati, states that he has lived there about two years, and ~uring that time all the disturbances in Manati .. have been started by the toughs already mentioned, and their companions; they figure as members of the Republican party and are protected in all their evj 1 deeds by"' the Mayor and the municipal Judg~···

In . my opinion, in order to stop . all disturbances of this kind in Mana ti, it is essential that an absolutely impartial judge be appointed for that place, for when these toughs are no longer protected they will either behave c;,r · spend time in jai.l, in either : case ceasing to be a menace to the peace• of the community.

I would also recommend that Guardsman Bayron, who disobeyed the orders of Sergeant Carballei.ra, and who by doing his duty might possibly ··have prevented the disturbance, be dismissed · from the seivi, c'e, .and that the same action be taken in the case of · Guardsman ·Luis Diaz - No~ 263 - who, havirig beer:i .present when the noted bandit Jose Gonzales, alias Monroy, threaten~d peaceable · citizen, took no action until threats wer 7 made~~ report him. · ,.,

..

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 175

Very respectfully, Wilhelm Lutz ·' Maj or. In.~ular ·Police ' l ; ; , :-, (.: \

i20 ' Guayama ' 1 26.., de s-etiembre · de 1'904

Hon. Gobernador de Puerto Rico San Juan

Hon Senor:

· .. Seguh p articipe a V.H. •ayer por telegrama, tan pronto recib1 su telegrama sal1 para cayey a investigar . los hechos alli acaec idos .

Por las investigacion~s practicadas, resul tardij _ · los siguientes: Julian Colon, Francisco Arroyo (a) · el Malo, Juan Negron y Lorenzo vazquez, despues de promover fuerte esc~ndalo ''. pubiico, se resistieron tenazmente · a la Policia para ser deten1dos, teniendo la Policia que usar sus macanas y sacar sus revolvers para . evitar la agresfon de dichos . individuos y reducirlos lu ego a la obediencia. Estos hechos, han · side calificados ,.. .de infraccion al articulo 84 de l Codigo Penal -Vigente, decretada la prision de sus presuntos au.tores y sefialada una fianza de $1,000 ddllars a los tres primeros y de $2,000 dollars al ultimo por sus malo·s antecedentes. ·•

Otro hecho: El Sargento Lavergne, llev6 detenido por orden del Juez a Franci'sco Arroyo al deposito municipal, y estando en este lugar quisQ ~egistrar al detenido por tener la seguridad de ·~u~ port~~a arm~s prqhibidas; el preso se resisti6 ~1 registro~ ,· ·. Lorenzo Vazquez, preso tambien ayud6 al Arroyo e n su resistencia !-- ·y el Alcaide del Dtiposito en vez . de auxi ·li-ar a la Policia, se opuso tambien al registro incitando a los · demas detertidos para que los defendieran contra la Policia y ··evi tar as'i · ·que esta cumpliera con su obligacion y registrara al detenido· Arroyo. Estos hechos han _ sido . calificados provisionalmente como infracci6n del artipulo 13 7 del C6digo c}tado ·. y · decretada la pr is ion del Alcaide y companeros bajo f iariza de · $500 • . .. _. • l •

Pero ·es imposible que la Policia llene debidam~nte su cometido, si la Autoridad judicial -del pueblo no le p':resta su apoyo dec'idido ... . su conq.uct.~0 , es por completp contraproducente para la buena ad~1nistia6i~n de la justici~ • ~n · aquel pueblo ...

Por estas razones yo creo que la sustitucion de este Juez por una persona entendida, energica y separada en absolute de la Politica seria la gran medida para convertir a Cayey en uno de los pueblos mas tranquilos de la Isla. ·

~espetuosamente,' ~-· !legible) , . ·:, . .. , Fiscal del · Distrito

AGPR

Fonda de Fortaleza Caja 181

PARTIDO DEMOCRATA SOCIALISTA DE · 1LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA COMITE DE ESTADO San Juan, P.R. 16 de Octubre de 1900

Honorable Gobernador ·de Puerto , Rico Mansion Ejecutiva

Senor:

El Partido Democratico Socialista, la federaci6n Libre y 1 _ sus gremios, a nombre yen representaci6n de sus miembros ante ·· usted respetuosamente comparecen y como mejor proceda cV,cen:

Que Don Eduardo Conde y Manon, un representante prominente de nuestra asociaci6n y partido, fue preso en la noche del sabado 13 de octubre por la noche, sin que el, supiera los motivos;

Que el lunes 15 del corriente mes le hicieron comparecer ante el Tribunal municipal en donde se le acus6 que el portaba un cuchillo;

Que nuestro hermano Eduardo Conde, jur6 por todo lo mas sagrado, que era completamente falso que el portara aquel cuchillo ni arma alguna, que no esta acostumbrado a usar;

Que el Alcalde Municipal lo conden6 a treinta dias y diez dollars de castigo.

Senor: nosotros juramos que Eduardo Conde es inocente, que el, es un hombre trabajador y honrado, cumplidor de los deberes de ciudadano; su unico delito es pensar politicamente de distinta manera que los republicanos y federales.

Nosotros, todos los miembros de la Federaci6n Libre y Partido democratico Socialista pedimos protecci6n a usted, como primera autoridad de Pto. Rico.

Despues que tubimos el honor de hablar con usted, esta manana, nos consta y asi lo juramos, que han sido inocentemente preses y llevados a la carcel otros prominentes obreros de nuestra asociaci6n, llamados Jose Ferrer y Ferrer, Jose Vidal, y Prudencio Ruiz, los que no han cometido delito alguno.

Suplicamos justicia, p.edil'!\.O~ a usted la libertad de Eauardo Conde por medio de su auto:tidaq , ~°J'l~ul:tandole de la pena que le ha sido impuesta. El, · est4 preso en el Deposito Municipal.

Los demAs que han sido presos hoy y los que, seguramente, lo seremos tambien piden protecci6n y justicia.

Respetuosamente

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 95 .. ' :-

Por el Comite Central

Santiago - Yglesias Secretario • (.

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR

43 Cruz -Street

Office of Organizer for District · of Puerto Rico San Juan Abril 11, 1901

Hon. Acting Governor Mr. Chas. Hartzell

Sir:

I had the ..honor to · inform you when I last visited you, of the mission that was conferred upon me by the "American Federation of Labor", the object of which is to Americanize the laboring class of Porto Rico, by organizing "Trade Unions", and making them members of the Association which I represent.

The only favor I asked from your Honor, was to grant me protection and legal guarantees to exercise my commission in introducing the methods followed by American laborers·· to be:tter their economical and social conditions.

Honorable Governor:

In the short time that I have been here, commencing my duties, I have been personally attacked by circulars distributed by Jos~ Mauleon and others; I have been insulted and provoked at my office, 43 Cruz Street, by the same people. Several members of the Federation have been wounded, insulted and ill-treated by the same Jos~ Mauleon and his gang.

·

Yesterday, the 10th inst, my office, Honorable sir, was attacked in a brutal manner, and several shots were fired by Jose Mauleon, Carlos Figueroa and others. The marks of the bullets may be seen in the doors and walls of the building and the police have three bullets in their possession.

The police arrived after shooting, went upstairs to the office, search the house, and forced the drawers of my desk, finding only papers and documents belonging to the "American Federation of Labor". Seven members who were there, were arrested and later released. Those who attacked the house were not arrested nor have they been disturbed. They are waiting a new opportunity to make anothers attacks upon me and the members affiliated here with the "American Federation of Labor".

After all this, Honorable sir, .I , take the liberty to address you and as a last favor from you will ask that, -

If the laws and authorities of Porto Rico are inadequate to correct and severely punish such actions; and if I can not continue my work of Americanizing the laboring people . of . Porto Rico, you kindly so inform me, in order that I may abandon my dear Country, and my sacred mission, and return to the United States, where Liberty and Order are guaranteed by the Supreme Constitution.

•

Having the assurance that you will grant me this, my last request.

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 95 I.

,,

I beg to remain, Respectfully Santiago Yglesias <- .-. :· ·J. ' '

,,

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR .

~arcel Puerta Tierra

'

Office of Organizer for District of Puerto Rico San . J u~n Nove 9 1901

'.

Mr. W. Hunt Governor of PU: erto Rico San Juan, P.R.

Hon. Sir: ·· ·

I have the honor to inform you that on th• seven , day of Nove. I arrived from U.S. with a mission from the American Federation of labor, : and which you know by a letter introduction sent to you by President Mr. Samuel Gompers. \

I beg to . say you that when I stepped ashore I was arrested and taken to Jail without knowing any reason about it. No warrant was shown to me.

To day, at three p.m. I have received a communication from the District Court, signed by judges sefiores Juan Ramon Ramos, Juan Morera Martinez and Manuel F. Rossy in which they info~med me upon the following charges:

lo. "That in the summary against F. Guerra and others for conspiring to raise the price of labor, the trial was set for the month of Nove. 1900, which was suspended by not appearing myself in Court and therefore the judges said have fined me with $50.00 dollars".

20. That said trial was again set for January of this year and had summoned me for another time and I again failed to appear, therefore the judges say that they will keep me in Jail until I make a $2,000.00 dollars bail in cash."

Hon. Gobernor:

Let me tell you that I, myself had appeared to court two or three times for the same trial, before the third and fqurth sets for, and it were suspended again and again making me personalties damanges.

The reasons because I did not appear to the third and fourth summons of the Court was owing to the fact that I was in the u.u.s.s. At that time my economical situation was bad cmd I had not work to do at all and being a man of famile I was compelled to go to New York where I found position through which I could support my wife and mother.

You can see, Ho. -Hunt, that _ the ·reason for which, I am in Jail is neither because I had any intention to escape trial, but because at the _ first place, the Court had failed to trial me when I had appear first and second time on August and September 1900, and also of my steady in U.S. in order to support my self and famile.

I request you to lend any intention to the constant persecution made upon myself by judges puerto-ricans. My mission was always to introduct the American methods to organize t;he working people into Unions. ·

Therefore, Hon. Sir, I ask you be conceded my _ liberty without any bail in cash but by my personal garanty to appear in - Court again; I, am,

I

Respectfully Yours, Santiago Yglesias -Organicer American . Federation of Labor

AGPR F9ngo · de Fortaleza Caja 95

Carcel de San Juan, PUERTO RICO

NUMERO 438-7149

Libro 9 ; l

Hoja hist6rica penal del Confinado Santiago Yglesias Gonzalez hijo de Manuel y de Josefa natural de La Coruna Ayun~amiento de Coruna Corte del Distrito de Coruna Provincia de id avecindado de San Juan Corte de Distrito de San Juan : Provincia de Puerto Rico oficio 6 profesi6n , Carpintero estado solt. hoy casado edad 39 ai"ios hoy 46 sus sefias estas: -estatura baja cara redonda color blanco pelo castafio cejas al pelo ojos pardos nariz perfilada boca regular barba poblada instrucci6n tiene . ..

FECHAS

VICISITUDES

,

14 abril 1898 En este dia ingresa con mandamiento del Juez de Ynstrucci6n de Catedral en causa que le siguen por Oesorden Publico e injuria. sum. No.' 104.

16 II 1898 En esta fecha se decreta la prision por el Juez Ynstruccion des Frnco. por Desorden Publico e injurias. Sumario No. 116.

17 abril 1898 En esta fecha se decreta la prision por el J.Y. catedral en causa que antecede sum. 104 •...

4 Oct. - 1898 En este dia , queda en libertad por la Exma. s ·a1a, por el Sum. 11.6 R. · 391 quedando preso por el Som. 104 R.

5 Oct. 1898 En este dia queda en libertad por el sum.104 del R 349 por mandate de la Sala.

29 Nov. 1898 En este dia ingres6 con orden de la jefatura de Vigilancia.

1 Dbre 1898 Con esta fecha se eleva a prision la detencion anterior por orden del J. Y. Catedral, por injurias y desacato A la autoridad No. 354.

6 II II

En esta fecha queda en libertad por la causa que antecede por el J.Y. Catedral.

7 agosto 1900 Ingresa con mandamiento del Juez de catedral A disposicion del Fiscal de la Corte de Justicia del Distrito A resultado del Sum. que bajo el No. 122 se le sigue en misma de otros por amenazas.

14 agosto 1900 En libertad por mandamiento del Tribunal de Justicia des. Fran por rl Sum 122 de amenazas.

Nov. 1901

Ingresa con mandamiento del Sargento de _ la P Ynsular y a disposicion de la c ·orte de justi.cia del Dpto. A las resultas del Sumario 126 ' rollo 428 que se le sigue por el delito de coaligacion .•.

21 Nov. 1 901 Se recibe mandamiento de la Corte de Jus'ticia de . .s. Juan mandandolo poner en libertad A vi~tu.~ de : 1 f' · ""r. -

-•' ; haberse consignado la f ianza. sef\alada para · la ~xcarcelaci6n, por la Causa de Co~ligaci6n · que bajo el sumario No. ' 126 rollo 4 2s fue . instruida en el juzgado Mpl des. Franco.

Estimado amigo Cabrera: para tu gobierno te remito la queen tu carta solicitabas . de • esta puedo darte copia certifidada si oficialmente la pides.

A tus ordenes Spre tu Jose L. Berrios

AGPR ' Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 24

Es dif1cil afirmar con exactitud quienes son las dos pe~sonas (Cabrera . y Berrios) que se mencionan en este comeritarid que aparece en el expediente , de Santiago Iglesias; es posible que se tratase de dos oficiales de la Polic1a Insular, el Jefe Auxiliar Luis Berrios y el teniente Francisco Cabrera.

LABOR

, Washington, D.• c. -· Dec. 3 o , 19 o1. _

·· Hon. William H ., Hunt , · Governor ·. of Porto Rico San Juan, Porto Rico

Dear - Sir:

·, /r •I i

Advices reach me that • Mr. •, -Santiago . Igle~ias has .- l;>een convicted of the charge of the , conspiracy to raise labor, and that he has been sentenced to imprisonment for a period of four ·years, three - months and one day, •nd , that others jointly charged . with him have -also been convicted .. to periods of imprisonment covering lesser time. • I take it that it is entirely superfluous to call your attention to the fact that . both the conviction . and the sentence has shocked the sense of fairness and the justness of the entire American people. The -newspapers . without regard to · political or other differences have, with one voice, -criticised and condemned the · procedure. So conservative a newspaper as the New York Evening Post, says editorially:

"If we have annexed a lot of barbarous mediaeval st.atu.tes, which deprive men of the i r liberty for the exercise of a natural right to improve their condition --men who are under our flag and entitled to claim the advantages of our civilization-- those statutes must · be stamped out like yellow fever of any other tropical plague. The wage earners of the United States should take action on this subject, and make their voices heard in Congress. They have the strongest motives of self-interest to come to the defense of their fellow-workers in Porto Rico . , 1 , 1 ,:

The New York Sun, a paper regarded by all as hostile to organized labor, says editorially:

"If, therefore, the Porto Rican labor agitator, Santiago Iglesias, and his associates have been convicted under the Spanish law which still prevails in the island, for acts which would not be punishable as criminal under our Conspiracy law here, the sooner the law of Porto Rico is changed so as to conform to ours, the better."

These are the only two newspaper clippings that I have on hand upon the subject, but as you will no doubt know, they are simply representative of the consensus of public opinion.

In the dispatches from ;Po~to . Rico I saw a statement that the conviction and· the . sever·i ty of the sentences imposed have caused a revulsion of feeling even in Porto Rico, and you are credited with saying that you would call a special session of the Porto Ricari ~eneral Assembly for the revision of the code.

Certainly, if the provisions of the Porto Rican law under which Iglesias and his associates were convicted are recognized to be unjust and unfair, and that they belong to the distant past and have no proper place on the statute books of any territory of the United States, I beg to submit to your consideration that it logically follows that the convicted men are entitled to their freedom, and that stripped of all circumlocution, these men should in all fairness be given their liberty at once, and that, ·too, by the exercise ·'of your great prer..?9ative. ' '

'; I have no desire to anticipate the dficision of .. the court to which ' an appeal has· been, or is about to be - made, but the shorter ·cut to justice may be accomplished by the exercise of, the. power ~you have ·in the premises. , J

· ~rusting this matter will receive your early and ,favorable cori~ideration, and that the laws of Porto Rico may be made . t9 more nearly conform to the>sense of justice, right and fair play, ~ ' have th~ honor to subsciibe myself,

Yours very respecfully,

Samuel Gompers Pr·esident American Federa tion of Labor

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 78 ..,

,

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR

Mayaguez

Office of Organizer for District of San Juan, P.R. Mayo 19 de 1902

,::- r

Hon. William .H;~ ·Hunt Gobernador de Puerto Rico San Juan ,J;·

Honorable, s .~i'ior:

·t

En calidad de organi'z,~dor de la American Federation of Labor por el distrito de San Juan, y Secretario general de la "Federaci6n Libre" rama de la A.F. of L. en Puerto Rico, tengo a bien dirigirme a vuestra autoridad en demanda de justicia. ·.,.

Los hechos a que alude mi demanda estan fundados en los siguientes casos:

lo. Los afiliados a la Federaci6n Libre en San Juan estan siendo objeto de miles atropellos cometidos por un numero de individuos que se denominan el partido de las turbas, de lo cual usted, como yo, por virtud de la prensa tendra conocimiento.

20. Estos hechos no son la primera vez que ocurren en San Juan, porque distinticimas veces, usted, como las demas autoridades han sido oficiados pidiendo garantias para los individuos y hogares que han sido atacados, con armas de fuego, como diariamente nuestro compafieros lo son de cuchillos, armas blancas, palos, y armas de fuego, en medic de la Ciudad, dandose el caso de haber mas de diez espectaculos de esta misma indole en un dia.

Jo. Ultimamente un gran numero de nuestros companeros se han visto agredidos criminalmente, y sus agresores no han sido detenidos dandose el caso de que nuestros companeros que han sido victimas de una agresi6n hallan sido encerrados en una prisi6n quedando los agresores en libertad.

En tales condiciones; cuando se da el caso de que un Juez de una "Corte municipal" los procesados le exijan su "renuncia" como se ha dado el caso, segun informaci6n que tengo en el incidente del Primer Jefe de la Polic1a Insular, Mr. Becher (Techter); cuando la ciudad se ha visto ocho horas bajo el dominio de esa partida de foragidos garantizados, cuando se carece de garantias publicas, es necesario que aquellas autoridades que tienen una responsabilidad moral, y efectivas, tomen medidas que mantengan el orden y den garantias.

Le ruego pues A vuestra honorabilidad se sirva intervenir en esa desmoralizaci6n A que ha sido sometida la Ciudad de San Juan por unos cuantos hombres de mala conducta, y interpongais vuestra autoridad justiciera que le concede vuestro puesto de primer magistrado en Pto. Rico de la Naci6n Americana, afin de saber nosotros silos que nos hemos congregados al amparo de la American ; federation of Labor, en Pto Rico, y propagamos sus doctrinas - para r4 bien del pueblo americano, tienen garantias, 6 si seguiran siendo victimas de los crimenes de que son victimas en San Juan

Respetuosamente Eugenio Sanchez Lopez Organizador A.F.of L.

AGPR ·

de Fortaleza Caja 78

1\MERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR

Post Office

Mayaguez Mayo 20 de 1902

Mr. William H. Hunt Gobernador de Puerto · Rico San Juan, P.R.

Honorable Senor:

Es por ultima vez que voy A dirigirme a S.E. Las uniones de obreros que forman la federaci6n Libre, afiliada & la ~erican Federation of Labor, en San Juan, estAn prontas a disolverse, A desaparecer, por la fuerza y el terror. La ·· federaci6n L1bre de San Juan estA compelida A clausurarse sus puertas obligada por el reinado de los criminales garantizados. Los centenares de miembros que pertenecen & la American federation of Labor, en San Juan son trabaj adores honrados, respetuosos con las leyes y entusiastas propagandistas de la americanizaci6n de los. elementos populares.

Ellos creyeron firmemente que tendrian garantias para constituirse en Uniones de acuerdo con los principios del obrero americano,y, A pesar de la autoridad superior de S.E. en la Ysla, A pesar de cobijar a la Ysla de Puerto Rico la bandera que estimul6 al inmortal Washington, A pesar de los derechos garantizados por las leyes, la Federaci6n Libre y sus miembros en la capital tendrAn que desaparecer, como obreros asociados de instituciones americanas, porque las partidas de individuos que merodean en San Juan, conocidas por "Las Turbas", tienen mAs fuerza y poder real contra nosotros •..

La Federaci6n Libre ha sido atacada por tercera vez Amano armada. Los crirninales que llevaron A cabo esos ataques jamAs fueron castigados

Los asaltados, los atropellados, como en todos los casos de esta 1ndole, sucedidos A rniernbros de la Federaci6n Libre, son encarcelados; los asaltantes puestos en libertad. Los que atacan A los miembros de la Federaci6n Libre, parece que cuentan con toda clase de garantias ...

En tal situaci6n nos vemos obligados & recurrir con nuestra prot 7sta honrada al pueblo obrero organizado en la naci6n americana, y presentar, ante el, el cuadro de nuestra horrible situaci6n en San Juan ...

La "Rama" de la American Federation of Labor quedar&, pues, disuel ta en Puerto Rico, por no tener garantias. Y no tienen garantias porque sus miembros seven agredidos, encarcelados y componteados, y los agresores jamas reciben el condigno castigo. Algunos jueces, en ultimo caso, son sus amigos, y parte de la polic1a lo es tambien ..•

Queda respetuosamente ! sus 6rdenes, Santiago Yglesias Organicer, ·A.F. of L.

AM~~ICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR

Aguadilla, P.R.

o .ff ice of Organizer for District of .. Puerto Rico A9'1adilla Agosto 30, 1902

Hon. Gobernador de Puerto Rico Mr. W.H. Hartzell San Juan, , P.R.

Sir: : · · Tengo el honor de comparecer ~nte su _ honorabilidad con el\ proposito de dar a Ud. una queja, . y hacerle una suplica.

Senor: La queja va en contra el Capitan de la Polic1a Insular Sr. Urrutia y el Teniente Sr. Noa. Estas dos autoridades han mostrado en mas de una ocasi6n su ____ contra el que suscribe y los representantes aqui de la American Federation of Labor. Hace dias, hallandose ·. el Presidente de la Federaci6n Obrera de Aguadilla, sentado tranquilamente en un cafe de la ciudad, el Teniente Noa que se hallaba presente, en el establecimiento se levant6 de golpe, y encarandose al Presidente referido, le increp6 de esta manera: c:.Por que se r1e Ud? Sefior , yo no me estoy riendo; contest6 el increpado. El teniente se fue como muy encolerizado .

En el dia de ayer, nos hallabamos en el taller de sastrer1a de Don Vicente Acebedo, cuyo es el Presidente de nuestra Federaci6n Obrera en Aguadilla, departiendo sobre cuestiones obreras, cuando a la sazon pasaron por la acera, el Capitan Sr. Urrutia y el Teniente Sr. Noa, no bien hab1an andado cuatro pasos de la puerta del taller, cuando el Teniente Noa, encarandose con Don Vicente Acebedo, y sin mas preambulos le increp6 as1: "Le tengo a usted dicho que no murmure de mi, ni hable. 11 Senor, - le conteste yo , - "este hombre no hablaba absolutamente nada de usted. 11 Entonces el Capitan Urrutia, se une al Teniente y le dice, dirigiendose al que suscribe; "otra vez cojalo usted por el pescuezo y metalo en la carcel. 11 Despues, se fueron.

Ahora bien, Honorable senor, este hecho lo presenciaron mas de ocho personas. Don Vicente Acebedo, Presidente de la federaci6n, es un honrado obrero, que tiene a su cargo una familia de catorce miembros, es serio de caracter y culto en todos sus actos. Jamas se ocup6 de las autoridades, yen sus cuarenta anos nunca tubo que contender con autoridad alguna.

£Que desean entonces los jefes ' de la polic1a Insular de Aguadilla? Atemorizar al Presidente y representantes de la American federation of Labor.

iAh senor! En tiempos de Espana, as1 suced1a 4 los ciudadanos honrados, aun aquellos inhumanos of iciales de la ominosa guardia civil. Primero, provocaban A los ciudadanos ·con cualquier pretesto inventado, los llevavan A la carcel y los denunciaban por atentado A la autoridad, muchos infelices han ido al presidio por tales infames medios.

Pues bien, honorable senor, yo suplico 4 Ud. interponga su autoridad y su influencia, A fin de que los jefes de Polic1a de Aguadilla, dejen en paz al Presidente de la Federacion Obrera, y al que suscribe. Y se evite as1, el que padres de honorables familias, por el hecho de ser unionados de la ' American Federation, tengan que ser acosados por dichas autoridades: ·, Espera justicia

Respetuosamente Santiago Yglesias ;

'

; I

1\GPR , Foncio de Fortaleza - Caja 95 V ·• • ',·.

Tactica es

Dos son hoy las divisas que ostenta el llamado partido federal.

La bandera americana, s1mbolo de la paz y la futura grandeza de este pueblo, y al lado de ella, la "estrella solitaria", s1mbolo de la independencia que implica para la raza latina corrupci6n, anarqu1a, miseria y deshonra.

•'

El Pais, 29 de noviembre de 1899, p.2 . del Partido Republicano.

El Pais era el organo " i:.

A petici6n de numerosos Republicanos, reproducimos la siguiente hoja. c..' • i ES CORIA! , I ES CORIA I f • ,-

Lo eres tu, desgrac;::iado Luis Munoz, que ayer f .u .istefii halagador al pueblo puertorriquefio, porque le engafiabas con tus menti~os . versos y con tus pasiones bastardas. Y ~busando de 1~ confianza de tus coterraneos, te erigistes en feudal.

Quisistes ser dictador, y matastes esas libertades autonomicas que todos los ciudadanos honrados defendemos y que sabemos morir por ella.

Fuistes traidor al pueblo que nos di6 cuna, dignidad por medio de la infame traici6n degradandonos ante la opini6n de los pueblos libertad.

y empenastes su que hicistes, amantes de la

Tu, Luis Munoz Rivera, eras indigno de sustentar el sagrado nombre de puertorriquefio.

icomo quieres manchar las blancas vestiduras del honorable e integro patricio Dr. Barbosa, si sabes que la bala del reptil no podra ni aun llegar a los talones de sus botas?

lY a que nombrar a ese puertorriquefio tan respetable, cuando aqu1 el ultimo ciudadano vale masque tu?

Tu no eres nada ni nada significas, porque no tienes mas titulo que el de Verdugo de la Libertad.

Y los hombres que tiranizan la verguenza y la libertad de un pueblo no pueden fugurar dignamente entre los seres honrados, que saben morir antes que mancillar esos atributos.

Tu debes marcharte a vivir en los confines del mundo, antes que Puerto Rico pierda su prestigio al sustentarte en su seno.

jMarchate Luis Munoz Rivera, que eres el verdugo de nuestra patria! Te lo exije la dignidad y el honor de Puerto Rico; yen particular YO

Benito Mir6 G6mez.* Sol 38 (_bajos)

El Criterio Libre {peri6dico obrero simpati~ante del Partido Republicano) - 24 de enerp de 1900, p.4 · .

* Benito Mir6, relacionado con la Federaci6n Regional, fue un importante lider de la organizaci6n conocida como las Turbas Republicanas de San Juan. Fue, tambien, reten de la carcel municipal de la capi t'al. Su discurso recoge algunos de los sentimientos de dicha organizaci6n, la cual ve1a a Munoz ya su partido {Federal) como autoritarios y enemigos de la libertad, la cual, ellos entendian que era representada por Estados Unidos y el Partido Republicano. Enemigo tambien de la FLT, Mir6 fue convicto en 1902 por agredir al lider obrero Ram6n Romero Rosa.

Pobre Munoz

Tenemos qu~ acep.tar lo tal y cual es. Viril, en6rgico, independiente y libre, y ~on ojos en la manigua, cuando ayuna. Sometido, patriotero ·y con ojos ai capitolio cuando come. Asi fue con Espana. Asi es con los Estados Unidos.

Americano jmucho bueno! cuando Brooke le permit1a corta·r · el. bacalao. Americano · mucho malo cuando Henry, le limpi6 el comedero.

,.

Barbosa

El Pais, 13 de febrero de 1900, p.2.

Toa Alta

March 6, 1900

General Davis San Juan

Honorable Sir:

There are in Pto. Rico, ·some Spanish blood in their arteries, toward our glorous flag.

·q : r:.

men who having too much of · the never felt a bit of sympathy

These men are still d,reaming .. with Spain returning or Puertorrican independence. Should thouse crazy patriots need a lesson, there are here men who are willing to do it.

Be sure of the fidelity of the republican party. All men of this party at this town, who were under my presidence, will fight under american flag at any time.

We offer to you our loyal help.

Respectfully

J.M. Amadeo, M.D. Ex-president of the Republican Party Toa Alta, P.R.

(Confidential)

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 41

Alharacas Inutiles

El Gobierno sabe ya de memoria que el Gran Par-tido Republicano representa la mayor1a del pa1s; que esta comp.uesto de los elementos mas sanos; que anhela arrancar de cuajo, los vicios, las corruptelas y la mala savia que en ., nuestros organismos politico-social dejaron los gobiernos espanoles y munocistas; y que puede contar con nosotros para el prop6sito de una americanizaci6n franca y leal, sin "b~nderitas , tapadas" ni tendencias retr6g~das .

La Defensa, 4 de agosto de 1900, p.l.

'

Un interview conmigo mismo (p.2)

lHa observado usted la s1bila convulsa' · y Tiberio, ~ncaramado en su ~r1pode el "Diario", orAculos ... ?

espumante de dictando sus

S1, contest6 mi otro yo, p~ro A eso estamos ,acostumbrados A la terrible lucha del esp1ritu con la materia~ no le •damOs importanc ia; es la vieja tragedia incondicional espafiolizada · , lanzando de sde el escenario su~ rayos de · yagrumo, contra · ·e1 elemento avanzado que lo sitia; es qu.e Munoz Rivera .estA en humor de polemica~ pero este humor constituye ya un estado nervioso permanent~, .- ·que concluirA co·n la poquisima luz que queda en el cerebro ascendereado de esc sagastino ...

S1, contestele; esa es la vieja tActica ~~ que si daba resultados en el orden viejo, ·es pe~fectamente inu~il y rid1cula en los tiempos nuevos; hablar mucho, -gr,i tar mucho, para dar Animo A sus compafieros ya erizado~ . · . . ·

lPerono le parece A usted que es Un espectAculo digno de la democracia y del momento historico en que vivimos, ver A este gran culpado t~aido as1, al tribunal de la historia, por el - poder supremo ·aei pueblo, mil veces engafiado por estos farsantes, haciendoles•,. murmurar tan pronto una suplica al poder, como una corajuda catilinaria contra ese mismo poder? •. •

S1, sombrfo cuadro es, ver . A este - traidor, como Edipo, ciego del alma como aquel del cuerpo, perseguido en las tortuosidades de su conqiencia, por los remordimientos m-as implac.ables y por la soberbia mas atrevida, viendo que ·su voz, en el c::ampo de la libertad es un debil murmullo que se apaga... · _.,_

Picotazos (pp. 2-3)

El Diario se complace en llamar NEGRO al ilustre Dr. Barbosa •.. ' -

El atavisrno se manifiesta en cierto prohombre que desciende directamente de esa raza A quien ridiculizan los hombres del Diario.

A pesar del pelo rizo y gris. o hablemos claro; Munoz Rivera es nieto de una negra esclava que se case con el Sargento Munoz.

Y como consecuencia de ese racismo, llamaban A la familia Munoz los Moraos ...

A mis hermanos: de_. ra~a (p , 3)

Y_digo ,·a mis hermanos de raza, refiri endome a aquellos que, teniendo la ~ier ennegrecida, coma la m1~ p~rtenecen al Partido federal, si, a ese partido arist66rata por eso ellos solo me . dirijo. '' ;__ -Nqsotros, que nos mantuvimos . con el pecho de la triguefia pue::t)!e> triq,ieiHdad en .las primeros .. ~nos de nuestra vida y que - le d;imos ·- ~1 nombre de madre, no debemos permitir nunca que se nos 1,1l~~aje ni ' que se nos l.lame p~ra ha ,cer papeles indefinidos - el) e;:;e .. Ra!"~i~~. de ~ la aristocracia para_ que ~lla llene el cupo de sus asp1:rac1.ones y despues - de est~r . servidos nos pague con un puntapie echandonos de las , escaleras de sus casas 6 mandandono~ a la carcel. ,,

j' J. ,;.-- - I._

_ ·_ 1 }Ioy que somos completam.en.te_ iibr~s, por que la bandera que nos cubre es ~a de la libertad, esa gf~n bander~ que dijo l sus ciudadanos: "·Ustedes son libres par todos y ante todos" y que procur6 la igualdad tanto de uno come de otro-, no debemos permitir, ; de ningQn modo como antes he dicho, que esos enva1entdnados de la piel color de .. leche, ultrajen a la nuestra que..,<~es ma!ff .s santa y mas digna que la de aquello's que, en la hora de ...SU . muerte, creen iran al cielo ' y c ontinuaran siendo at'ist6cratas. · ' ' · ·

Un hombre de la clase de coio r vale mas que esos arist6cr&tas de la piel blanca federal, por que esos hombres de la ~i~l -de ca~b6n se dignifican con el trabajo. No por eso deja de estar al . lado de hombres que s1, tienen la piel blanca, pero que tienen un coraz6n . grande, que tienen honradez para todos SUS actos y que tienen la .. mejor gloria qe alcanzar, que es la .- de ser pura y realmente dem6cratas, y esos · hombres son los del ~ Gr an Partido Republicano, de ese intachable partido que par la honradez y cultura d~~us hombre~ ha merecido todo el genera de confianza de la patria de Washington ·.. \

El Negrito

La Oefen~a ~ 10 de •septiembre de 1900.

Carta de los miembros del Consejo de Secretarios al Gobernador (Extracto]*

Nosotros aceptariamos con j gratitud y con orgullo, mas todavia , ansiamos que nos rija, un sistema que ha hecho grande y libre a nuestra metr6poli; pero lo aceptar1amos 1ntegro, para que respondiese a - las legitimas aspiraciones de nuestro pa1s. Vos en el gobierno; junto a voz el gabinete que designarais, y muy cerca de todos la legislatura popular, diciendoos a cada instante cuales son las ideas y las necesidades de la isla.

Al desaparecer el Consejo de Secretarios, arrastra consigo la ultima representaci6n colectiva de Puerto Rico, ya gue aqui nose implant6 aun el sistema norteamericano, en su grandiosa y perfecta amplitud.

La Democracia, 9 de febrero de 1899, p.2.

* El Consejo de Secretaries, heredado del gobierno auton6micq estaba presidido por -· Muiioz Rivera. En febrero de 1899, el Gobernador Henry orden6 su disoluci6n.

La · oemocracia y los falsos dem6cratas

El despotismo gubernamental se ha levantado en medio de la democracia haciendo del poder un instrumento de venganza, de la libertad esclavitud, un mito de la ley y el derecho una ~urla sangrienta. En nombre de la democracia se han cometidQ .. los mayores desafueros y se han infiltrado en la conciencia - popul~r ideas falsa~ y creencias descabelladas y perniciosas en detrimento no tan solo de la democracia, si· que tambien en perjuicio de la moral pQblica... - • ,.

Por conveniencia de un partido antipatri6tico y antidemocratico, varies entes demagogos han predicado la gue]:'.ra al capital ya la inteligencia, a la moral ya la sociedad ..• ·

En fin a los ignorantes se les ha imbu1do en tantas insensateces, que han tra1do por conciencia una era de perturbaci6n y desolaci6n social - ~e ha predicado la guerra a las levitas ya los zapatos, acusando de "aristocratas y t"iranos" a los que llevan esas prendas de vestir. Y lo peregrine del caso es que los predicadores de tales doctrinas calzan relucientes zapatcs de charol y visten elegantes levitones de merino •.• "

La Democracia, 1 de noviembre de 1901, p.2. La Democracia era el 6rgano de Partido Federal.

Un suefio de Barbosa desvanecido

El suefio de gloria y poder queen momento de insensatez pudo concebtr el "celebre doctor", se desvanece por completo. La rabia, y el despecho que demuestra en todos sus art1culos den Pais es la prueba mas palpable de lo que decimos.

Como que ya nos inspira pena ese ambicioso vulgar, que no supo contenerse · en los 11mites de la modestia, que la prudencia y su escaso valer le aconsefaban.

Sin tur bas que escandalicen, y sin gobierno que les de mayor1as, ni ' consienta los desmanes que han venido cometiendo ldonde ira a parar ese partido de falsos patriotas y de bur6cratas ~mbiciosos?

Pronto lo hemos de saber.

La Democracia, 16 de enero de 1901, p.l

Las turbas en Puerto Rico

Por virtud de una queja de los socialistas se esta · practicando en Puerto Rico amplia investigaci6n oficial sobre los des6rdenes de las turbas, que en -· aquella isla infeliz constituyen fuerza politica importante y se presentan organizadas, con jefes que no ocultan sus nombres, con hojas impresas en que anuncian sus er 1menes y, sabre todo, en la absoluta certidumbre de que la inmunidad mas completa protege sus escandalos continues.

A buena hora llega la intervenci6n de las autoridades. En Setiembre de ano mil novecientos iniciaban las turbas sus altas proezas, agrediendo en las calles a caballeros previamente desarmados por la policia, destruyendo talleres tipograficos, asaltando establecimientos publicos, esgrimiendo el pufial en pleno dia armandose como un poder mas fuerte que el otro; que el que r eside en la Mansion Ejecutiva. El gobernador no vi6, no oy6, no supo nada, a pesar de que comisiones respetabil1simas le informaron especialmente y pidieron en presencia suya el legi timo amparo de la ley ...

El gobierno dejaba hacer y ni en un case se castig6 la audacia de una plebe desbordada y sediciosa. Puerto Rico cay6 en manos del mas torpe brigandaje.

Las cortes de justicia, inm6viles, ante la marea de fango, imitaban al gobierno y dejaban hacer. Era una verguenza. Al mismo alcalde de San Juan se le proclamaba a gritos jefe honorario jhonorario sin honor! de las turbas reunidas en un paraje que se llama EL PICADERO. La prensa republicana aplaud1a los atentados contra la propiedad y contra el orden. EL PAIS, 6rgano de ese partido, def end1a a los cabecillas. Y entretanto el gobierno inspiraba en los protectores y directores de las turbas y abandonaba a su suerte a las v1ctimas de tan increibles atropellos.

Ahora, sin duda porque desde Washington lo ordenan, el Secretario de Puerto Rico inicia la investigaci6n ..•

The Puerto Rico Herald, New York, 28 de junio de 1902, p.l.

San Juan, September 4, 1902

To the Governor of P.R., San Juan

, Sir:

I enclose complaint of Mr. Ma:nuel Rodriguez, of Corozal, against Corporal Rafael Montilla, of the Insular Police stationed in that town.

I beg to - call your attention to the grave facts referred to by the complainant, and request that opportune orders-· be given for the punishment of said Corporal, in case he is guilty, ' '

The Police should maintain public · order throughout · the Island, and on the contrary, many of its ·members are -serving the Republican Party in its campaign and unheard of doings, as is proved by the assassination of three Federals in Humacao, P.R., and that the police, as you will see by to-day's nNews", was on the side of the Republicans during the scandals which · were created in Cayey, P.R., on last Sunday.

•. ,_., Respectfully, · S.R. Palmer

AGPR Fondo de -Fortaleza Caja 117

MAULEON

Ahl esta (se refiere a una foto publicada en el peri6dico),i en caracter, vestido con su traje de gala·, con sus arreQs casi militares, el cabecilla de LAS TURBAS en San Juan de Puerto Rico.

Las Turbas es el nombre de una asociaci6n pol1tica que trabaja de acuerdo con el gobernador actual, W~lliam H,. ,. Hunt y que se compone, segu~ su propio titulo -indica, · 1a peor gente- del pais. . · · ·

Mauleon cometi6 muchos delitos. Tantos y tantos, .. que los tribunales no pudieron desatenderse y le condenaron · a un afi.o de · prisi6n. ;

Empez6 a cumplirlo. Pero en estos dias se necesitaba su presencia en las calles y se ~e puso en libertad, a reserva de favorecerle cori uri iridulto. Bien se lo merece.

No tenemos la· menor safia ., contra un hombre a quien solo es posible considerar · como un fanatico, inconsci~nte de los pe~juicios que causa a su patria.

Loque nos importa es presentar su fotografia y probar con este otro dato autenticQ . que en Puerto Rico hay anarqu1a organizada, eso si; pero no entre las masas socialistas, que se mueven por las ideas y no por los garrotes.

Juzquese c6mo se encontrar1a aquel pobre pueblo, en que un tipo de esta indole hace gala de su condici6n de cabecilla y se presenta en facha de paladin ante el Kodac fotografico.

Los Allen y los Hunt han hecho de nuestra isla un mont6n de basura.

The Puerto Rico Herald, New York, August 15th, 1903, p.1035.

BIRD & ROGERS

Attorneys-at Law Madison. Wisconsin May 3rd, 1899

Gen. Davis

Appointed Gover no r General to Porto Rico, Washington, o.c.

Dear Sir:

Seeing in the dispatches last evening that Mr. Luis Munos Rivera of Porto Rico was in conference with you as to the course to ·be pursued ., i n Porto Rico , ·I call the liberty to call your attention to who this Luis Munos Rivera is, and for that purpose I renclose · a letter of mine which=,appeared in the "Wisconsin state Journal" of April 27th, 1899 published here. The proprietor of that paper is Hon. Horace A. Taylor, ·now Assistant ·Treasurer rin Washington. He ·can info r m you wh·eter the statement ·contained ·· in my letter are likely to be true, crs I have the honor to enjoy -, his personal acquaintance and warm friendship. I, also, refer you to Senator John C. · Spooner of this state with whom I served in the civil war and also in many other relations.

During my month's - stay in Porto Rico, I had nothing to do but study the situation there and from the many • source-s of information open to me, I think I became as familiar with it ,. as could be expected from no longer stay upon the island. I know how Rivera and his friends hampered, embarassed and obstructed Genera 1 Henry. I know Rivera's character and purpose. He . is thoroughly pro-Spanish and anti-American. He has not the least particle of an idea of what free government means. While he was Secretary of State of the Insular Cabinet, his tyrannical acts were beyond compare As an illustration of this, the Iglesias in~ident is sufficient and many others could be cited. He is a thoroughly bad man, and I trust you will not be influenced at all in your administration of affairs in the island by anything he may say. Above all things, he should be prevented from at all participating in the government of the island.

I am with great respect,

Yours truly, George Bird

AGPR

Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 15

Mr. George w. Bird, Madison, Wisconsin

, Dear Sir:

Headquarters Department of Puerto Rico San Juan June 1, 1899 'f.·.

Yo ~ r favor of the 3rd instant is at hand .-~ .

After my appointment to command in Porto Rico was announced ~.~· by the publ.ic press in the United States some .· half dozen :: inhabitants of Porto Rico then in New York and Washington .. ;'. call·e'd upon nie. Among these was Mr. Luis M;unoz Rivera. The ,: ·· ,in t:e rview lasted p~rhaps ten minutes and the conve,rsat~on related ,~~' ?llniost exclusively to industrial conditions on- the Island. Beyond ""' _ . the statement by Mr. Munoz that . he belonged . ,to a certain Porto ,. Rican party, p .olitical subjects were · not mentioned. Other Porto Rican callers, however, expressed ~heir hope? that territorial ,..J( autonomy for the Island, with universal · franchi;;,:;e; would be hastened. .

I have been careful to discourage and oppose any political partisanship or agitation, telling all whom I have met that I shall make nq immediate or radi~al changes and shall devote my best : -efforts , tQ tl'l e study of the racial, economic and political situation as it exists, so that when fully informed such • steps Iriay be -· one o( , ~-e~al progress towards a tran~formation 0 f ,-1 this Isla·nd , and its pe o p t e into tru ly American types ~ · I • f' J t::, ,· That thiij . ~ill ;-be easy ; pr· s:p eedy I do not ex.p '~ct, but I • -.: -·:·.: shall give to it my <' best ef~9J ts. - · · .,.•_.I : f.,.... ~: . ~'Y • i

All the represent•ati ves of hewspaper,-s published ' here have been notified that full and fr~e 'di: soU'Ssion of public men and measures not only be permitted ': ~\lt encouraged. · ·

Very respectfully, (Guy V. Henry) Brigadier General, u.s.v., Commanding

Fondo de Fortaleza

September 20, 1899.

THE ADJUTANT GENERAL, · U.S. ARMY, Washington, o.c.

Sir:

That the Department may have a practical illustration of the difficulties to be expected in efforts to install autonomic territorial government, I take this opportunity to give the history of my attempt to secure from the best element of the inhabitants a stteping stone that would or could lead to a development with legislation such as we know in the United States~

I have heard continually from representative men confident assurances that by a transfer of control of government from the military to the people themselves a demonstration would be supplied of their assurances that the Porto Ricans were as well able to· carry on a democratic representative government as those of any other land.

In my administration of civil affairs I had very often felt the · need of advisers, men learned in the law and in ci vies generally. It occured to me also that a beginning could be made that would tend in the direction of civil government and a Board created which, while not responsible in a legislative sense, would be vested with authority as my advisers. If they should discharge their duties satisfactorily and experience should point to the wisdom of the step, I could next have delegates elected to a larger consultative assembly, this in time to be developed into a responsible legislative body.

The political strife which goes on here and partisan motives are not unlike those that move polititians in other countries. There · are two considerable groups that give t~emselves · collectively political names, Republicans and Liberals. The former has a platform but the other has never given concrete expression to its creed and policy, but the declarations of the leaders of the two parties show no substantial differences between them. Both see the prospect of ultimately securing political power, and as their only notions of the value of such control are derived from observations of the carrying on of · government by Spain, it is not a violent presumption to suppose that the possession of power would give results not unlike those which the past has shown may be expected.

There is a rudimentary organization of socialists also, that has for its aims the establishment of conditions not unlike those which socialists champion in all countries. They call themselves the Labor Party but has no acknowledged head. · · ·

A considerable number of respectable men have never allied themselves with any political organization and refuse to affiliate with any party. I have accepted the designation they give themselves as Independents.

On the 10th. of August, 1899, I addressed to the acknowledged leader of each of the three parties or groups in a letter, copy herewith marked · i'A". I did this following the suggestion of the leaders themselves, who claimed to be able to demonstrate by this method their capacity for self-government.

Each leader responded, giving the names of three Advisory or Consultative Board. See General Order No. 121, · herewith, marked "B".

The Board inmediately assembled and worked harmoniously until last Saturday, when I was waited on by the three members composing the Republican Party's representation and told that in acting on my request that they supply the names of seven men who would be suitable for me to nominate as Census Supervisors the majority of the Board had been control by the Liberals and nominations had been made which these three revolters could not approve, therefore they resigned their membership in the Board for they would not serve when they saw that politics controlled their colleagues.

All my remonstrances were unavailing to change their resolution and equally useless was my personal appeal to the Liberal leader. Thinking that I might remove the bone of contention I withdrew my request for the Board to propose the supervisors, but this has. accomplished no good result. This morning the leader of the Independents tells me that his efforts to persuade the contestants to reconcile their differences have availed nothing, and he said that the Board no longer existed.

Another illustration of the difficulties attending the installation of the elective system is furnished in a recent effort made by me to submit to a vote of the people the question of the annexation of the municipality of Barceloneta to that of Manat1 (See Par. 3, s. o. No. 156, herewith enclosed, marked "C" •)

Although these people petitioned for annexation and every effort was made by me to meet the various objections raised, by locating and changing places of registration and pooling places, and even changing the detail of the Army officer who had been placed in charge, yet the parties (four highest taxpayers) who

were - requested to act as Registrars refuse to serve, offering various trivial excuses, but in · ~eality declining · in order to obstruct election. In other places where the Boards of Registration were duly organized, the people declined to appear and register, or to participate or aid in any way in organizing the necessary Boards or machinery with which to conduct the election.

The large and excessive number of municipalities, with their hordes of political office-holders, renders it of first importance that they should be reduced or consolidated. ,-

I am forced to the conclusion that in this particular case the only practicable solution will be to revoke all orders and effect the annexation simply by order and without regard to the will of the people, and would be pleased to know if that summary way of disposing of such cases would be approved by the Secretary of War.

Thus has ended my first attempt to induce these people to show by example that they can bury political motives and bend all energies to retrieve losses and serve their country like real patriots.

I am forced to the conclusion that an elected assembly would be no more harmonious and I fear it would be followed by appeals to the Washington Government to re-establish Military control.

In a great many municipalities there are constant squabbles and petty rivalries all based, so far as I can see, on the desire of one set of men to secure the offices and emoluments and the other to remain in power.

The financial administration is notoriously bad and corrupt in many places and I fear will not materially improve when municipal officers are elected by the people.

I am instituting measures for such elections throughout the whole Island and hope soon to see town councils in office throughout the whole Island who are the chosen representatives of the people.

It requires three or four Army officers of age and experience to conduct the election machinery and I have not enough supervisors who are suitable to attend to this duty in more than a half dozen places at once. To put this machinery in the hands of local authorities would only result in perpetuating the power of these men.

It seemed to me but my duty to acquaint the Department with this phase of the political situation.

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza caja 15 , '

Very respecfully, GEO. W. DAVIS BRIGADIER GENERAL, U.S. VOLS., commanding. . ' ' r · J.

San Juan, P. R. , August 27, 1900

(Hon. Elihu Root, Sec of War, Washington, D.C.)

My dear Mr. Secretary:

I have your valued favor of the 22nd ult., enclosing the circular giving the latest regulations in regard to the distribution of the Militia Appropiation, and I would be pleased to have you consider this letter personal and not official, because I can write a little more freely to you in that way. You have now in the Insular Police, armed and equipped, about 400 men. Up to this time, they are doing splendid service throughout the Island. They are efficient, active, very well discipline, all things considered, and they are traveling wherever needed in all parts of the Island.

There is a great deal of political excitement here, as the two parties in the island are straining every nerve to gain points on each other, in order to control the approaching elections. The Federal party here are inflaming the passions of the people and it requires the greatest care and tact to settle the difficulties constantly arising in each way as to avoid friction. There has been some rioting already. The Civil Government is controlling the situation, and hopes to continue to control it, without calling upon the military forces. The latter will not be done except as a very last resort.

The U.S. troops in the Island, or the officers thereof, are not performing a single duty of Civil Government. Under the extraordinary circumstances here, the Insular Police - which must be regarded as a militia - stand in a particular position. They are not mustered, as in the States and t~rritories, once or twice a year, for show purposes, but are an organized body on duty constantly, and the only organization here for the protection of life and property ...

It seems to me that after the election; and when things have quieted down, you may desire to withdraw the United States troops generally from the Island. When that time comes, it will be necessary to further increase the present force.

Please help me all you can in this matters, as I assure you the conditions are all excedingly trying ...

Very truly yours, Governor [Allen] .-, f.; . J. r I J '

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 29 · ,.:,

EXECUTIVE MANSION PORTO-RICO

San Juan, P.R. August 27, 1900.

PERSONAL

Hon. Wm. McKinley President U.S.A., Washington, D.C.

My dear Mr. President:

I reached the Island, after a comfortable trip, on the evening of the 20th. While north, I attempted to give you and to those with whom I came in contact, what seemed to me the real · condition of affairs in the Island here, with respect to the probable success of the institution of American methods, as recognized in the Act establishing Civil Government.

Many of the questions in which our people were interested, and about which they wished to ·: .know, could be comfortably answered. The picturesqueness of the Island; its fairly comfortable ' and healthful climate, : considering its location in the tropics; the large amount of arable land in the Island; and the comparatively small amount already under cultivation; the advantages offered in many lines of agricultural pursuit, through the tariff feature of the Organic Act: all operating to its advantage ..•

As I said before, I feel every confidence that the commercial condition, the . possibility of much development, and the profitable return for the investment of capital will be so attractive that money must come here, seeking a r..eturn larg er that probably could be offered it nearer home.

I remember saying to you, just before leaving, that there were indicatiq'ns that the political end of the proposition would be carefully looked after by the Democrats, and that we should probably have all sorts of disquieting and umpleasant reports from the Island during the pending campaign; such reports to be sent up from here, and to be used for political effect.

There always have been (I suppose always will be) a large amount of suffering, destitution and want, in all the Islands of the tropics. Nature is so kind to the people that the incentive to work, which obtains in the more Northern climates, is lacking here. The country was visited by a most disastrous hurricane, in August, last year, occasioning large losses of property and life, and intensifying the want and suffering.

The crops all over the Island are looking well; the condition of the people in the seaport towns seems to be fairly satisfactory. The reports of the increased death rate at Ponce and Juana Diaz are misleading, from the fact that reports have been circulated by paid Democratic agents, no doubt, that a large amount of relief supplies were stored at those places for distribution. These reports, circulated for a purpose, have brought thousands of poor people from other towns to these locations; these people cannot be given work, are with difficulty sent away, and, of course, embarass the situation .

The coffee crop suffered more injury than any other industry in the Island. In some cases, and in some localities, a good many coffee estates have been abandoned ...

The distribution of relief supplies, while prompted by the most humane motives, I earnestly think, was a very serious injury to the Island itself. As an example; in the mountainous regions, where there was supposed to be the greatest need for relief, rations were distributed in the most liberal · manner to the planters. These planters used them for clearing up . their estates. Today, their estates, or farms, I am told, are ln splendid conditioij; their crops are now coming to maturity in · great abundance. The planters have thus been benefited by the distribution of these rations, while the poor people, for whom the relief was primarily needed, had it doled out to them by the planters, who thus had their farms placed in fine condition, and when the crops were in the ground, the planters had no further use for the poor; and today, they are the people who are suffering~ ..

While I have no proof, I have no doubt in my own mind, that the Spanish papers here - the "Diario" and the "Democracia",both said to be controlled by Munos Rivera - have been subsidized from the North. There is every reason to think this: in . the first place, within a short time the Managers of these papers have developed a style of living which is in itself suspicious; and the course of the papers has becom e actively and energetically hostile to America and Americans. - These p5i.per;s are distributed as largely as possible in the United Sates, through exchanges and in other ways, in order to have their statements copied. They attack everybody, from the President of the United States, down through the United states Government to the civil administration of the Island, sparing nobody.

I have asked the Republican National Committee to send a good newspaper man - one whose carry weight - to the Island, who could make true statements of the facts, to counteract these mis-leading reports. We realize, always, that these attacks, of courie, will continue during the pending campaign. Rivera is a man of forcea bundle of conceit - but he is regarded by many people as a great man, and he has a large , following -, here.

I am very confident that the feeling of the common people, where they took any interest whatever in the matter, was very kindly toward the Americans. It would be useless to deny the existence of an Anti-American sentiment, that is being worked upon in the ways I have mentioned, and is being increased.

The Federal party, under Rivera, is making every possible effort to carry the election in the Island in November. The Republican party ,. makes claim which I am afraid it cannot substantiate. -They do not. seem to show the activity of the other , people, and ·1 they will have to wake up. I cannot help_. feeling that it would be a calamity to the Island to have the other people succeed; for that 1 reason, I am anxious to have the National Committee see the importance of having true statements from the Island, not only for the advantage of our stump speakers at the North - who will need figures and facts - but also for ~he good government of the Island ...

I start on Tuesday for a trip through the mountainous section of the Isla: nd, the only place I have not yet visited, and the place where the greatest destitution and poverty exists. I shall take a native Porto Rican with me as an Interpreter, and nobody els e

I have every confidence that things will come out alright but in the next two or three months we all need to be prepared to read unpleasant statements made for political purposes; but with men as earnestly devoted to the establis,hment of good government in the Island as are those whom you have sent there, I am confident .there can be no doubt as .to the result. But when men do accept offices of that sort, they ought to be on their work with as little delay as possible

I wish every effort could be made to interest investors of money. Capital will come here, and will come earlier if people can only be assured of the protection of life and property, which is essential to prudent business methods •..

Very truly yours, Charles H. Allen

Governor

Presidential Papers Microfilm, William McKinley Papers, Series 1, Aug. 23 - Sept. 24, 1900, Reel 12, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress.

}.

Telegrama de Allen a Hill, Secretario Auxiliar de la Guerra, 8 de septiernbre de 1900.

Recommend resignations• be accepted at once. Will sugg~st names for vacancies soon as possible. ' ~'

These r~signations represent party policy of federals and are dictated by Rivera, their leader.

Ostensible reason ·acc ,ep,tance__ by unanimous -·vo~e ,, of Co~ncil except theirs, of wisest and best plan of districting Isla~d. '

Fe<3:eral Pa·rty declared ,~b.structionists, openly , a~d .actively ._, hostile _ to Amer'idl'· and Americans. These men in · Council (Camunas ., - y de Diego] tt'ave ;"opposed all progress · . Other members of Council always acting in entire harmony. Federal papers insult Americans from i?iesiderit down. ·Stirs up feelings. Responsible for antiAmerican se-htiment. Obstruct and discredits wherever possible. This __ active hostility to have develop since July. Looks as if subs"idized. More or less talk by federals of the effect of their actions on elections in States.

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 54

-,~ * Camufias y de Diego renunciaron al Consejo Ejecutivo por discrepancias respecto a la demarcaci6n de los distri~os electorales para las elecciqnes de noviembre qe 1 900. ~ventualmente, los federales sf abstuvieron de particip~~ en las mismas obteniendo as1 los republicanos un triunfp abs.9luto.

Canton, Ohio October 3, 1900

Dear Governor Allen:

I have your favor of the 20th ultimo giving further details as to the situation in San Juan growing out of the action of the ·. gentleman _. to whom you .refer and his associates.*

Your position is a very trying one but you are, I am sure, strengthened - in your ~ responsible work by a knowledge that · you have hearty· support and encouragement.

With very kind regards to Mrs. Allen, your daughter and yourself, believe me,

Sincerely yours, B. Cortelyou••

Presidential Papers Microfilms

William McKinley Papers Series 2, Vols 163-166 Reel 49, Manuscript Division Library of Congress

* Seguramente, Cortelyou se refer1a a una comunicaci6n anterior de Allen quejandose de las actuaciones de Mufioz Rivera y sus seguidores quienes, ya para este tiemp~ estaban inconformes con la situaci6n en el pais que les alejaba de sus objetivos de tener una participaci6n en el gobierno.

** Secretario del Presidente.

THE PEOPLE OF PORTO RICO Office of the Governor

San Juan, P.R., 11/8 1900.

• r

Cable via Urban 'Land Lines •: I Hay* Washington, O.C . . '

- Election here entirely quiet and orderly • : Fifty-eight . ~thousands · votes cast, nearly all republican. Federals withdrew at the last moment and cast very few votes. Degetau, Republican, elected Commissioner. Every member of Legislature .,Republican. Legislature will me.et _ December 3rd. Has the President appointed Benetiz and Brioso to Executive Council. So reported in newspapers; I have had no confirmation. Please cable. ·

Allen

AGPR Fondo de Fortaleza Caja 61

* John Hay era el Secretario de Estado.

EXECUTIVE MANSION PORTO-RICO

Hon. Sec. B. Cortelyou, Secretary to the President, Washington, D.C.

My dear Mr. Cortelyou:

San Juan, October 14, 1901.

I 'gave a letter to a committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Porto Rico, who will visit the United States, and who desired t ·o , be presented to the President.

I thought it well to advise you privately that while this committee does represent the most important business interest, that among them are several Spaniards and two Englishmen. But they represent the best Spanish element - and element which is entir~1y outside of politics, and : which is doing , its best to promote . harmony throughout the Island. I thought you might deem it wise to acquaint the President with the fact ·· that there are some Spaniards in the committee before he receives them.

Among the committee are Dr. Barbosa of the Executive Council, and Sanchez Morales of the House of delegates. You will remember Dr. Barbosa, and I can only repeat that he is in all respects entirely reliable, and the President can trust him unqualifiedly. The same thing is to be said of Sanchez Morales, who is Chairman of the Committe of Ways and Means in the House of Delegates, and but for who~e influence, together with that of Dr. Barbosa, we could ' never have accomplished very much in the way of legislation last year.

With kind regards,

Very truly yours, William H. Hunt

Presidential Papers Microfilm, Theodore Roosevelt Papers, Series 1, Oct. 2 -19, 1901, Reel 20, Manuscript Division Library of Congress

PERSONAL EXECUTIVE MANSION PORTO-RIGO

San Juan, October 29, 1901.

To the President, Washington, o.c.

My dear Mr. President:

Mr. Hartzell will arrive on Thursday, and I am making my plans to leave here on the 12th of November, so as to ·have two weeks in Washington, during which time I can have the pleasure of seeing you, and going over tbe situation here with you in a way which I trust will be helpful, and better advise you than by letter. Thinking, however, that you might desire to have before you a few brief points, I have concluded to write you this short letter.

1st. I believe ·the experiment of civil government in Port'o Rico will work out successfully under the pr~sent , general form of government. The Foraker Law, which is the Organic Act, is liberal enough for the next few years. It is the opinion of those of us who have been here since the beginning of civil government ~.ti.at greater liberty just now would be fraught with danger. There will be always some chafing, of course, under the present form of government, but we can meet the restlessne~s more successfully than .we .would encounter the greater danger of an unrestrictea-terri tor·ial government. . . ·

Mos.t since:f.ely . yours~ William H. · Hunt

Presidential Papers Microfilms

Theodore Roosevelt Papers

Series 1, Oct. 20 - Nov. 11, Reel 21, Manuscript Division Library of Congress

THE GOVERNOR

Oct. 31, 1902

Via Cuban Land Lines

Secretary Hay, Washington.

Associated Press agent here is proprietor of paper violently partisan in favor Federal Party. Cables sent by him, as to political disorders, registration and conditions, unreliable and misleading. There have been disorders in several towns, suddenly precipitated by intense political feeling, which could not have been- prevented., but in every instance insular police has quickly resto r ed quiet , made arrests, and in our opinion is fully able to c6htrol present . situation. To insure quiet on election day, police ' force, now seven hundred, will be increased. Every ,. disorder except one has been caused by local political partisanship, and in no instance because of dissatisfaction with · any act or policy of the government, both parties asser:ting friendship for Government. In Ponce, ·feeling was arou'sed by theatrical performance entitled Los Reyes del Tocino riight of the twenty-eighth, whereat American sentiment very strong among Porto Ricans in Po'nce, was deeply offended because df censure . Q~ derision of American customs. Some demostration by part of audience aga i nst play during perfo::::-manc·e. Next day papers denounced play. Feeling strong in Ponce all day, and disorders occured night of twenty-ninth. Conflicting reports as to beginning of disorder. Upon being advise of trouble, immediately ordered insular police to Ponce to assist municipal police. Order was restored promptly, many arrests made, and everything has been quiet since . Result of disturbance, one policeman and one citizen killed, about ten wounded, mostly slightly. Have trustworthy representative there , who says danger of further outbreak very slight. Have kept Insular Police there however ready for emergency. Judicial authorities are instituting prosecutions under direction Attorney General Harlan. Elections are general and municipal everywhere throughout island. Party feeling very bitter. Occasional further disorders may break out until elections over. This cable sent that President may know exact situation.

HUNT.

AGPR

Fonda de Fortaleza

Caja 115

THE GOVERNOR

November 5, 1902

Via

Cuban L~nd .Lines

:. f

Preside.nt {Through Secretary State) Washington.

Elections held yesterday were first general contested elections had in Porto Rico since American occupancy. Elections . being for Commissioner to Washington, members of legislature, . mayors, councilmen and other minor officials, people wer~ .;. intensely interested. Federal party that had withdrawn two y~ars ·: ago went to polls yesterday. Election day passed per.fectly · quietly, law, order and quiet in every precinct throughout island so far . as heard from. Results, Republicans reelect degetau commissioner to Washington, also elect twenty-five members legislature. federals elect ten. As far as heard from, Republicans , have: · carried thirty-five municipalities, federals twelve. Many towns close. Election excitement rapidly subsiding. I feel that the conduct of the · people yesterday was very commendable, showing most gratifying evidences of self-control and of compreh,~ns ton of popular government. l •.

AGPR

Fondo de For.taie.za Caja 115

HUNT

Strictly Personal

172 EXECUTIVE MANSION

PORTO RICO

Washington Sept. 24, 1903

My dear Mr. President:

In perfect frankness ' let me say that if you find it possible to consider me for one of the vacancies which I hear will soon exist on the U.S. Court of Claims here it would be very gratifying to me. My father was on that Court: it would give me an opportunity to do creditable work, I think, and let me establish myself where my children could have the many advantages of Washington, and the salary ' (riow $6, ooo) not too small • . In dignity, the court ranks with U.':~. ·circuit Courts of Appeals and higher than U.S. District courts, ·t • believe.

If, however, you cannot do thisr and you think that as a further way for me to attain the U.S. circuit Court it is wise to be U.S. District judge for Montana, I will be glad to do so, believing that promotion will come when opportunity presents itself, which · may be within a year ot two by probable increase in the number of judges on the Circuit Court for the Ninth Circuit, or by vacancy. If you knew how I hate to bother you in my own ambitions: yet I feel I am only saying what you would want to know, and not holding back.

Another matter, In looking ahead has it occurred to you that an excellent solution of all embarassments in na~ing a new governor of Porto Rico might be the selection of Judge Ide of the Philippines Commission. He would go to the place with much valuable experience, and I hear he is a very high grade man. To prefer one over another, unless Secy. Hartzell is appointed, of those now in office in the island would stir all up and create a certain bad feeling. I am sure Elliot, Hartzell and perhaps Post have desire to be governor. Hartzell thinks that in view of precedent he should be the man and I hope you would carefully weigh his claims. If Harlan were selected, those now there would think that it was very hard that one who had resigned to leave permanently should be chosen above those who have stuck to it and been faithful and who are still at it. This feeling would be strong, I know. Considering all these circunstances, the introduction of a new man whose fitness would be conceded by every body would be fitting in itself and although necessarily it would disappoint one or two it could not disgruntle them, and

it could not be sai-d that you had make distinctions by approval of any one•s ·service in particular.

Being very much interested in the annexation of Santo Domingo I shall watch secrets there with intense care. When you have a moment, read Gene~al Grant reasons why Santo Domingo should be ours. They are '·, unanswerable and____ today with striking toroei. ·:,,,, f ·v ,:·: ~i.'. t :·,,.,

r am -just ~starting for New -York to ·'sail ·: Saturday.~, ":n ·. ·

With affectionate regardsr ·

Sincerely yours, William H. Hunt

,-. -

I spent an hour with Gompers and the Executive Committe of the Federation of Labor-, and to:ld them of Iglesias recent treasonable speeches where he , abus ed · the - U.S. and inflamed his people advising some move ·' . · I . shall take this info as I return and write you what they, may be.'

Presidential Papers Microfilm

Theodore Roosevelt Papers Series --1, 'Sept. 8 - Oct. 16, 1903 Reel 37, Manusc·:tipt Division Ii~lirary of Congress · • i J :.• '

EXECUTIVE MANSION PORTO RICO

San Juan, October 6, 1903.

dear Mr. President:

Things became somewhat mixed just before my arrival. The American newspaper*, which you know is against us, sought to take advantage of my home-coming by having some demonstrations made against the government. It advise and encouraged a meeting of socialists on the Plaza; fortunately the meeting was a ' failure, and nothing occurred, on the day that I arrived to cause any excitement whatsoever. ._,.

In the evening I spoke to several thousand people on the Plaza, and never addressed a more respectful and well behaved audience. I gave to them your greetings, and assured them that nothing was being undone to promote their welfare and happiness • ..

I am very sorry to have to tell you that our friend Bishop Blenk made a very serious error, by a letter which he wrote - to a school trustee, and wne-rein he commits himself against a public sohoor system. This ereated considerable excitement, and in Ponce, where the Porto Ricans are largely against the Catholic Church, the papers are attacking him with great severity.

I regret the Bishop's mistake very much, for I fear the consequences may be quite far-reaching, and up to now there never has been the slightest trouble of that kind in public affairs.

Post goes north today and can go over the situation here quite fully. The harm done by the American newspaper in Porto Rico has been great. It has been the most serious obstacle in our path since I came here in 1900, but it looks at last as though the fellow had come to the end of his rope and must fall within a few weeks.**

The general condition of affairs is as satisfactory as could be expected at this season of the year. Just now is the time when distress is greatest in the Island, because it is little too soon for coffee picking to begin, and too early for tobacco, fruit, and sugar.

My

You can rest assured that I am most solicitous that every thing should go along quietlY,·,.:a,nd well. It takes great patience and considerable tact, but you must feel that every thing possible is being done.

With my very warmest regards, believe me, Faithfully yours, William H. Hunt

Presidential fapers Microfilms

Theodore _ Roosev~~t Papers · S~ries 1, Sep~ 8 , - Oct. - 16 · · Reel 37, Manuscript Division Libra:r::y of . Congress

* Hunt ' se refer1a al peri6dico The San Juan News. Este peri6dico fue cr1tico de las actuaciones del Gobernador.

** En este tiempo el News se encontraba a punto de cerrar operaciones, lo que, evidentemente, alegraba a Hunt .