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CUBANS OF TO-DAY 



His first essay in the journalistic field 

 was as annalist of the "Ateneo" society, 

 being associated with the veteran writer 

 Fernando Romero Fajardo who was its 

 Director. 



He later joined the editorial staff of El 

 Pueblo in Matanzas, and was director 

 successively of La Mail ana, La Juventud 

 Liberal and El Obrero; twice he was editor 

 of El Diario (Matanzas) and did special 

 articles for El Impartial and La Region. 

 In 1895, w T hen rebellious Cuba was being 

 disciplined by Spain, Byrne's caustic and 

 enthusiastic pen attracted a dangerous de- 

 gree of attention; his separatist propaganda 

 led to the suppression of his paper, El 

 Diario de Matanzas. Byrne was arrested 

 and tried; defended by Nicholas Heredia, 

 a writer of note, his trial deteriorated into 

 a picturesque political wrangle, in which 

 the President of the Tribunal frequently 

 obstructed the defense with interruptions. 

 Byrne was sentenced to six months' im- 

 prisonment but escaped serving through a 

 proclamation of amnesty. 



At this juncture Byrne emigrated to 



HISPANIC NOTES 



