THL 

 CUBA REVIEW 



"ALL ABOUT CUBA" 



Copyright, 1914, hy the Munson Steamship Line 



Volume XII 



JUNE, 1914 



Number 7 



CUBAN GOVERNMENT MATTERS 



GENERAL ASBERT'S CONVICTION— CONVICT LABOR IN HAVANA— NEW 

 CUBAN CONSULATES AND LIGHTHOUSE 



The trial of Gen. Ernesto 



Trial of Asbert, Governor of Havana 



Gen. Asbert Province, on the charge of 



kilhng Gen. Armando Riva. 



Chief of Pohce, last July was begun April 27. 



On June 3d, Governor Asbert and Eugenio 

 Arias, members of the House of Representa- 

 tives, were found guilty of homicide in the 

 Supreme Court and sentenced to imprison- 

 ment for twelve years and one daj\ 



Senator Vidal Morales, a co-defendant, 

 was found guilty of firing a pistol in the street 

 on the same occasion and fined $30, a fine of 

 like amount being imposed for carrying a 

 weapon without a license. 



The defendants made a counter cliarge 

 against Pohce Captain Emilio Campina, 

 accusing him of attempting to shoot them. 

 Campina was acquitted. 



The murder occurred outside the Asbert 

 political club, which Gen. Riva had ordered 

 closed after arresting the doorkeeper. At 

 that moment Asbert, Morales and Ai'ias, 

 drove up to the club in an automobile and 

 engaged in a heated argument with the 

 Police Chief. This was followed by many 

 shots and Gen. Riva fell wounded. He died 

 in a hospital two days later, after stating 

 that Asbert and Arias shot him. 



The verdict and sentences caused no ex- 

 citement, the outcome having been anticip- 

 ated, but in view of possible disturbances 

 machine guns had been placed near the jail 

 and guards stationed near the Asbert Club, 

 which has been closed. 



The case was heard by seven Supreme 

 Court Judges, who were unanimous in the 

 decision. 



General Asbert is one of the heroes of the 

 War of Independence, and had a great 

 following in Havana. 



The New York Sun thinks the conviction 

 of Governor Asbert will "inevitably breed 

 trouble." General Menocal, in his campaign 



for the presidency, had the support of the 

 Asbertistas, as the followers of Asbert are 

 called, and these believe that President 

 iNIenocal is under a deep obhgation to them. 



It says further, "Governor Asbert has a 

 large following, and it will be surprising if the 

 l^eace can be kept without a display of force. 

 President Menocal must be prepared to put 

 down violence at any cost to his own pohtical 

 fortunes." 



On the same subject, the New York Times 

 has the following editorial comment: "It 

 says much, however, for the present admin- 

 istration of the islanfl that little private wars 

 between rival factions can no longer be carried 

 on with impunity, even by men with high 

 mihtary titles." 



"The lesson is excellent, and it strongly 

 tends to discredit the prophecies of those very 

 wise persons who used to be so sure that the 

 Cubans were incompetent to conduct an 

 orderly and honest Government." 



All predictions of trouble, because of the 

 convictions, were shown to be unfounded by 

 the news on June 5th, that prominent leaders 

 of the Asbertistas had called on President 

 Menocal and assured him that the party 

 would continue to support him. 



President Menocal has ac- 



Will Exhibit cepted, on behalf of the Cuban 



Government the invitation 



extended by the Governor of 



Massachusetts and the Mayor of Boston to 



participate in the Retail Grocers' Association 



Exposition next October, in Boston. 



Cuba expects to fill the 70,000 feet allotted 

 to her with an elaborate lot of exhibits, many 

 of which will later be sent to the San Francisco 

 Exposition. 



The Boston (Mass.), Record wants to know 

 if "that Cuban exhibit for our next fall's 

 industrial fair will show how they make 

 Havana cigars in Connecticut." 



