New-York tribune., 1874-03-16
AFFAIRS IN CUBA.
HIGH PREMIUM on GOID-vARoUs ACCOUNTS OF
TIE DEATH OF CEsPEDEs-REPoRTs FROM THE

TIE DEATH OF CEsPEDES-REP0RTS FROM THE
INsURGENT DISTRICT
fyRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBusE.l
HAVANA, March All of the volunteers destined
for the six months service have departed and the
city has resumed its usual aspect. The financial
situation is not improving. Gold and exchange are
daily going up the corner" is to-day worth 10 per
cent premium The law for paving part of the
duties in gold takes effect in April; still confidence
has been severely shaken and ID is confidence alone
| that can prevent further depreciation OF the
| Spanish bank bills. There are reports that Gen.
PortillO has met with a defeat, and to this
| the CubaDs attribute the rise in gold Ii would be
| far better for the Government TO make public the
| news from the seat Of war. good or bad matter
which side has had the advantage. Whenever there
has been any skirmish, however slight, the widest
| rumors set aloat. The Spaniards never acknOwE
edge defeat and the Cuban accounts of the battle
are very greatly exaggerated.
| The Cubans have faculty of making mountains
| out of hills, and are of a very sanguIne tenn
permanent, believing their never to have been
brighter than at the present moment. They regard
| the death of Cespedes as having no effect what
ever upon the ultimate success of the insuuectiOD.
Several versions Of his death have come to hand.
| The TOz de Cuba says:
Part Of the battalion OF San Quintin reconnoitering
captured % negro; the in command Of the squad
orders 10 shoot HIM. The negro, upon hearing
this, said that II his life spared he would conduct
troops TO The place where they could find the person
who had called himself President OF the Cuban Repub
iic' In fact. he showed them the place. about five
leagues distant from the Aserradcro in which Cespedes
IN company with four or six more, men and women,
were awaiting opportunity to escape to Jamaica In
small vessel which cruising off the coast. The bat
TALON Of San Quntin, and guerrilla or Cuba, marched
toward them, surprising the lnsurgent group, who i'm
mediaeIy took flight. The famous chieftsln could not
succeed In escaping with the Others One OF our SER
geants attacked him, and whilst Cespedes strug-
Cling with the sergeant, hand to hand he killed by
two bullets OF which took effect in the head and the
other in the breast The surprise we'll carried
ont by troops that Cespedes who barefooed,
had only time to put one OF his shoes. His corpse
embarked the Aserradero and carried TO Santiago
de Cuba where il was on public exhibition. and was
Identified by numerous persons. According TO the
reports persons who his corpse, he is OF small
stature, rather stout, somewhat bald, and having his
face shaved
According to a Cuban account two battaions Of
San Quintin were conducted by the negro to "a hill
nos far distant, to which there only one passage
way. 4 sergeant was the first to climb up and i'm
mediately srasped Cespcdes around the body A
desperate struggle for life took place, until other
soldiers coming up he was killed by bullets and ma
chetes. Spauiards are ju9ilapt, and thousands
among the number, but they were very careful to
avoid showing any undue sympathy for the unfor
tunate one. who met his death in so fearful a man
ner. They are closely watched and the slightest
suspicion against Cuban is sufficient for hIs CON
dempation.
BY letter from Santiago de Cuba this week the
news of the dcserton of about 600 Volunteers to the
Cubans il confirmed. Several fires have of late
taken place on sugar plantations in the Western
Department. The papers say that tho cause is I'M
known. Between and o'clock on the afternoon
of March fire broke out on the plantations ot
Santa Ines Santa Anna and Bonita, all situated in
the district of Alacmnes, not far from Matanzas
On the first plantation two cane-iields, with the
cane standing, were burned; the second three
fields with the cane already cut, aud on the third
several fields with the cane about three-quarters
cut The loss is not very great.
The Captain-Gen appears TO be in earnest in
supprcssing the abuses and crimes committed by the
Government employees. One by the name of Riveron
who bad charge of the books regarding emancipated
negroes has been arrested and lodged in JAIL for
selling negro woman and sending her to sugar
plantation. She had been emancipated but he, by
issuing fraudulent papers making her appear as a
slave sold her into slavery negro who had been
living with this woman laid the case before the Cap
tain General and he Immediately caused the arrest
of the Government officer. he will fare badly as he
VIII no doubt be tried by martial law.
II is rumored this morning that the first band Of
Volunteers sent to Nuevitas has already met the in
surgents and been worsted. Upon their arrival at
Nueyitas they found the railroad leading to Puerto
Principe cut and therefore attempted TO march to
the latter place, when they were attacked by the
Cubans, losing % men killed and 20 wounded. The
remainder retired To Nueyitas. The information is
from priyated sources nothing official has been re-
ceiyed.