The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-29
How the Patriot Burned the
Town of San Geronimo.
AND SMOKED OUT THE GARRISON
Its Commander Finds Out That q
Spaniard Sometimes Surrenders.
An Incident Illustrating the Methods
Of the Insurs<ent Leaders Delegates
To the Convention of Cuban Clubs
Assembling In New York.

Havana June S--The facts about the
raid and the burning OF san Geronimos
news Of which was oshied on Wednesday !,
10 the Associated Press. are learned nor0
In detail and found 10 he of importances
san Geronimo is the most fourzShing vilS
lage in the province OF Puerto Principe
About O'Clock in the evening Mt.xirnU
Gomez appeared near San Geronlsno ae
the head Of I.5sa men. lie sent to tho
commander of the village saying that he
must surrender or run the risk OF being
killed. either by bullets or fira. The
Spanish commander, Lieut. I.ahoria. tore
the note 10 pieces. replying: Tell him
TO come AT once and do what he pleaseSs
that Spaniard viii never surreni-r's
Addressing his men, he said: soldiers
get ready
Throughout the night these men waited
TO be attacked. The families OF the cisisr
zens, aware of Conner presence in the
neigh>orhood, left the town. ALeanwhl,a
the rain was failing in torrents. The in<
surgents allowed the women and children
OF the families to pass out of the city. but
held the men inside. At sunrise Gomez or
dered the mayor of tho town 10 tell the
Spanish lieutenant that ne had the towu
surrounded, and that ne must surreadaa
Immediately. Afterward the mayor re-
turned. saying: Under no circumSs anceS
will he surrender" Gomez then gave an
order for 400 OF his cavalry to disnouns
they advanced toward the town and or.
dered their prisoners 20 set fire to the
nearest houses. Gomez was heard 10 sayo
That officer is a brave man. He will noe
surrender in spite of shooting and fire.
He then commanded that the whole town
should he burned. Tho fire increased rapS
idly through the town. and the fort in
which the garrison was quartered was ala
ready burning. The troops kept flring uns
I'll suffocated by the smoke. when the
mayor lifted n white flag and the fnsur.
gents bugie gave the signal to stop firing.
Lieut.. I.aborda, a lieutenant of guerirlas.
the soldiers or the garrison and twenty.
two gueriilas came forward and. agreeinn
with Gomez as TO the terms Of surrender.
delivered their arms and ammunition. The
Marquis of Santa Lucia and Maxine Co
meg embraced Lieut.. I.aborda, saying Ia
him: You can shout Viva Espana,' be-
cause you are worthy defender OF her"
The officers and soldiers. with tears In
their eyes, revealed in their faces the an.
guish they felt at their surrender. But n
would have been mad enterprise TO att
tempt to defend themselves against an
enemy twenty times as Numerous as
themselves. In n few hours nothing was
left of San Geronimo but smouldering
ashes
Havana, June ss.--News received from
Puerto Principe. from the insurgent camp
acknowledge the loss of nineteen men
killed In the recent attack upon Alta
Gracia. Capt. Costa. commanding de-
tschment OF about forty soldiers sur
prised an insurgent band commanded by
Basilio Gierra at Aguadita, province OF
Santa Clara. At the first voIiey from
the troops the insurgents fed. leaving
one dead, four seriously wounded.
New York June 2S.-The plans for tho
convention of delegates from Cuban clabs
in this country. which is to be held In this
city about July 10. are being pushed
rapidly. II was said at first that she
holding of such a convention would be a
violation OF the neutrality lssws and
would place the patriots who have tho
matter I'm charge in danger OF arrest.
The officials I'm tho Office of the United
States district attorney. when asked
about the matter. made an examination.
but they were unable to find any law COW
ering the point. Gen. Quesada IL one OF
the busiest men In the city these days
Jfpon him has devoived almost all the work
OF arranging for the coming convention.
lie is daily receiving large quantities OF
mail. ani from the assurances he has re-
ceived. the coming convention promises
To he a great success. Already few
delegates have arrived I'm the city. and
within the next two weeks many mors
will come. There will be 80 delegates in
all These will be entertained by Cuban
sympathlzers In this city during their
stay.