The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-09
WEYLER HAS DISAPPEARED
And MaCeO Has Crossed the Mill
tary Line Near Havana.

Havana, Dec. SIT is now semi Off
cially admitted that Antonio Maceo. the
| lnsurgent leader, passed the military line
in Pinar del Rio, on Friday last, near
Marlel, the port ut its northern eXtrem-
lty. lie was accompanied by the son of
General Maxine Gomez. 80
There was much excitement he re when
it became generally known that Maceo
had crossed the military line with, it is
understood, strong force of insurgents
especially when coupled with the fighting
between Spanish troops and insurgents
close to the city. 1t seems evident that
the lnsurgcnt commander has not only
cleverly turned the flank OF Capital II. Gen
eral Weyler, but has succeeded in getting
in his rear and crossing the famous mill
tary line near the port which has been
used as IL base of supplies for the Spanish
troops in Pinar del Rio. The importance
OF this movement cannot be exaggerated
The exact whereabouts CT Gen. Weyler
is not known; but he is believed to be
hunting for Macco in the mountains in
the extreme eastern part of PinGr del Rio
while the insurgent chief has seemingly
doubled on his tracks, turned the flank
on the spanish general and passed in his
rear, III the direction of this city, crossing
the military line at will and possibly be-
ing by this time in the vicinity of the
capital of Cuba. If Maxine Gomez has
carried out the plans attributed to him,
that OF pushing westward to the support
OF Aaceo, IL junction of the two main
bodies of the insurgcnt forces may be ex-
pected shortly.
Nothing appears to be known of the
strength of the insurgent force with An.
tonic Macco in this province. In fact it
was not until the news WAS being passed
from person to person in the streets that
the authorities would give IL half hearted
! admission Of the truth of the report that
Maceo had crossed the military line.
This, 1T is believed, will alter the whole
situation and important events may occur
within short time. There is no doubt
ihat thc insurgents Lave recently been
increased in number about the capital.
The stray bands of twenty or thirty
bandits" met by the Spanish troops
have now swollen to the proportions of
lnsurgcni forces of 10000 to 40, 600 men.
Only this day II week ago IL bold attack
WIS. made upon tiuanabacoa, II suburb of
tins city. anu seventy houses were burned
by the insurgents, who also killed all the
men forming the garrison of one of the
forts Therefore it is not astonishing if
people are now anXiously asking them
selves from what quarter the next attack
| VIII he made. 1t seems t. he admitted
'tii' 'S'icN''ii lilitt -ltCcp VIII Strlkp be-
| tore Wcyler can hurry back from Pinar
uel Rio. Indeed it is currently reported
| that the captain general has been wound.
: ell III engagement with the insurgents be-
! fore the latter crossed the military line
ana that he may not he able to return
here, except us ii prisoner of the CuDans.
The authorities naturally, are doing
| all III their power to minimize the cross
| ing of the trocha by Maceo and intimate
that he is, rs usual, according to the
! Spanish, running away from them. This
does not alter the fact that he has escaped
the hunter and that the hunter may find
difficulty in getting home.
The friends of the insurgents here are
overloyed ut the new turn taken in the
campaign and they are boasting that both
Maceo and Gomez Will soon be knocking
at the gates of Havana. To this the Span
ish officials simply say ''wnit and sec. the
time is not yet" But there is no DENYING
that the supporters of Spain here to. day
are looking much crestfallen and discour-
| aged. Even IL defeat at the hands of the
Insurgents. it is admitted. would have
been better than the humiliation which
the Spanish troops have suffered in being
so skillfully ort-manoeuvred by The insur-
gents.