The herald., 1896-12-12
DEfENsEs OF BARBED WIRE
To Be Struug to Defend Havana From
Attack
With or Without q Leader the lnsurIento
Threaten the City
President Cleveiand's Message Calls
Forth Comment by the Cuban Roy
alist Newspaper and the Spanish
Government Will Make Reply q
As.ociated Pre.s special wire

Associated Press Special Wire
KEY WEST, Fla. Dec. 11.-Maceo'9
death is still discredited by the greater
number of prominent Cubans here. Yet
there are numbers who fear 1t IL true.
All await the arrival of the steamship
from Havana tomorrow, however, before
conceding it is true.
The Spanish consul received oficial
news of Maceo's death yesterday.
The report that DR.. Zurteicha. whe
was Maceo's physician. had seen Ma
ceo's body exhumed, Is untrue. 1t Il
learned from a reliable source that Eur
teicha was never Maceo's physician.
Some gentlemen here believe that
Maceo had formed plan with Gomez
to go to the Havana district to meet
Gomez's forces there. as Gomez had
sent 1000 men to the Havana district
Maceo crossed the trocha with 600 men
through Guayajabos. In a skirmish with
the forces of Gen. Arolas, after he had
crossed the trocha, Maceo's forces
wounded twelve of the Spanish troops.
1t is reported that Maceo left Rios
Rivera, his second in command, who
landed from the United States on Sep
tember I, in charge of the insurgent
troops in Pinar del Rio.
A FALSE REPORT
NEW YORK, Dec. 1.-THE Herald
says: Delegate Thomas Estrada Pal
ma. when asked whether the additional
information regarding Gen. Maceo's
death had in any way influenced his
former opinions as to the veracity of
the news, said: mot in the least.
cannot accept the reports so far pub
lished as conclusive evidence Of Gen.
Maceo's death. I have just received
Key West cable dispatch from my
agent in Havana, saying: 'Maceo pass
ed the trocha December 6. Report Of
death absolutely false. You may con-
tradict it upon my responsibility
Besides the above telegram Senior Pal
ma exhibited several other dispatches
from places in Europe and America,
asking him for information regarding
Maceo. Among the cablegrams one,
received from wealthy Cuban in Paris.
reads: "Cable us about Maceo. I
place $4,000 at your disposal. Let US
not dismay. Go ahead.
Another cable dispatch from Porto
Plata. San Domingo, says: "Cubans
and svmpathizers request further IN
formation as to Maceo's fate. We reit-
crate the assurance of our devotion to
the cause and ploce 100 rifles at your
disposition"
NEWS FROM FRANCE
PARIS, Dec. 11.-Senor Betancas, rep
resentative of the Cuban insurgents of
this city, states that he learns from an
authoritative source that Antonio Ma
Geo still lives.
BARBED WIRE DEFENSES
NEW YORK, Dec. 1.-THE Worlds
Havana cable says: The work Of
strengthening the Notifications about
Havana is being pushed with noticeable
energy. Guns are being placed on the
heights around the city, all pointing to
the sea. The Notifications Of the new
port of Matanzas are also being
strengthened. The government sent 500
laborers to Guanabacoa to construct
intrenchments and erect new barricades
as a precaution against a fresh insur-
gent raid. 1t is understood that the
whole town is to be enclosed within a
barbed wire fence.
Brigadier General Rafael Cadenas
and Lieutenant Colonel Raoul Arrange,
Cuban leaders in Havana province, re-
ported wounded early in November, are
both convalescent. Lieutenant Colonel
Arrange was in command ten days ago
and directed the late attack at Guanaba-
Goa. across the bay from Havana.
MESSAGE COMMENT.
HAVANA, Dec. lila Lucha, the
organ of the Spanish republicans here.
and which Is loyal to the Madrid govern
rent says of President Cleveland's
message: at is adroitly worded and Is
calculated to partly appease the presi-
dents critics, while attempting some
what to calm the popular clamor favor
able to the enemies of Spain.'
La Lucha subjects the Spanish minis
ter at Washington, Senior Dupuy de
LONE. to scathing criticism for his
failure to correct the press exaggera-
ton in it's accounts and false reports
of the actual situation here. many ef
which have been unfortunately quoted
by President Cleveland"
In concluding the article La Lucha
says: I'm the matter of the treatment
of alleged American citizens, the Span
ish authorities in Cuba have been here-
tofore altogether too considerate, es-
pecially where the documents of the par
these were hardly clear. the holders hav-
ing lived but few days In tAs Unitsd