The herald., 1896-02-15
WEYLER STILL Preparing
To Begin His Campaign Against
the Insurgents
HE RELIES ON VOLUNTEERS
By Reason of Their knowledge Of the
Country
A t,ideous Picture of the Rapine, nurder and
tiorrid Sacriiege Committed by
the Insurgents

Associated Press Special Wire. SsES's
| HAVANA, Feb. Il. - Captain-Generai
Weyler continues his exhaustive investiga-
| ton into the conditions and resources OF
his forces in Cuba, and in making some
experiments of methods he intends to en-
ploy when he enters a campaign. A crate
of carrier pigeons was sent from Havana
with u detachment of troops to Rio Blanco'
situated ninety miles from Havana, and
they returned here IN two hours, bringing
news of the safe arrival OF the
troops at their destination. General Wey-
Ter is apparently convinced that the force
of volunteers IN Cuba is not as large or as
effective as it can be made and hs Is devot-
ing great deal Of time to improving this
part q: the service. He seems to feel that
the familiarity with the country which has
been acquired by long residence and the
knowledge of the methods of the inser-
gents which goes with it will make the vol
unteers especially available against the
peculiar methods of the enemy. He has
indicated his purpose in various ways to
out the volunteers into more efficient
condition and to rely upon them more for
the active work of the war. He propose
to mobilize the native volunteers in very
short time and dispatch them to the field.
General Pando has gone to Villa Clara by
way of Sagua, to take command OF the
Second army corps, to which lie has been
assigned. Word has been received here by
cable that 5400 soldiers debarked from
Spain yesterday for Cuba to reinforce the
army there.
The noted bandits Socorro and Sobrado,
who have become leaders among the in
surgents, are operating about Bahia Honda,
in Pinar del Rio. They burned some
houses at Bahia Honda on February Sth
and they are said to have been guilty OF
sacreigious eXcesses in the neighborhood.
Not content with burning the church and
desecrating the churchyard at Las Posas,
they raided the church at Cieguanabo and
carried the images of the saints out
side. Here the insurgents formed
themselves into a mock religious
procession, some negroes dressing them
ing the sacred emblems among their hilar-
ious companions amid shouts of ribald
mirth. The fanatics masquerade being
ended they cut the images of the saints to
pieces with their machetes and hacked to
pieces the furniture in the sanctuary and
then burned the church.
An ex.bandit, Olivia, led a raid against
the town of Baja on February 2. Horrible
stories are circulated in Havana of the out
RACES this band has committed upon the
defenseIess country people without dis
elimination as to age or sex. Robbery is
said to have been their pastime, while
murder and rape were left in the trail, and
they committed acts of such shocking sac
rilege that the inhabitants are alleged to
have been driven crazy by the mere COLI
temptation of them.
Antonio Maceo three days later ell
canped in the same town for whole day.
Gen. Echagne, coming up, overlook Ma
ceo's rear guard as they were leaving the
town and twelve of them were killed.
1t is learned here that Antonio Maceo,
after his engagement with the Spaniards
at Cayajabos. made characteris-
tic countermarsh, first going southwest of
Artemisa and then eastward along the
southern coast, passing south of Mangas,
Canas and Guira. Canas ia on the line be-
tween Pinar del Rio and Havana provinces.
Maceo has thus passed out of the province
of Pinar del Rio and is close to the Trocha
running from Havana to Batabano, if he
has not already passed it to the SOUTH
west.