Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-16
BOURKE VISITS CUBA
Said to Have Gone as the Official Govern
ment Agent,
MILITARY EXPERT IS IN HAVANA
Expected 10 submit Report on the
situation There Touching
Number of Interest,"
ing subjects.

WASHINGTON March ia dispatch
from Havana announces the arrival there of
Captain J. c. Bourke, Third cavalry, u s.
A., whose station Is Fort Ethan Allen, VT.
The presence of Captain Bourke in Cuba.
considering his we'll known ability not only
as an officer, but as a Spanish scholar, has
aroused all sorts of conjectures. Secretary
Lamont could not be seen tonight but one
of his chief assistants said there was no
doubt of the presence of the officer in Ha-
vana. He said Captain Bourke was recently
given n short leave with permission to 'go
beyond the sea-"
His reason for desiring such leave was
the illness OF his wife's father Mr.. Hor-
bach of Omaha, Neb. He said Mr. Horbach
had been advised by his physician to take a
sea voyage and that, as he was too i'll to
travel alone, he desired to go with him. For
this reason he got leave to go beyond the
sea. .. "a,
1t is well known, however, that tho War
department has refused to permit any army
or naval officers to visit Cuba, and II seems
remarkable that an exception should have
been made in Captain Bourke's case. For
some days rumors have been in circulation
that the administration intended to send a
representative to inquire into the state of
affairs In Cuba.
GENERAL MERRITT FIRST SUGGESTED.
1t was said ten days ago that General
Wesley Merritt of Chicago was to be de-
tailed for the duty. This was denied how
ever, on authority. The army officer who
talked about Captain Bourke's case said that
the captain had asked for leave without
specifying the destination of his voyage
This seems remarkable, for, under the regl-
lations an officer contemplating sea voyage
is required to name his destination as well
as the object Of his voyage. The department
is by this means enabled to keep constantly
within reach of it's officers, so that they may
be called at any time.
1t is usual for officers visiting a foreign
land to make report to the War depart
ment OF any matter of military interest
that comes within their observation. There
fore, whether Captain Bourke has gone to
Cuba or not by order Of the authorities. he
will under the regulations be compelled to
make report upon any matters coming
to his attention which he considers worthy
of official notice. Thus, If any troops OF
Spain pass under his eye he will undoubtedly
submit a report upon what he sees in Ha-
vana during his stay there, and the authors
ties will, therefore, have the views of a
military expert upon the city and of the
troops garrisoning 1t. How long Captain
Bourke will remain the authorities say they.
of course, cannot tell, but his leave is a
short one and was intended only to permit
him to take care of his father-in-law in
accordance with the advice OF the gentle
mans physician.
HE is A MILITARY EXPERT.
Captain Bourke is considered one of the
ablest military experts in the army and just
the man the administration would pick out
to make an investigation and report upon
warfare such as is being conducted in Cuba.
He was for some years stationed with his
regiment on the Texas frontier, and has un-
dergone considerable service of a guerilla
character, that being the nature of his work
while the notorious Garcia was harassing
the Texas cattlemen some years ago. He
saw service during the civil war and received
a medal of honor for gallantry in action at
Stone River, Tenn, December 81. 1862, and
January i, 1863, while serving private
in the Fifteenth Pennsylvania cavalry. He
received the brevet of captain for gallant
service in action in the campaign against
Indians at The Caves, Ariz, December 2S.
1872 and in the campaign against Indians In
Arizona in April, 1873; also the brevet Of
major for gallantry in attack on Indians on
Powder river, Montana, March II, 1876, and
in action against Indians on Rose Bud creek
on June II of the same year.
The service he has against the In
iians and the Garcia raiders would be OF
great advantage to Captain Bourke in any
Investigation he might make OF the guerilla
war now being pursued by the Cuban insur-
cents.
Promptness is a commenlable virtue.