Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-12-16
WHERE Is MACEO?

There Is Still Considerable Doubt as to
Whether He Is Living or Dead.
Is General Antonio Maceo living or
dead? This question continues to
perplex the civilized world, and there
seems to be no possible way for its
immediate settlement.
The first story of Maceo's death, or
rather seventh death, was put in cir
culation last week from Spanish sour.
ces. It was to the effect that the
general and his staff had been encoun-
tered by superior force of Spanish
soldiers, and that, after fierce fight,
all were killed.
According to the Spanish report
there was no doubt as to the identity
of the body of the dead general. The
rings on his fingers were inscribed
with his name. There were letters in
his pockets, and more convincing still,
there was a small diary containing a
record of all his operations since the
commencement VI GuC WAL
Accustomed to reports of the death
of the gallant chieftain, the public
was not inclined to give this last story
much credence, and during the past
week nearly all the dispatches from
Cuba have been written with a view
to proving or disproving the story.
One of the last stories from Cuban
source corroborates the fact of Maceo's
death, but gives the circumstances as
very different from those first report
ed. The story is to the effect that
Maceo was victim of Spanish treach-
cry. Unknown to the patriots, Ma
ceo's physician, DR.. Zertucha, had long
been on rather too intimate terms with
the Spaniards, and it was through him
that the treachery was concOcted. BY
previous agreement, Maceo and his
staff went, under flag of truce, to a
point agreed upon to confer with the
Spanisrds on the subject of proposed
cessation of hostilities. Shortly after
the Cubans reached the appointed rem
devious, they were fired upon by a
detachment of Spanish soldiers who
had been placed in ambush in accor-
dance with the previously arranged
plan, and all were killed except Ter
tucha. He knew what was going to
happen and remained in the rear of
the Others until after the foul work of
assassination was completed, and then
he Joined the Spaniards.
The Cuban junta in New York is
said to have conceded the death of
Maceo and claims that this is the way
it happened. The Spaniards deny, of
course, that there is any truth what
ever in this story.
But Notwithstanding the fact that it
is being conceded on all sides that
Maceo is dead, there is still room for
very grave doubt about the matter.
When the last report was first put in
circulation, the Cubans claimed that
the story had been invented by the
Spaniards for the purpose of influenc-
ing the action of congress in the
matter of Cuban recognition, and now
the Spaniards claim that the assassi-
nation story was started by the Cubans
for the same purpose.
Maceo may or may not be dead.
The probability seems to be that he is
dead; but in view of the unreliable
character of all the news that comes
from Cuba, those who may be inter-
ested will do just as we'll to Wait
awhile before accepting any of these
reports as final. While most of the
Cubans seem to endorse the assassina-
ton story, and while the Spaniards
stick to their original statement, re-
cent arrivals in Key West from Ha-
vana say that Maceo is alive and well,
and that within a few days he will
give the Spaniards such a practical
demonstration of the facS as will leave
no room for doubt. But even if Ma
Geo is dead, others maintain, the Cuban
cause has not been crippled. There
are other leaders, they say, who are
eminently fitted to take the place of
the gallant mulatto, and there will not
be even the slightest cessation in the
prosecution of the war.