The herald., 1896-12-10
PROOFS ADDUCED.

into Havana as the Olivette passed out
PROOFS ADDUCED.
Only Seem to Increase Doubts Of Gen.
Maceo's Death.
HAVANA, Dec. 9.-(Copyright 1896,
by the Associated P1ss). The confident
claims of the Spanish officials that they
have abundant proof of the death of An
tonic Maceo and his young aide, Fran
cisco Gomez. son of Maxine Gomez con-
tinue without abatement The details
announced today, however, of the facts
relied upon for the identification of the
two Cubans, have caused an undercur-
rent of doubt in the this city. Major
Cirrujeda, who commanded the Spanish
forces in the engagement at Punta Bra
va on Monday and whose troops discov-
cred the two bodies and gave the evil
dence of identification, consented to be
interviewed on the circumstances of the
case. He said today to the correspond
ent of the Associated Press that when
the rebels were routed it was evident
that the body of the chief was abandon
ed on the field. The Spanish column
without stopping to explore the fed
went in hot pursuit of the insurgents and
followed them for mile or more. Mean
time young Gomez is supposed to have
committed suicide by Maceo's side.
When the troops returned to Guato,
after the pursuit had ceased, various
guerrillas belonging to Cirrujeda' S COM
mand went over the field where the
rout of the insurgents had occurred and
searcehd the bodies remaining there for
anything of Importance.
THE body of Maceo.' Major Cirru-
ieda continued, was relieved of ring,
clothing, etc. The guerrillas who per-
formed the act were at the time quite
unaware that the body was that of
Maceo. In fact. little attention was paid
| to the identity of the bodies. 1t was al
ready dark on the field. and it was rain
ing. Various other bodies were also
searched
1t was an adjutant. according to Ma
jor Cirrujeda's further statement, who
insisted that the above mentioned body
and the other which was lying by its
side. were evidently of first rate i'm
rortance, and that they must not be
left without Identification.
THE two bodies were therefore tied
by the feet to the tails of some horses"
said the major. ''and thus dragged over
the ground, the irteniiJa being to carry
them to town for Identification. But
after proceeding for awhile the horses
became tired with their burdens. and
the bodies were cut loose and left in
the road
Cirrujeda proceeded to read the docu~
ments which had been found upon the
bodies and which were described in
dispatch exclusively to the Associated
Press yesterday. They include letter
addressed to Dear Pancho," signed M.
Gomez; a diary Of Maceos operations
from Nov. 2Sth to Dec 7th, and note
in pencil found on the body of the young
er man. saying he died rather than
abandon the body of his general. Maceo..
The undershirts and socks on the body
of the older man were marked with the
initials "A. NJ" an da ring on the finger
contained the engraved inscription
Antonio y Mria.'
After reading these documents Major
Cirrujeda saws he became convinced
abandoned were those of Antonio MaceO
and young Gomez But it was then too
late to return and recover them. Major
Cirrujeda, however, expresses the firm
conviction that they were those of Maceo
and Gomez son.
With the insurgents in the battle,
Major Cirrujeda says, was beautiful
Amazon, about % years old, who urged
the rebels "a la machete," but at the
same time interposed to protectthe pris-
oners.
MMajor Cirrujeda has taken charge
of the objects found on the body said to
be that of Maceo for further examina-
ton. There was gold watch, a splen-
did pair of cuff buttons Opera glasses
referred to yesterday?-Ed.) made by
Moreu Torin. Paris, with five pointed
stars on them and inclosed in big
strapped leather case; hunting knife
with an ebony handle and gold mount
ed and good waterproof coat All of
these were taken from the body by the
scout Santa Ana.
1t is thus seen that there has been NO
actual identification of the bodies them
selves. the conviction as to the identity
resting upon the evidence of docunetns
and articles found upon them. There
| is no doubt, however. of the assurance
of the general public here that Maceo
is dead. 1t is pointed out that he met
his death in similar manner to that OF
Jose Marti and Zayas. His loss is re-
garded as the heaviest blow the revolu-
tion has received and it was fet that his
continued life was all that could save the
insurgent movement. He was the most
striking personal character of the out
break.
Major Cirrujeda telegraphed to head
quarters yesterday that after the battle
at Punta Bravo he had been obliged to
abandon the bodies which in the course
of reconnaissance his troops had dis
covered to be the bodies of Antonio Ma
Geo and Francisco Gomez. The guide
of the column said the body looked like
Maceo.
Some one standing by observed that
Maceo was in Pinar del Rio, but it is
| nevertheless believed that the bodies
We're those of the Cuban leaders. The
bugler of the battalion of San Quentin
was taking ring from the fallen Cuban,
when he found he was still alive. He
thereupon killed him with a machete
The insurgents, upon noting the small
force of the accommodating party, rushed
in with large numbers of troops and sue
ceeded in carrying away the body said to
be Maceo's, but without securing any of
the jewelry and papers which had been
found upon it.
Major Cirrujeda, in order not to aban-
don his dead and wounded, was compell-
ed to retreat to Punta Bravo. At Punta
Brava the soldiers delivered the jewels
and documents which had been found
with the two bodies and then the chief
of the column became convinced of the
death of Maceo.
Following is a copy of the letter writ
ten in pencil which was found on the
body of the youth supposed to be Fran
cisco Gomez:
Dear Mamma, Papa, Dear Brothers:
die at my post. l cid not want to aban-
don the body of General Maceo and
stayed with him. l was wounded in two
places and as I did not fall into the
hands of the enemy 1 have killed myself.
am dying. i die pleased at being in the
defense of the Cuban cause.
l wait for you in the other world.