Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-24
GEN. MACEC'S DEATH
The Story Told by Dr.. z'r!uCha. The
Alleged Traitor
.fuE GREAT CUBAN, TIRED OF LIFE.
Sought Death, Facing the Enemy-so
called Patriots Killed The
GentrAl.

this morning pupIlehts the IoiloWihs
letter from Maxine Zertucba, dated at
Malln de Sur, Cuba. Dec. IL:
81 have been informed OF the re-
ports current In the United States re-
cardlpg the death OF Antonio Maceo.
owe to myself TO state how the event
happened.
"MsI.. Gen. Antonio Maceo at 8
O'Clock In the evening OF December
Ain. accompanied by part tot his gen.
arai staff, namely: Gems. Miro and
Dlpz. Cole. Nodsrez and Carbon, Mais.
Piedra, Juzliz, Ahumada ana fenai-
yer. Caute, Ssuvanei ana myself,
surgeon lof headquarters, WIN iour
nrueflies and Lieut.. Francisco Gomez
Tuta, crossed the military line between
Mariei and Maiana, at the iotmer
noint At 0 O'Clock the following
morniBg we Joined some twenty five
oayalrymen belonging to Con. Sartor'
ieu,,s command al Mosquitoes. Ga the
9Th We started toward Baracoa.
UDuripg our march some eighty
men OF Lieut.. Col. Ascosts's command
were incorporated with our ranks.
Topether we went at 8 O'Clock that
night 10 the grazing farm between
Rincon nnu Covea. There we met the
forces under Brieudier Sanchez and
Col DelgadO, numbering come 4UO
men, oil cavalry.
at was 2 O'Clock In the afternoon
of the next day when word came to
our company that Inc enemy's forces
were moving in our direction, follow
ing the trail. We prepared Tor the en-
VaQement. The Left flank was COM
handed by the general OF division,
Pedro Diaz. The right was under tho
command OF Col. Delgaro and Lieut..
Col. Acoste. Biiganier Sanchez took
command OF the csnter.
"rhe fight wac under way when
Gen. Maceo, accompanied by Brigadinr
Miro, Adiutauts Juztiz and 5auvnna
aud myself started toward the battle
field, Maceo Issued orders az he pro.
ceeded. He then TOOK his position at
a point outside the sphere OF active
operations, tut all Of the enemy's IRE
auddenIy centering upon that p,int, IL
was lend rather than air that We
breathed theie.
"GeE. Maceo moved forward to
within 500 paces OF a stone fence, be-
hind which the cnemy's Infantry was
intfenehed. BKigaoter Miro was to
the right aud to tbs lett Of General
Maceo. He raised ais sword and say
ing to Brlgadier Miro, At goes WE'LL
fell as II struck by lightning from the
horse he was riding.
81 v as Cd the spot at once, examin.
ing his wounds. A Mauser bullet mad
entered the right side OF the chin,
CAUSING a fracture Of the lower Jaw in
three places, coming out OF the left
lateral side at the base OF the neck,
m L.. IN mi tha na FniiH
artery, bringing on mortal hem
otrhaee, waich caused death In min
ute.
"The moment General Maceo was
wounded, | called to his assistance
thote who accompanied him. On
being told by Brigadier Miro and
MSjor Juztiz that they, too, were
wounded, 1 compelled them to get out
Of the range u fire."
"a trooper then came 10 my aid. He
helped me to rescue the body Of my
general. The toooper WAS at that
moment wounded In the thigh. Bull
let's were pouring over my hend Us l
remained entrenched behind the gen.
erai's horse by the side OF his body.
"Atthat moment 1 saw Panchito, as
we called the son OF Major General
h Maxine Cons z, Before me. He had
4 been won nded In the lett shoulder dur
Ing an engagement We had had on
December Ord. His arm was In q
sling"
He said to me, ~ will help you.
H DOCTOR"
"Wo again raised the body OF Msceo
anu placed II upon the horse. Then
& we started toward a gate which
was the outlet TO the enclosure we
. L.. d., HI lao xnyr hat OF oh hp
abullet. 1t pierced his shirt, anu
i coming out at bis right side com plete.
3 ly shattered his elbow. He sank to the
ground. l went to his assistance and
II General Msoeo's body fell from the
\ horse.
II "What to do then, Iiknew not. The
y enemy was advancing. begged,
4 heseecbed Gomez to let me carry him
x on horseback out OF that place.
A Nothing would avail to persuade him.
He would reply TO every appeal: Let
4 the gereral be carried out frat, then 1
n will co.
"rhen almost crazed, II galloped on
II The generals boree toward our forces,
n which owing to the ip cidents OF the
n engagement were at a fair distance of.
a met Brig. SRnches and informed him
Of what had happened. He. while
"A issuing orders, giving excusee, ETC., did
"a nothing.
Then I sought another chief.
met the brave and honest Pedro dag.
81 hearing what I had to say to him auu
n haslening to do bis duty, wss the work
OF an instant. The enemy had au.
vnnced. II waa necessary to disiodge
Them and then we T, covered the bodies
Fl OF Gen. Maceo aud Lieut.. G0mez."
II Had the latter died from the
n Wounds he had received in tue chest
and arm?o
ID Nc, he was stabbed over the left
side near the breast. He had over his
ietthead also machete wound which
nsu divided his skull. The bodies had
n oeen stripped Of their shoes, stockings,
s,ue anna and jewelry. AT O'Clock
Fl 'nat night the bodies were taken TO a
sn'u on the grazing farm and there
Fl appeared before the commanding
H enieeFs, who were ignorant OF General
aaeeo's death. An affidavit OF what
nsl tsken place WIS Drawn up aud
shorn to and with other official docu.
Fl 1nehs oil the case, was senl TO he Jr
FL uthsral Maxine Gomez"
After stating the facts as they oc.
ssuiied, wish to speak about my hum.
Ole persvnality.
N WHO killed Antonio Maceoc Who