Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-01-11

Havana, January 10.-The lull which
seemed to have taken place in the ac-
tiyities of the insurgents in the past
few days has given place once more to
an unexpected dash on the part OF
MaximO Gomez into the heart OF the
rich tobacco growing district OF Pinar
del Rio.
Confident claims have been made for
several days past on the part OF the
authorities that the time was fast ap-
preaching when the Insurgents were to
pay the penalty for their temerity and
when the Spanish We're to close in upon
them as in trap and annihilate them.
The sympathizers with the insurgents
have themselves not been free from
keen anxiety at the persistent stand
the leaders were making on the north
ern coast of Pinar del Rio, and almost
up to the outskirts Of Havana itself.
The news c9bled last night that Go
mez had passed Alquizar and Guira
Melena. in Havana province, was re-
ceived with relief by the friends of the
insurgents though the direction he had
taken beyond that was not known, but
il was generally supposed that he was
bent upon retreat into the eastern pro-
vinces, glad TO escape the trap set for
him
IT IS NOW EVIDENT
that he was merely making a pretense
at retreat to mislead his enemy, and
meantime he has once more counter
marched like a fox doubling upon its
own track, and tonight he has nearly
his whole effective force in the tobacco
district in the southern part Of Pinar
del Rio, ready to visit destruction upon
the tobacco crop, as il has already been
widely visited upon the sugar crop.
Judging from the route taken by his
van guard, he has passed by Santa
Cruz. Taco Taco, and Paso Real, to-
ward Consolation del Sur, which is the
Terminus OF the railroad from Havana
running southwest into Pinar del Rio.
The northern portion of the province
Of Pinar del Rio has also by no means
been stripped of insurgents, and it is
reported to-day that a band of 500.
commanded by PericO del Gardo. has
passed westward along the coast to the
northern pert Of Pinar del Rio. going
west through the sugar district and by
the plantation of Tinaja, Quieba Hacha,
to the post Of Cabanas, and thence
again through AmiOl and San Diego de
Nunez to Bahia Honda, and to Las
Posas beyond.
When the news of this movement
was received, troops were hurriedIv
dispatched from here TO Bahia Honda
by sea TO reinforce the garrison at that
important seaport town.
HERE ARE INDISTINCT RJTMORS
here that an important expedition for
the relief of the insurgents has been
landed upon the northern coast of Pinar
del Rio The boldness Of the insur-
gents in remaining upon this coast in
the Iace OF danger Of being cut off. has
been attributed to their expectation of
Uhe landing Of the expedition.
The authorities have discovered owl
dence of what they consider a con-
sSPiIacy 10 cause an uprising in
havana and to hand the city over 10
the insurgents. The conspiracy is be-
heyed to be widely ramifed and its dis
coyery has caused grave uneasiness in
Havana, and suspicious that disaffec-
tlon is much more widely disseminated
than has been admitted. Thirty ner-
sons nave been arrested for comnlicitv
IN the plot, and eight have been i'm
prlsoned, while Aquilino Solano. police
inspector for the port of Havana. has
been relieved from duty.