The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-25
CUBANS PERISH IN THE CANE.
TROOPS DRIVE THEM INTO THE
BURNING FIELDS.

Have Been Roasted AitVe-Advfces
From other Than Government
sources Represent the Men Killed
as Unarmed.
Havana, April 24-Oficial advices re-
ceived here state that Col. Aldea, while in
pursuit Of parties of rebels. encountered
several bands of them on the Carmen es-
tate near Sabanilla, in the province of
Alatanzas. The insurgents We're fleeing
from an attack which had been made upon
them by the Spanish column. The troops
charged upon the rebels upon all sides,
forcing them to take refuge in the cane
fields. which were burning fiercely and
many of them perished in the flames which
they themselves had started. The troops
continued pursuit of the fleeing rebels, kill
ing many of them. Twenty-three dead in
surgents were left behind and it is be-
leved that more than that number per-
ished in the cane fields. Other than gov
ernment authorities assert that the affair
was similar to many others where unarm-
ed men were killed. The official report says
that the troops had one man killed and
one wounded
Col. Frances reports that the rebels fir
ed upon the rear guard of his line near
Mariel, but retreated as soon as the troops
returned the fire.
capt. Madina Lajas, with force of gue-
rillas met the force of Nasacaya and dis
lodged the enemy from the estate of Es-
trella near Cienfuegos of which the Span
ish troops took possession. The rebels lost
Y killed and the troops lost one wound
ed.
Gen. Gonzales Munoz reports that ne has
dispersed the rebels who were besieging
Fort Zanja, near Manzanillo. He went
10 the assistance of the garrison with a
column of troops on four gun boats and
two tugs The rebels retired as soon as
the troops landed and the gunboats
opened fire upon them. The garrison made
a glorious defence. They were besieged
for five days by 1900 rebels, commanded by
Mayai, Rodriguez Rabi and other leaders.
The fort when relieved, was without wa
ter the tank having been destroyed by the
rebel fire. The insurgents fired Ill volleys
of grape shot. They had two rapid FIRE
guns that were recently landed at Guaya-
bal The artillery was served by Ameri-
can gunners.
The spaniards refused three requests to
surrender The troops had eight wounded
while the rebels lost thirty-three killed and
many wounded. Among the killed was Col.
Pena, chief Of an expedition that recently
landed in Cuba The rebel loss was re-
ported by the bearer of flag of truce, who
voluntarily remained in the Spanish camp.
small band of rebels attacked the town
of Cristo. province of Santiago de Cuba,
and burned a few houses mile distant
from the town.
Maj. Cavanna of the battalion Ell Rey,
while passing the Jacarita estate near
Boondron, province of Matanzas was mr.
ed upon by mistake by a garrison composed
of volunteers. The major and one of his
men were wounded.
Gems. IncIan and Devos are marching
upon Maceo's forces at Banderas.
MarineX Palenzuela, who is accused of
rebellion and incendiarism, has been tried
by court martial at Mariana. Sentence
OF death was asked for by the government,
but the decision is unknown.
The steamer Montevideo has arrived,
with 1000 re-inforcements from Spain.
1t is said that Capt Gen. Weyler has
InQuegted
Melguizo to the rank of division general
for gallant services rendered against the
rebels
Julio Sanguilly, the American citizen
who was acquitted yesterday of a charge
Of kidnapping Spaniard named Decas-
tro, is still held in prison here, pending
the decision of the supreme court in Mad
dEid, upon his conviction and sentence
last December to life Imprisonment in the
mines of Senta, Africa, for the crime of
rebellion.
Havana, April %, via Tampa, Fla, April
24.-Gen. Weyler is satisfied that nothing
in the line of Intervention or recognition
of belligerency may be looked for from
Washington, at least for the present, and
the public executions of prisoners of war,
which were suspended for time, have
Deen resumed. There is supposed to be a
general understanding among command
ers OF Spanish columns that no prisoners
are to be taken in engagements in the
neld. All Cuban patriots who fall into
the hands of troops through being wound
ca or from other cause are liable to be
shot at once and counted with the num-
Der killed in battle.
Some of the Spanish commanders act
according to this understanding, but OH
ers decline to slay unarmed or wounded
men, and deliver their prisoners to Gen.
Neyer IN Havana. Many of these So
ealled prisoners of war never carried a
gun or engaged in battle, but were taken
from plantations or from small towns
gnu gnu hamlets in the interior. where the
spdnlards assume that all men are rebels,
ana are not far from being right.
lne prisoners are brought to Havana.
bound and strongly guarded to prevent
8 rescue before reaching the city and mob
81 ee!oience afterward. The lower class of
q opahlards gather about each batch of
prisoners and clamor for their blood as
& .ney pass through the streets TO the ferry
~ ~ Cabanls fortress or Moro castle. The
cotrt martial before which the prisoners
az az lrled is perfanctory affair, compose
Il 66a0L 81 q nVe military men, who order the
IAN penalty under Gen. Weyler'S decree
S4t SHdt all insurgents are bandits and incen-
oIdrles and deserving of death. The pris-
1s TIeIs nave no opportunity to make a de-
iieuse' ana all Cubans in the rebel armies
KNOW that capture means death.
Most or those brought in, 1T seems, have
q or r9m Nv, Wounded, cut off from their columns
81 ~ Nausnt without arms When condemned
Il fort,t Hedth az they are given twenty-four or
n 1TThrty-eight hours to prepare for the end
ana 'fy . are given what they want to eat
Sllu are placed in the chanel at Cabanis
sUaTess with priests IN constant attend
aIGe Ne Tor the last twelve hours.
& ngSst MUST OF the Cuban patriots, who have
SE the extreme penalty since
III Weyler has been here
"a S.e died bravely. l saw three
h ~, ~ mem IN meet their fate last Friday morn
~, Ihey Were Jose Barcallao and Es-
Il csIda hernandez, white, and Gregoro Bar
tb5iiao, colored. During the night before
n execution, Barcallao made several
c5sned attempts to escape from the
biHapel bi,op hoping that the guards would shoot
Inn II1tn d99Wn, preferring that to death in pub
t,r Inc guards forced him back each
r Wllhout firing at him.
eIocSI5 SIsSed the bay few minutes after 6
n non ip'A on the morning set for the execu-
fbr ~ look place promptly at Z. The
sn1 'ge men, escorted by a file of soldiers
Fl az - Imported by an order of lay brethren
tbe IS Eatholic church, were taken from
ana tbndpel to space between the outer
of a., lI'e inner walls, and a the eastern end
Fl moe!!e lpftfess. The place is part of dry
sijet Wulch extends around the three land
wISs o1 tne Tort, and is from 100 to 100 fee
tba ~ is cut out of the solid rock. on
Il Snsnsshei bed OF the moat a battalion OF
81 s6gudalsh regulars formed three sides OF
~ te, Inc Fourth side was he main wall
81 onsre n.,e loftress. Ia front of that. the prls-
hscts' with their arms tied behind their
81 h~rAAs, We're led. Just outside the square a
a