The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-09
MiCEO PR0BABLP KILLED.
Strong Circumstantial Evidence to That
 Effect Reported.

Strong CircumstantiaI Evidence to That
 Effect Reported.
 Havana, Dec. 3.-Major Cirujedas, having received information that a force of rebels had arrived in the vicln- ity of Punta Brava, in the Havana province, started with his command in the direction in which the rebels were believed to be. The Spanish troops met the main body of the insurgents, 2,000 strong, at San Pedro, and engaged them in battle. The insurgents in- trenched themselves behind stone fences, where they held their position until nightfall, when they were dis lodged and compelled to retire. The Spaniards then returned to Punta Bra va. They lost in the fight three pri- yates killed and three lieutenants and twenty-eight privates wounded. Over forty of the rebels were left dead up- on the field.
 There were found among the dead rebels the body of a we'll dressed man, on which there were documents which lead to the belief that the man was the son of MaXimo Gomez. Among the pa- pers found was one on which, written with a lead pencil was a confession that the writer had committed suicide rather than to abandon the body of Antonio Maceo.
 The war diary of Maceo was also found. In 1t there is an entry which says the rebels crossed the trocha De- cember f. In is concluded from these circumstances that Maceo was killed in the engagement with Major Ciruje- das' command. The news of his death has caused the greatest kind of a sen- sation in Havana The loyalists are ju- bilant, believing that with the killing of Maceo a blow has been struck at the rebellion that will result in its speedy suppression.
 The rebel sympathizers, though they dare not give public expression to their views, apparently feel very Respondent over the loss of the rebel leader though a considerable number of them place little reliance on the truth of the news.
 The government officials vouchsafe no information as to how Maceo with an overwhelmingly superior force op- erating against him and supposed to be watching his movements could have | eluded the Spanish force, doubled on them and crossed the trocha at what has been supposed to be the strongest part of it, and reached the province of Havana without any known interfer- ence until he reached a point compar- atively close to Havana. Though the Spaniards are confident that Maceo is really dead this time some of the Cu- bans profess to believe that the finding of the confession and the diary was due to a trick of the insurgents to delude the Spanish into the belief that Macea
 was killed, while he pursues his plan
 of reaching Gomez.
 The important news reached Havana l last night, but the censor would not permit of it's being cabled until this | evening.
 Major Cirujedas Is now in the city and it has been proposed to hold a great demonstration in his honor. In the cafes and all other public places the Spanish residents are congratulat- ing each other on what they believe to be a death blow to the rebellion, and it is predicted that Captain General l Weyler will now have an easy task in 1 defeating the insurgents under Gomez and the minor leaders. For nearly two years there has not been such joy in Havana as there is now and the speedy establishment of peace is looked for. It is thought that when Gomez learns of the death of his chief lieutenant he i will be disposed to treat with General | Weyler for a cessatio of hostilities.
 There is some ground nevertheless for
 the supposition that the report is not true The officials here declare that while they believe that both Maceo and | Gomez's son are dead they lack posi- | tive information and are awaiting a ] confirmation of the report. This, how ever, has had no effect upon the popu-
 lar jubilation and Major Cirujedas is | the hero of the hour.
 It is also reported that the rebel
 leader, Valencia, was killed in re- | cent engagement. No comments have been published by the local 9ress on President Cleveland's message O con- gress, and no news has been received 1 as to its effect in Spain. The silence of l the press here is attributed to govern ment intervention, it not being desired l to excite popular feeling against the ! United States.