Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-02
LATE NEWS BY WIRE
Fighting Near the Frontier Of the
Province Of Havana
SPANISH CLAIM TO Be VICTORIOUS
But the Insurgents Are Pressing On
to the City.
ARE THEY THE PURSUERS?

HAVANA, January 2-An engagement
between the Spanish troops and insurgents
has taken place at Ell Estante. south of
Alfonso XII, and not far from the frontier
of the province OF Havana. The official an
nouncement says that the troops captured
the insurgent position, but that the loss
to the enemy Is not known. 1t Is admitted
that two Spanish officers and four soldiers
were killed and nineteen wounded.
The insurgents, following their usual
tactics. did not accept decisive engage
ment, but after the sklrmish proceeded
westward, deyastatin.s the country as they
marched onward.
The authorities here, in announcing this
sk1rmish, added the significant statement
that the troops moved closer to the
province of Havana which would seem
to indicate that the Spanish forces are
oLce more In retreat.
Later in the day 1t was announced hare
that further fighting between the Span
tards and the CuDa7s was taking place. in
the vicinity Of FL Estante, which. with the
announced movement. OF the Spanish troops
closer TO the frontier of Havana" leads
people here to believe that the insurgents
have been in pursuit Of the Spanish troops
IN that vicinity. --...,
The latter are commanded by Col. Galyis.
VINO was also In command Of the troops
nrst engaged In the vicinity of Ell Estante
which seems to be a confirmation of the
supposiuon that the Spaniards were worst :.
cd and that the Cubans are making for the
frontier OF the province of Havana, in spite
Of all the statements to the contrary.
All Horses to BE Seized.
In view of the fine work and rapid prog
ress Of the Insurgents cavalry, Gen. Cam
pos has ordered the Spanish officials in all
the disturbed districts to seize all the
horses they can lay hands on, in order to
prevent them from falling into the hands
Of the enemy. But 1t Is believed that the
Cubans are already as well mounted and
supplied with horses as they need be, and
there are people who claim that this order
might have been issued with better ad-
vantage some months sooner.
DANCE by Cubans.
The damage being done by the Cubans Is
terrible. They have buried the best part
Of the town Of Jaguey. and the cane fields
of Perla. Rosario and Australia in that
district and in the Navarrette district the
plantations of Vinas, Mendez. Garay, F;s-
Gallant and Hoza have been destroyed by
the torches Of the Spanish enemies
In addition the Cuban forces have burned
mary houses in the Cardenas district of
the province Of Matanzas, and have set
IRE to and destroyed many cane fields in
the Union De Reyes. Bueno Vista, Jaguey
- In addition the village of La Yagua
whose inhabitants did not receive the in
surgents as well as the latter would have
liked, has been blotted out by fire. Be-
tween La Yagua and Cumanayaguay alone
i've railroad bridges and three culverts
have recently been destroyed by the in
gurgentS.
Cutting on Spanish Supplies.
But the insurgents are not paying at
tention to the plantations exclusively. The
houses Of the weather. classes and the
stores Of the inhabitants of the invaded
districts generally are being sacked I'M
less rarsomed by the payment of money
In proportion to the value Of the property.
The friends of the insurgents here claim
that this is perfectly fair. as the planters
are the chief supporters Of the Spanish gov
eminent system here. and that In lessening
the revenue-contributing power of the plant
ers they are only cutting OF the sources of
supply of the Spaniards.
The government officials, however insist
that the Insurgents are robbing the poorest
Inhabitants Of anything they can lay hands
on. even STOPPING to take their watches and
Cable communication with Trinidad Tunas
De Zaza, Jucaro, Santa Cruz and Manzan-
lilo, all towns on the southern coast Of the
island, was inaugurated today.
1t was announced this afternoon that
Felipe Rodriguez, the insurgent leader had
been killed In an engagement with the Span
ish troops. o.
The case against Gen. sanguilly, in which
he Is charged with KIDNAPPING Fernandez
Castro, before the commencement of the
revolution, has been taken to the supreme
court.