Evening star., 1896-12-09
PRONOUNCED A FAKE
Report Of Maceo's Death Discredited
by Cubans.
STATEMENT OF SENIOR ALBERTINA
He Declares the Story Lacks Even
the Appearance Of Truth.
WHAT IS SAID IN NEW YORK

The report of Maceo's death is received
with large grain of salt by the Cubans
resident in this city. They insist that the
story Is made out Of whole cloth and that
1t lacks verismilitude. They claim to he
able to point out various inconsistencies in
the story, Inconsistencies so marked as to
disprove the report.
Mr.. Quesada, the Cuban representative
in this city. is in New York. and in his
absence his place is filled by Mr. Ricardo
Diaz-Albertini the second secretary of the
Cuban legation. In the course of a CONVEX
sation with Star reporter this afternoon
Mr. Albertini said:
MnceO's Twenty-First Death.
This is by actual count the twenty first
time that Maceo has been killed. The pro-
verbal cat with nine lives is nothing to be
compared with Gen. Maceo. What do 1
think of the report? l think simply that it
is an absurd fake. 1t bears on the face of
1t evidence enough to convict it. In the
first place 1t Is altogether too full of
minute details. 1t tells too much If it
were less authoritative it would be more
worthy of credence. If the first news we
had had of mis- death had come in the form
of brief telegram to the effect that there
was rumor that Maceo had been killed
In battle, and this had been followed up
idlei la tHe udy Dy n telegram saying that
the news had been confirmed, ! will admit
that l would be uneasy. But when the
first telegram tells us the color and texture
or the generals socks and the exact num-
Der OF places where his clothing was mark
ed with his initials, and relates the re-
markable coincidence of his body being
found locked IN the arms of young Gomez,
then can only think that the whole thing
Is a foolish fake.
Knowing the elder Gomez as do, and
knowing the younger Gomez l do, can
assure you that no such letter ever passed
between father and son as the Spanish
claim to have found. Gen. Gomez had no
reason to apologize for any failures. All
In all 1t Is very pretty story.
Some improbable
"But-well. there are good many bats
about it. 1t is said that in the skirmish
in which Maceo was killed the Cubans con-
siderably outnumbered the Spaniards. Do
you suppose for one moment that the Gu
bans would ever have left his body behind
as comfort and solace to their foes? They
would naturally have carried it away with
them. or, If that was impossible, they
would have SO disfigured 1t that the Span-
iards would never have known who 1t was.
And what of the man who found the bod
les. and what of the man or men who kill
ed Maceo and young Gomez? Why have
they hid their lights under bushel'
Knowing that their associates have been
decorated and rewarded for every mis-
cradle assassination massacre, and that
the Spanish soldiers are decorated and
brevetted for bravery on the field of battle
whether there has been battle or not,
why should these men not be duly men,
toned? Surely they must know that
Spain has no gift too good for the man
who puts an end to Maceo or brings the
coed news Of his death.
Possible Reason for the story.
Il said 1t was foolish fake In that
erred, for 1t has It's reason. and a good
one. 1t is truly remarkable that the re-
port should come soon after the send
ing of the Presidents message to Congress
and right on the footsteps of the news
that the Cubans have crossed the trocha
The Spaniards now for the first time admit
that the Cubans have crossed the trocha
and that there has been d sharp conflict.
Would not the news of the death of the
Cuban leader go far toward offsetting the
prestige of Cuban successes?
"Of course the Spanish do not think that
the American people will believe the story,
for it has teen tried often that it has
begun to lose it's effect upon your country
men. Still there is no denying that story
of that sort would help the Spanish cause
to a certain extent. They are looking for
some lively times before long up at the
Capitol. and they are naturally playing for
a delay. Even if the American public
should question the truth Of the story that
has just come from Havana they would
be very likely to go on the principle that
there might be something in it and that,
under the circumstances. 1t would be better
. to wait and what effect the death of
Maceo would have upon the Cuban cause.
AS You see, it is very timely story-veHy
apropos'
Effect ON the Revolt.
But what effect would Maceos deat h
have upon the Cuban revoIution?
Absolutely none. Maceo is a very able
man, and 1 am not SO foolish as to say
that his death would not be a blow to US,
but it would be by no means death blow.
He is only one man and there are ten men.
yes. ten. who could fill his place. You re-
member how Jose Marti, the Cuban patriot,
who spent nine years preparing for the
revolution, embarked with Gomez and
Maceo and was killed in the very first bat
tie in which he took part. People said that
with the death of Maru the revolution had
received a death blow. But did it? The
revolution has continued If it had re-
ceived no setback whatever, and it will go
on just the same whether Maceo be dead
or alive
But Maceo is not dead OF that you may
rest assured. He will hive to be killed for
the twenty-second time by the Spanish
troops
DISCREDIT THE REPORT.