The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-19
MACEo AS TOLD BY BOWEN
THOSE WHO KILLED HIM piDNO r
KNOW IT WAS HE.
VIEWER Was Est3tsned Too, ard poub
ted EVEN After >li-Tata 50 ic-
les We're Found.
Especial Gable Despatch to tie Worid1

Especial Gable Despatch to tie World)
Havana, Cuba, Dec. fS.-To-lay' =
steamer brings tidings that the story that
tie killing OF Gen. Maceo was due to de-
liberate treachery on the part Of the
Spanish officials. although manlfcstly is
sued from Cuban sources was taken seri-
ously in the United States
/ have personally investigated the mat
ter with exceptional opportunities for
hearing both sides. The facts are:
Gen. Weyler, then in the depths OF
pinar del Rio Province, was as much
surprised over the escape of Maceo into
Havana Province as any one else was.
The Marquis de Ahumada, commanding
in Havana, could have no dealing with
Maeeo without authority.
The young son of Maxine Gomez was
wounded in the vanguard at the trocha.
The body OF guerillas under Major
Cirujeda, whose shots killed the Cuban
chieftain, had no conception OF the mag
nitude Of their work until the body was
searched and articles belonging to him
were found. Even then they were not
sure of Maceo's identity, and the body
was recovered by the insurgents after
hot fight. If Major Cirujeda had
known positively how great a chief had
fallen, he would have sacrificed every
thing short OF his own life to keep the
trophy.
Altogether the Staying of Maceo was
the result of the fortunes of war. He
lived by the sword and, as is apt to be
the case, he died by it.
/ visited Maceo in his camp at Jara-
tuana in Sonfiaon provinca in
1895, soon after he landed on the island
As l was leaving he shook my hand, ex-
claiming:
I'VE may meet again or we may never
meet This war is going to be severe.
/ shall always be in the thickest. l do
not believe the bullet is cast that will
kill me, but who knows what may oc-
cur? They can make many cartridges
in Spain. Adios."
The patriotic leader was right in his
premonition-the bullet at length was
cast.
NO public man | have ever met dur
ing an extensive career in active jour
nalism has displayed such stolid indiffer-
ence to criticism, especially of personal
nature, as the doughty little Captain
General OF Cuba does. The assaults
on him in the past year from the United
States make no impression, produce no
more effect than water does on ducks
back.
II treat such matters philosophically,p
- says. 'Nine-tenths of all Cuban news
given out at Key West is either false or
exaggerated. / do not think intelligent
Americans believe the great mass OF
falsehoods circulated as news, but /
presume they like to read such things,
else they would not be printed"
I'm political campaigns in the United
States public men are abused fearfully,
and it would seem as if their reputa tons
were ruined. After the election the at
tacks cease, the injured individual is re-
habilitated, and the charges against him
are placed to the account Of Justice.
The charge that Maceo was treacher-
ously murdered was entirely different
from the great bulk Of bogus news per-
tanning to the Cuban rebellion. 1t con-
tanned a deliberate attack on. the honor
of the army, an extremely seEious bust
ness in the eyes Of the Spanish military
man"
The American press might GO on to till
doomsday assailing Gen. Weyler. He
shrugs his shoulders, asserts that the
charges are generally false, that he is
performing his duty and that che wind
blows as it listeth. The honor of the
army is another thing. Others than him
self are affected and the readers of The |
World have realized how quickly Gen.
Weyler acted in response to an entirely |
false charge.
WILLIAM SHAW BOWEN.
NORTH CAROLINA INDUSTRIAL |