The citizen., 1896-01-31
fort CHUCH0 TAKEN
Regulars and Volunteers
Surrender to Rebels.

T More Than 15O Men and Women
Taken into Custody - Touching
Scenes at tho Jail
Santiago de Cuba, Jan. 20, via Tam
pa, Fla, Jan. 29.-The Cuban leader
Matias Vega, with strong party of
insurgents, appeared at the entrance
of the town of Mayari on the 18th inst.
and began to fire on Fort Chucho, de-
fonded by regular soldiers and volun-
teers. The soldiers and volunteers had
to surrender because the rebels set fire
to the fort The other volunteers of
the place. instead of getting ready to
defend the town, came out and joined
Vega with their arms and ammunition.
They were about forty in number. This
evening at o'clock Gen. Pando left
this port on board the south coast
steamer A. Menendez, but nobody
knows where he is going. While Gen.
Pando was leaving, the Spanish gun
boat Estrella came in from Aserradero
and brought twenty-five soldiers,
wounded and sick, who were taken
to the military hospital.
Outrageous Arrests In HolGuin.
In Holguin the imprisonment Of
prominent persons continues to in
crease. More than $50 men and wo-
mon have been arrested in the last
few days. An immense number of per-
sons are apply ing to the governor here
for passports since they have heard
that Gems. Weyler and Polavieja are
coming, and greater still is the num-
Der of men who are daily joining the
rebels Last night the most touching
scenes were witnessed at the door of
the jail here, ON the occasion of the
taking from tho institution of twenty
three men, residents of the town of
Cristo, who were to be embarked for
Cente, Africa. Mothers, wives and
children crowded the street, crying
and sobbing pitifully. The unfortunate
men were hurried ON board the steamer
b. Iglesias and taken away.
War to the Bitter End.
(From Staff Correspondent.)
Havana, Jan. 25, via Tampa, Fla,
Jan. 29.-There is no talk now of COM
promise between Spain and the Cuban
insurgents. 1t is to be a fight to the
bitter end. Martinez Campos, the
pacifcator, has failed and has been re-
called mainly because of his lack of
severity in the treatment of Cubans who
have taken up arms or have aided the
rebellion in other ways. Campos was
honest. upright, earnest, active and
possessed of great military genius, but
he was humane. He remembered that
Cubans are sons of Spain, and that they
are not fighting without some cause.
When Campos arrives in Spain he will
doubtless tell some plain truths and
make some politicians regret his recall.
Gen. Weyler is in many respects the
opposite OF Campos. He has reputa-
tion for severity and harshness which
he may not deserve. He announces
that he comes to meet war with war,
and has nothing to do with reforms
Such utterances. coupled with the
stories in circulation here as to alleged
harsh and inhuman doings in the war
of lS6S-79 have resulted in a sudden
exodus of peaceful Cuban residents of
this and other cities
Rebels Warmly Welcomed.
The practices which are ascribed to
Gen. Weyler belong to the wars of
barbaric times Cubans of the better
classes say that only two courses are
open to them-either to flee from the
Island of Cuba or to join the rebel
army. As every steamer to Key West
Inn Al =
Campos has been crowded the indica-
.tions are that more will go to the
United States from this city than to the
Held. Ju st what will happen when
Gen. Weyler and the additional $4,000
troops arrive from Spain cannot be
foretold. Gomez and Maceo are wide
|ly separated; not because the Spanish
troops have driven them apart, but be-
cause it was planned that Maceo should
extend the rebellion into Pinar del
Rio, the western province, and Gomez
should wait for his return in the prov
ince of Havana. Maceo has gone as far
west as towns of Importance exist, has
sent detachments along the north
coast, while he went along the south
coast and visited the great tobacco re-
gion of Vuelta Abajo. In no province
pf Cuba have the rebel armies been re-
eeived as they were in Pinar del Rio.
Town after town welcomed them with
ppen arms. White flags huttered from
1ouse-tops in token of surrender, and
"a only few instances did Spanish
Eolunteers or Spanish regulars oppose
hem
Big Accessions TO Rebel Ranks.
A safe estimate of the rebels under
rms now in Pinar del Rio, province
Fhich was quiet three weeks ago, is
OoO The railroads and telegraphs
ave been stopped. But little other
hmage has been reported. Tobacco
the field has not been injured and
arehouse tobacco has not been burned.
he rebels have friends whom the
pbacco industry supports in the United
tates. Horses have been taken, and
ne care of the growing crop has been
nterrupted, however, and the lack of
transportation will doubtless seriously
feet the size of this years yield.
mar del Rio city, the capital of the
fovince, is located inland and Maceo
as captured sufficient conveys of pro-
sions from the .oast to make -four
nd other articles of food scarce