The Saint Paul globe., 1896-12-10
NO ACTUAL IDENTIFICATION OF
THE BODY OF THE CUBAN
LEADER.
SPAIN ACCEPTS THE STORY.
NO DOUBT PERMITTED IN THE Of
FICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS OFF
MACEO'S END.
cuBAss DrscREDrr THE ACCOUNT
Details Do Not Carry Out the Posi-
tive Assurance of the First Ac-
counts Given.

HAVANA, Dec. 9-The confident
claims of the Spanish officials that they
nave abundant proof of the death of
Antonio Maceo and his young aide.
Francisco Gomez, son of Maxine Go
mez, continue without abatement The
details, which are announced today,
however, of the facts relied upon for
the Identification of the two Cubans
have caused an undercurrent Of doubt
in this city. Maj. Cirujeda, who com
manded the Spanish forces in the en-
gagement at Punta Bravo on Monday.
and whose troops discovered the two
bodies and gave the evidence of identi-
fication, consented to be interviewed
on the circumstances of the case. He
said today that when the rebels were
routed, it was evident that the body
of the chief was abandoned on the
field. The Spanish column, without
waiting to explore the field, went in hot
pursuit of the insurgents and followed
them for a mile or more. Meantime,
young Gomez is supposed to have COM
mitted suicide by Maceo's side.
While the troops were returning to
Guato, after the pursuit had ceased,
various guerrillas belonging to Mai
Cirujeda's command went over the field
where the rout of the insurgents had
occurred and searched the bodies re-
naming there for anything of impor-
tance.
''The body of Maceo," Maj. Cirujeda
continued, was relieved Of ring,
clothing, etc. The guerrillas who per-
formed the act were, at the time. quite
unaware that the body was that of
Maceo. In fact, little attention was
paid tothe identity of the bodies. 1t
was aready dark on the field, and it
was raining. Various other bodies were
also searched
1t was an adjutant, according to Maj.
Clrujeda's further statement, who in
sisted that the aforementioned body
ana the other, which was lying by its
side, were evidently of first rate Inn
portance, and that they must not thus
be left without Identification
The two bodies were, therefore, tied
by the feet to the tails of some horses, =
Maj. sCirujeda went on to relate, land
thus dragged over the ground, the in
tention being to carry them to town for
identification. But after proceeding for
awhile the horses became tired with
their burden and the bodies were there
fore cut loose and left In the road"
When the troops reached Guato, Maj
C1rujeda proceeded to read the ducu-
ments which had been found upon the
bodies, After reading these documents
Maj Cirujeda says, he became convinc-
ed that the bodies which his troops had
abandoned were those of Antonio
Maceo and Young Gomez. But it was
then too late to return and recover
them. Maj Ciruieda, however, ex-
presses the firm conviction that they
u-cr Of a 1ad Cnr77pz'c
With the insurgents in the battle
Maj. Cirujeda says, was a beautiful
amazon about twenty-five years DID,
who urged the rebels "A la machete, "
but at the same time interposed to pre-
vent prisoners from being killed
Maj. Cirujeda has taken charge of
the objects found on the body said to
be that of Maceo for further exam
ination. There were a gold watch, a
splendid pair of cuff buttons made by
Moreau TORN, Paris, with five pointed
stars on them and inclOsed in a big
strapped leather case, hunting knife
with an ebony handle and gold mount
ed, and a good waterproof coat. All
OF these were taken from the body by
the scout Santa Anna.
1t is thus seen that there has been
no actual identifications of the bodies
themselves, the conviction as to their
identity resting upon the evidence OF
documents and articles found upon
them. There is no doubt. however, OF
the assurance of the genral public here
that Maceo is dead. 1t is pointed out
that he met his death in a manner
similar to that of Jose Marti and Zay-
as His loss is regarded as the heav-
lest blow the revolution has received.
and it is felt that his continued life
was all that could save the insurgent
movement. He was the most striking
personal character of the outbreak