Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-04
FOR CUBA lIBRE
From The Stars Correspondent in
the Field.
THE OCCUPATION OF PINAR DEL Rio
Romantic Cuban Girls Join Gen.
Gomez's Army.
BRITAIN's EYE ON CUBA
From The Stars Special Correspondent.

From The Stars Special Correspondent.
PINAR DEL. RIO, Cuba. January 81
This city has now about three times the
number of people that the census figures Of
a year ago would indicate. But 1t is not
the census that is at fault. It is simply the
raid of Antonio Macec into the section that
has driven about all the loyal population
of this, the extreme westerly province Of
the island. into the city for projection.
Still the vast majority now acknowledge
that the leaving Of their homes and estates
was not only foolish but an unnecessary
act, ard they would like to return, but the
government forbids.
1t appears to be the policy of the authori-
ties to frishten the people as much as pos
sible, and make them believe. If they can,
that the rebel army is horde of ruthless
adventures and murderers, who would
spare none. be they friend or foe. And yet,
in this province especially. nothing has oc-
Cured since the entry Of the rebel army
that would go to substantiate such
theory.
No OutrnEcs Committed.
Maceo has marched his men from the
east to the west and from the north to the
south, and yet even official reports, those
most unreliable of Cuban bulletins, do not
charge his men with one single outrage.
Perhaps this would not have been so had
Maceo failed to summarily punish crimi-
mails in his force during the march through
Matanzas. In the fourteen days that
elapsed from the fight at Colisec TO his
entry Of Havana province, no less than
thirty rebel soldiers were hanged by order
of their commander for committing crimes
Of one nature or another. At Union de
Reyes seven were struag up one morning
criminal assaults no
little village.
And SO the lesson evidently well taught
ard impressed upon the army has not been
forgotten in Pinar del Rio, and a war, de-
void Of the barbaric. has been carried on.
The supporters of the revolution. and
there are many in this city and province,
wrote Gen. Gomez and President Cisreros
letters asking them not to invade the prov
ince. fearing that the great tobacco fields
would be destroyed by the army Of the
rebels, or, IL not, by the government forces.
I'VE cannot support the movement If this Is
DONE they wrote, because the crop now
ready to he gathered will he ruined, ard we
will have neither funds to support our
families nor render material aid to the
cause"
But the leaders knew what they were do
ing. They wished TO demonstrate their
ability not only to enter Matanzas and
Havana, but the extreme western end of
the island, and this, despite the thousands
or troops Spain had maSSed against them
on the narrow strip of land between Ha-
Eana and its southern port, Batabano.
Spanish Soldiers Seek Safety.
AS soon as the insurgents broke through
the line of troops (whicn must in his in
stance be called, like the equator, an imagi-
nary line), the Spanish tactics employed at
Matanzas were transferred 20 this city
Although the rebel army was seventy miles
away, the city was put in a state of de-
Tense. Cannon were placed on approaching
thoroughfares, and a sort of garrison
guard-mount and picket duty was at once
Instituted. OF course, alarm sprea$ among
the Inhabitants, for it appeared to them
that the soldiers themselves were terrified
by the thoughts of appr reaching rebels. AS
one citizen of the place says, 'It was gu
premely ridiculous to see preparations go
ing On here, and columns of Spanish troops
that were out chasing Delga1o and some of
the other smaller chiefs coming into town
to seek refuge behind the stone walls of the
headquarters instead of going out to meet
the enemy in the field"
But the excitement has all passed away,
and the inhabitants are now quite accus-
toned to the rattle Of musketry and the
booming of heavier guns that has con-
tinued daily for fortnight in the country
surrounding the city. One would think,
from the noise, that each army was ami
hilating the other, but the evening reports
that come In Indicate that only dozen
Spaniards and eight or ten times as many
Insurgents have bitten the dust during the
days excursion.
The Battle of Taironas.
The monotony was somewhat elevated
when, a few days ago. the battle of Tairo-
mas was fought, within six miles of the
city "On Linden when the sun was low"
cannon never doomed more loudly, and the
good people Of Pinar del Rio prayed fer
vently, for they thought the end of the
world, or at least this particular province