The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-14
FLAG OF TRUCE STORY A FAKE.
Jeff BROWN POINTS OUT THE I'M
PROBABILITY OF THE YARN.

Maceo Too Smart to Have Been
Caught by Such "a Ruse-The Cuban
Leader Aware That Neither lie
Nor Count Ahumada Was Author
lied to Conduct So Important a
Negotiation-The Lawyer Confident
cidentaIIy Falling Into the Hands
of "A Spanish Detachment.
Jacksonville, Fla. Dec. 1S.-Jefferson B.
Browne of Key West, ex-senator from
Monroe county, and a gentleman who
keeps in thorough touch with the Cubans,
does not believe that Maceo was murder
ed under a flag of truce. Mr.. Browne was
at the Hotel Placide last night en- route
home from Galveston, Tex, where he had
been on legal business.
NO, 1 do not believe he was murdered
for several reasons. In the first place
Maceo is no fool, and would not have been
led into ambush on pretext of negotiat-
ing a treaty of peace with man-Ahu-
mada-second in command of the Spanish
army of Cuba, and hence not authorized
TO conduct so important negotiation.
Maceo also knew that he had no right,
being second in command himself, to con-
duet such negotiations, it being in the
province only of the commander-in-chief
of the insurgent forces, Maxine Gomez,
to handle so important subject.
IF we analyze the news we find that at
first il was reported that Maceo was dead.
The Spaniards claimed he was dead; they
were not thoroughly convinced of it, while
the Cubans denied the truth of the report
and said that it was only another Span
ish lie They did not know then that he
was dead After having learned that he
was really dead, how did they learn of the
circumstances surrounding his death ex-
cept from some one who was acquainted
with the facts? Who was that man? Dr.
Zertucha, the only one who escaped the
Spanish bullets. Yet they deny zertucha's
version because he surrendered to the
Spaniards, and because they did not like
him.
81 think that Maceo endeavored to cross
the trocha by land and finding that he
could not do so without great peril, ,conclu-
ded to go around it by water; that he
happened to fall into the hands of de-
tachment of Spanish troops and was slain
fairly and honestly.
you will remember that when Marti
was killed at the beginning of the war a
similar story was set afloat as to how he
met MS QedIn, spanish IT6dc0eTy DelnS
charged. If the Spaniards are capable of
such treachery as has been charged. then
certainly Maceo, who had had the best
of opportunities to study their war meth
DDS and character would not have trust
ed himself into their hands with a view
of doing something that neither he nor
the man alleged to have made the invita-
ton. was authorized to do
Pedro Soils, the Spanish consul, does
not believe that the circumstances sur
rounding the death of Antonio Maceo the
Cuban general, as published. are true
He was seen last night, and said he was
sure that the reports of the assassination
OF Maceo were untrue. "Maceo," said he,
was killed in open battle. 1t is only an
other of the stories given out by the Gu
pans. When one of their leaders is killed,
they report that he was ambushed and
murdered. We are not the kind of people
10 carry on such a warfare, but then, this,
coming from me, would count for nothing
Americans have their sympathies with the
Cuoahs; and anything we could say would
not be believed"
viii Spain invite an investigation of
tne matter?" he was asked.
NO; l do not think she will Whv
should she? There is no reason for If
AS said before Maceo was killed in open
Oattie and it does not require an inyesti-
cation, and besides the revolution. is TOO
near over"
Why do you say the revolution is too
near over?"
Because the insurgents are scattered
an over the island, and they have no or
ganzation."
DO you thing Spain would consider it
al insult" the reporter asked, If con-
sress should pass a resolution for the ap-
ointment of committee to investigate
the affair?'
That l can't saw / do not know
mnether or not congress will pass such a
Iesolution. should not care to say any
'hlng on that subject
Washington. Dec. 1S.-The Spanish min
lS'er' Mr.. Dupuy de LONE, expressed the
nope to-day that the American people
would suspend judgment regarding the
ieported assassination of Maceo until the
ue'alls are known. He ridicules the state
,,nehl that Vice Capt. Gen. Ahumada has
zen party to such an occurrence, and
ne DeHeVes that there are a sufficient
uuhoer of reputable correspondents in
iidFaha TO Investigate these charges fair
y ana publish the result. The statements
VI lhe Junta, which, he says bear the
stamp Of absurdity upon their face, are
mdue TO neutralize the effect of the Pres
.uent message and to create sympathy
with their falling cause.
we nave been accused repeatedly" he
salu' or circulating reports of Maceo'
uedtn TO affect the action of congress. II
- qulle reasonable to assume that Maceo
N known to be dead and that the junta is
olslnating reports of his death by treach-
cry for the same reason"