Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-29
STARTLING STORIES.
Cubans Fighting Manfully for Liberty
Spaniards Have Given 1t p-Infam-
Gus Methods In Communicating
Insurgents.

New York, Nov. 2s.-I4ieut. Jos. Felix
RIGS, a special messenger from the cuban
government to the Junta in this city, ar
rived here last night on the line Algon-
quin from Jacksonville He told start
ling story in the headquarters of the Gu
bans in this city, which would go to show
almost beyond a doubt that battle
which took place in the Rubi Hills in Oc-
tober last and by which 2,227 Spaniards
are said to have been killed. have been
constructed into an engagement with
Weyler's troops in the same territory
about a week ago. The details of the
October battle are strikingly similar to
the details of the story of Weylers en-
gagement which was attributed to Lieut..
Rios, although he now denies that he ever
gave out such an interview.
He declares instead that what he said
about the alleged engagement with Wey-
Ter was simply common talk in Jackson
vile while he was there. His story Is as
follows:
Il am Galiean and went to Cuba
when II years old. For long time 1
have been in the commission business IN
Havana. Having worked hard for the
Cuban cause, | was some time ago APP
pointed a lieutenant in the Gomez army
and took part in the battle of Saratoga.
On Oct. %, last / was given documents by
Gen. Gomez and by the Cuban govern
ment represented by Gen. Cisneros, at
town called Aracana, an encampment
near Camaguy, with mymen. L left
certain part of the island in small boat
and set course for Nassau. We arrived
there in five days. A Spanish gunboat,
which had been hunting for us, got into
pert two hours later but she was quar-
antined and were safe From Nassau
after some delay. we went to Jackson
Vile thence to this CITY,"
Some shrewd questioning al this point
led Lieut. Rios off the subject of his
story. and led into the details of fight
that had occurred in the Ruby Hills, just
where Gen. Maceos engagement with
Weyler's troops is said to have taken
place. He declared that he knew 1t to
be an absolute fact that the Spanish
general Meluuiso, with 10000, the exact
number that Maceo is said to have been
engaged with few weeks ago, came
suddenly upon Gen. Maceo with 5000
Cuban patriots behind him. AS usual
the Cubans got to work first, and before
Melquiso could get his lines in shape he
was greeted with a shower of leaden
hale that moved great gaps in his line.
The battle continued for some time be-
fore Maceo arrived, who had evidently
been waiting for SPANS soldiers, be-
gan slowly to retreat.
Then from an eminence, this same en-
inence is mentioned in the alleged Wey-
Ter engagement, Maceo brought dyna-
mite gun to bear on the Spanish and
killed off several hundred of SPANS sol
diers before darkness ended the lighting.
Maceo and his victorious trops got away.
The Spanish, he declared, lost nearly
1900 men. Lieut. Rios was then asked IL
the story dated November 20, from jack
sonvile and purporting to be an inter-
view with him, was true. He replied
through an Interpreter that the Weyler
story he knew nothing about, but ex-
planned when told is purport that he had
heard the same thing before leaving
Alonge for this city.
do you know whether it was true?
he was asked.
He replied that he knew nothing at all
about it.
Lieut. Rios says regarding the occu~
pancy of the province of Camaguay by
the Cubans
The Cuban government is in healthy
opera ton in this district. The Span
ish have given it up. In the mountains.
under the roofs of old farm houses, the
new government of Cuba libre conducts
schools for the children Of the patriots
The pupils range in age from to 10
years, ali he boys of greater age than
that being engaged in the fight for the
islands liberty. In the province of Cam
aguay and Orient they have blacksmith
shops for the shooting of the patriots
horses a sort of tax is levied there by the
government. but is not compulsory. In
these provinces the governors, Mendosa
Manuel Cespedes, are in charge of. A
very small force of men is all that is nee
essary to protect the people there
Col. Rios was accompanied to this City
on the Algonquin, by Capt. Dupier and
another Cuban. The documents sent by
Gomez and Cisnors are in the hands of
the Cuban junta.