The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-25
Cuba's InsurGent Leader Reported to
Have Only Two Months to Live.
LITTLE REST DAY OR NIGHT
HIS ARMY CONSTANTLY PURSUED BY
THE SPANISH TROOPS.
Provisions Growing Dearer in Ha-
vana, Crime Increasing I'm the Prov
inces aud Commerce mt q Standstill.


corning the physical condition of Gen. Max
limo Gomez, commander in chief Of the in
surgent forces. One story was asserted
that he was suffering from wounds, and
another that he was seriously i'll with
fever. 1t appears. from information de-
rived from trustworthy sources. that neither
of these reports is correct, but 1t is posi-
lively asserted that the insurgent chief is
a very sick man. 1t is stated on the au-
thority cited that the doctors in attendance
on General Gomez recently held con-
sultation and diagnosed his case as being
an advanced state of consumption, compli-
Gated with fever. 1t is further stated that
the physicians have come to the conclusion
that Gomez can only live about two months
longer. These statements have caused con-
siderable alarm among the insurgents and
| their friends, as. even though his condition
may be exaggerated to some degree, 1t is
| believed the main facts are correctly stated.
| Besides, according to the reports from the
| 'front.' he is being sharply pushed by the
| Spanish troops and is getting little or no
rest now, day or night. The fact is that
| his movements can now be marked by a
| trail of tired-out or lame horses, which the
| insurgents leave behind them. The opinion
| is expressed here that the insurgents are
| in desperate straits, and that for Gomez
| everything now depends on the safe arrival
| in the province of Havana of the Eastern
| or second army of insurgents, under Gems
Jose Maceo and Rabi.
Gomez. yesterday. for time. appeared
| half inclined to risk decisive engagement
| with the Spanish troops. He was BIZ
| vouacked at the village Of Plazole not far
| from Quivican, south of this city, Colonel
L
| at Quivican, gathered together all the gov
| eminent troops available and moved with
| strong column on the enemy. The latter,
| contrary to custom, awaited the approach
| of the Spaniards, but, after half an hour s
firing, during which a number were killed
and wounded on both sides. Gomez suddenly
| divided his forces into two columns and be-
gan to retreat One of the insurgent col
| umns retreated southwark to the Lagia dis
! trict and the other toward Batabano. Col.
Linares pushed on after Gomez's forces.
and had slxirmish with the enemy's rear
| guard When last heard from Linares'
| column was closely pressing after the
enemy, and Colonel Galvis, having been re-
| inforced by troops under Colonel Aldecoa,
| three columns were started in pursuit of
/ Gomez's forces.
GOMEZ STILL RETREATING.
News received from the front at an early
| hour this morning showed that Gomez APP
parently reunited his forces last night, but
| broke camp this morning when informed of
| the approach of the Spanish troops The
| forced night march. however, had told ter
| ribly on the Spanish infantry, but the
| mounted insurgents of Gomez had no diff
| Guilty in getting away. The Spaniards had
| also effected a junction, Colonies Linares
| and Aldecoa having united their forces SO
| soon as the scouts brought word that the
two insurgent columns had wheeled in
| toward each other. Later the third Span
| ish column, under Colonel GalyiS, reinforced
| the columns under Colonies Linares and
| Aldero, and a strong force started in pur-
| suit of the insurgents, moving in south
| erly direction soon after breakfast this
| morning prisoner, severely wounded,
| who was captured by the troops, reported
| that the horses and men or the insurgents
| are becoming exhausted from long march,
| ing and are also short of ammunition ana
A dispatch received from Cienfuegos says
! that Major AlonZo with 800 men OF the
| Alaya Battalion was engaged for three
| hours at Lasjas, IN the Cienruegos district,
| with a strong force of insurgents, and that
| wounded on the field and retired, taking
| with them many of their wounded. Only
| a few Spanish soldiers were wounded
| The authorities now have 10 face serious
| problem here. The prices of all kinds of
| provisions are going up rapidly every Day
| In spite of this, people are hooking into
| Havana from the country districts ana
| other PROVINCES and in many cases the
| refugees are people who have lost almost
| everything they possessed, and very great
| number of them, here and elsewhere, are
denending on charity. The cost of the war
has been enormous and the drain occasioneo
| by provisioning the army has Deen very
| Great Consequently, this extra expense
! which the authorities will have to meet IN
| some manner or other. Is causing them
| great deal of anxiety. However, there Is
| large and eyer-increasing exodus OF planters
| and others from this city, hundreds leaving
| by every steamship bound Tor the oniteu
| States. Jamaica, Hayti or South American
| norts The increase of crime IN all the
| provinces is said TO be enormous BUSINESS
= almost at standstill and commerce Is
| practically a thing of the past.
HOPING FOR PEACE.
The work of strengthening and increas-
| ing the defenses of Havana continues with
out interruption A number OF additional
small forts have been erected at Havana
| and the authorities claim that there Is ao-
| solutely no danger of a sudden attack by
| the insurgents, much less or successfui
siege of Havana. In spite OF this assur-
| ance, however, feeling or gloom ana de-
preston prevails here. There Is no longer
| any talk of settling the insurrection by
| crushing blow. and, although the advent or
| General WeyleT Is iOOhc0 loi WdiU ~ as
| likely TO be the signal for more active OPP
| erations against the insurgents, the feeling
grows that the struggle is a most exhaust
| ing one for all concerned, and that much
| more blood and treasure must be expended
| by Spain If the insurrection is TO be quelled
| nv force of arms Under these circum-
| stances 1T Is not astonishing that a feeling
! i'm favor of some compromise arrangement
| is steadily growing, and all eyes are turn
| ing towards the United States as likely to
| be the great factor in bringing peace and
| prosperity once more to unhappy Cuba.
The military authorities are drawing all
| of Cuba, as that part of the island, espe-
! cially the province of Santiago de Cuba, is
| rapidly resuming peaceful aspect, owing
| TO the fact that nearly all the insurgents
| have moved westward.
Reports continue to be received of small
engagements with the insurgents in all
| directions, indicating that they are no Ion
| ger united in a main body. but are broken
up into small parties, confident of their
| ability to evade any Spanish force that
| they are not yet strong enough to oppose
| Leader Fructuoso Miranda is reported TO
have been killed 1T Canzojas, in MatanZas.
The important town OF Sabanilla, on ti,e
| railroad south of the city of MatanZas.
| has been attacked by the insurgents. 40
| details are given of the damage done 70
property nor Of final result Of the attack,
| but it is stated that three of the volunteer
soldiers were killed ana ten OF the civil
| guard were wounded. The insurgents are
| said TO have lost seventeen killed.
The official report of an encounter had
| by General Pratt with the band Of Nunez,
yesterday, says that the insurgents were
| dispersed after having Killed four OF The
.t.I @tIuf ~