El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1896-12-22

Maceo's Death.
Havana, Dec. IL, via Key West
Following are the full details, as
CLEANED by careful investigation
among those who took part in the al
fair, of the killing of Antonio Maceo:
After crossing the trocha by land, as
has been Indicated in previous dis
patches to the Associated Press, An
tonic Maceo and staff, it appears, were
encamped in the hills aud expecting
the arrival of Cuban reinfOrcements
under Brig. Gen. Sanchez and others
ordered by Gen. Agulrrre to receive
and escort the noted Pinar del Rio
chief to the east.
NJ Ii1r Crujeia was totally ignorant
of Maceos presence in the district,
believing him to be still west OF the
trocha. But, learning that Spanish
fort on the San Pedro had been fired
on that morning by insurgents, he
started out or reconnoiteri ng tour at
the head of a remnant of the San
Quentin battalion, accompanied by a
force of local guerrillas under Capt.
Peral. The latter's men were dressed
in manner similar to that of the in
surgent troops, and they marched In
the vanguard of the Spanish columns
Mistakiug these for Sanchez'S van
guard, challenges having been made
and couutersigns given satisfactorily,
NldCSO, SuFTOuIuSu Ol Gue IlSulOCI vi
his staff and handful of followers, ad-
vauced with all confidence to meet his
| friends, when the guerrillas received
them with rifle volley. Maceo fell
at the first fire, his men temporarily
disconnected with the surprise, ret1r-
ing by the TANKS. Young Gomez,
though he had been previously wound
ed at the trOcha and still had his arm
in sling, assisted as the engagement
n
to a place of temporary safety on the
grass and remained by his side until,
realizing that they had been abandon
ed, Gomez wrote the note to his parents
which has been previously telegraphed
to the Associated Press, and then
! committed suicide by shooting himself
with a revolver.
After the fight the Spanish Scout
Santa Ana, accompanied by the bug
Ter of the San Quentin battalion,
while accommodating the field in quest
| of documents and other objects of i'm
portance and value, ran upon the body
of Maceo, who was still alive.
As the bugler pulled the ring from
| the finger he asked in an agonized tone
if they were Spaniard5 or Cubans.
"Spaniards, said the bugler, and
as he raised his machete the dying
chief said: Il die for Cuba and indie
| pendence."
AS the knife came down, almost
severing the victims head from the
body, the scout interpreting, remarked:
| That man resembles Maceo."
! "ImpOssi bic, " responded the bugler.
| 'Maceo is in Pinar del Rio"
| The scout insisted that it was at least
a chief of some Importance, and tying
the body by the feet to his horses tail
| he proceeded.a Meanwhile the insur-
gents, learning that their chiefs body
was in Spanish hands and, being evil
IDENTIFY reinforced, made new attack
and succeeded in recovering the body.
! The Spanish officer, unaware of its
| Importance, cut it loose, as he found it
an unnecessary impeachment.
| Thus it seems that Ma Or CiruJeda
did not know that his forces bad en-
countered and killed MaceO until after
reaching Guatao at mig htfall and read
ing the documents, etc.
The full statements OF DR.. Zertucha
have not been allowed to be tele-
| graphed, even to Madrid.
| 1t develops that Maceo left Ruiz
Rivera in charge in Pinar del Rio and
came to Havana province with the
object of assisting in carrying out the
plans of Gomez in reOrganizing the
troops in the central provinces to
gather an army of from TO- 600 to 20, 900
aud to prepare for decisive and final
|
alleged that Maceo considered the
trocha a good thing for the insurgents
and that it would indirectly be an aid
in carrying out Gomez plan. Gomez
had complimented MaceO upon the
manner 10 which his organization in
Pinar del Rio had been effected by the
formation of battaliOnS and regiments,
the distribution of arms by Gomez. the
putting on a war footing of II, 900 men,
Io hi Mt of 81 ga rs
and hospitals and the keeping up of
communication frequently by small
boats to the Florida coast.
DR.. Zertucha says that Maceo never
wore the insignia of his rank. He
added that the party left Pinar del
Rio amply prepared to snoslst Tor
| long time. DR.. Zertucha is also au-
thority for the statement that many
Spanish soldiers are deserving from the
trocha, owing to General Weyler's Ill
| treatment.
The doctor reports that Maceo was a
great reader of the Madrid, New York
and Paris newspapers which he fre-
| quently received and of which he would
! read after translation Maceo's habits
were sober and he neither smoked nor
drank nor allowed others to do 50 in his
| presence. He was a rigid disciplinar-
| ian.
He constantly made inspectio OF his
military household. 1t is asserted
that Maceo intended TO remove Aguir
re from the position of brigadier in the
Cardenas district and to FIREPLACE him by
Paul Arrange and Araguren. Maceo
| opposed the annexation sentiment of
other Cuban chiefs. He always carried
considerable money with him and al
ways granted quick succor to needy
| pacifco5.
1t is reported that Gomez is moving
eastward.
Fresh oysters at Smiths creamery.