The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-12-17
THEY'VE cor 1T FIXED NOW
spain Keeps Maceo Dead, While Explain
ing Away the Treachery.

ing Away the Treachery.
Havana Oia Key WesD' Dec. 10
Following are the full details, as CLEAN
I'd by careful investigation among those
who took part in the affair, of the kill
ing of Maceo:
After crossing the trocha, as has been
indicated in previous dispatches to the
Associated Press, Antonio Maceo ana
staff, il appears, were encamped in the
nils and expected the arrival of Cuban
reinforcen1ents under Brigadier General
Sanchez and others ordered by General
Augierre 10 receive and escort the need
I'd Pinar del Rio chief to the east.
Major Cirujeda was totally ignorant
If Maceo's presence in the district, be-
!leving him to be still west of the trocha-
But learning that Spanish fort on the
San Pedro had been fired on that morn
ing by insurgents, he started out on
accommodating tour, the head or
remnant of the San Quintin battalion, ac-
co1npanied by a force of local guerrilias
under Captain Peral. The 1atter's men
were dressed in a manner very similar TO
that of the insurgent troops ana they
marched in the vanguard Of the Spanish
column.
Mfstaking these for SancheZ's van
guard. challenges having oeen made and
countersigns given satisfactorily, Maceo,
surrounded by the members of his staff
and a handful Of followers, advanced
with all confidence to meet his friends,
when the guerrillas received them with
a volley.
Maceo fell at the first fire, his men.
temporarily Disconnected with the sur
prise, retiring by the fianks. Young Go
mez, though he had been previously
wounded at the trocha and still had his
arm in a sling, assisted, as the engage
ment became general, in dragging his
chief to place of temporary safety OF
the grass and remained by mis- side un-
til, realizing that they had been aban-
doned, Gomez wrote the note to his par
ents. which has been previously tele-
graphed TO the Associated Press, and
then committed suicide by shooting him
self with a revolver.
After the fight the Spanish scout San
IA Ana. accompanied by the bugler OF
the San Quintin battalion, while recon-
noitering the field in quest of documents
and other objects of importance or value,
ran upon the body Of Maceo, who was
still alive.
AS the bugler pulled the ring from the
finger he asked in anaganized tone If
they were Spaniards of Cubans.
"Spaniards,' said the bugler, and he
raiser his maohete as the dying chief
said: Il die for Cuba and independ-
ence."
AS the knife came down, almost sever
ing the victims head from his body, the
scout interposing remarked: THAT man
resembles Maceo."
Impossible" responded the bugler.
"Maceo is in Pinar del Rio"
The scout insisted that at least il was
e. chief of some importance and, tying
the body by the feet to his horses tail,
he proceeded. Meanwhile, the insurgents,
learning that their chiefs body was in
Spanish hands, being evidently rein
forced, rallied and made a new attack
and succeeded in recovering the body.
the Spanish officers, unaware of its im-
portance, cut it loose as an unnecessary
impediment.
1t develops that Maceo left Ruis Riv-
era in charge in Pinar del Rio and came
TO Havana province with the object of
assisting in carrying ont the plans or
G33iez Of reorganizing the troops in the
central provinces. to gather an army of
from 10000 TO 10000 and to prepare for a
decisive and final blow intended to end
the war. 1t IS alleged that Maceo con-
sidered the trocha a good thing for the
insurgents and that it would indirectly
be an aid in carrying out Gomez's plans
Gomez had complimented Maceo upon
tne manner IN winch MS organization III
Pinar del Rio had been effected by the
formation of battalions and regiments.
the distribution Of arms by zones, the
putting on a war footing 1900 men, the
establishment of salt works, shops and
hospitals and keeping up communication
frequently by mail boats to the Florida
coast. DR.. Zertucha says Maceo never
wore the insignia of his rank He adds
that the party left Pinar del Rio amply
prepared TO subsist for a long time. DR..
Zertucha is also authority for a state
ment that many Spanish soldiers are de-
serting from the trocha, owing 10 Cen
erai Aralos' i'll treatment
DR.. Zertucha reports that Maceo was
great reader Of the Madrid, New York
and Paris newspapers. which he fire.
quently received and all OF which wer.
iead. He was close observer Of Span-
lsh politics and of Washington affairs.
Maceo's habits were sober and he never