New-York tribune., 1896-12-13

THE STORY OF HIS MURDER APPARENTLY con-
FIRMED-A VICTIM OF FREEBooTERs.
WHO WERE TO BE PAID FOR
THE JOB

Atlanta Ga Dec 12-"The Constitutions
Key West special gives the following account
Of Maceo's death; indicating his betrayal and
duplicating DR. Zertucha:
Your correspondent is now enabled 20 say,
upon the most undoubted authority. that the
death Of General Maceo was a premedltated as
sasslnaion. and that the failure to produce ms ms
body is because its mutilated condition WouId
shock even Spanish official sensibilites
II seems that General Maceo had planned a
successful crossing Of the trocha. and that, tax
Ing the sea route with body guard ne was u
rejoin his forces east OF Marie This was ac-
complished in safety. and while standing alone,
within sight of line of skrmishers, the General
was shot down by men in hiding VINO were
awaiting their victim. His body so far as
Spanish reports go. at once disappeared, but the
Truth Is that ii was hacked up by the assaSslhs,
who exhausted every indignity OF which brutal
minds capable.
IL has been well known for a year past ina.
there was "A price set upon Maceos mead ahd
that Capta,r General Weyler's first official act
upon reaching the island was TO give iecosnl
tion 10 the PlataedOs. bands or lreepooteis'
These men, following In the wake o, poen
armies would murder and plunder. anu Wiz mmIi,
chased down by the indignant CuDans Wouid
find protection within Spanish lines, whie 'hs
latter would officially deny all knowleuse Oh
murders committed. ,.
A few weeks ago a band Of these men attacked
q convent in the province of Puerto Principe,
which was filled with young girls, VINO Weic
most shamefully abused some oi 'nesu nnn, m,r,,
leader and executed. while the greater part ol
them found protection within The spanish illes il
Although the enOrmityi Of their crime WAS
known. and their victims were convent sChooi-
girls the criminals were protected from Hiol"S'a-
lion, and are to-day free.
These are the men whom General N"yicf mas
sent hundreds Of thouSands OF dollars 10 az
tach TO his cause and through them he has or
dertd the killing Of foreigners whom he dared
not call up in court TO them he has made or
fers Of reward for the assassination OF innocent
leaders For tire. weeks II has Deen Known III
Havana that a clever bribc was out lor tfie sur
FENDER Of General Maceo. IT was 10 the si-
Ret that he held the ticket when cah'u loi
NE grand prize Of 10000 in the Havana Lou
ery. He did not care TO call for IN" casnIhs vi
this cleverly arranged bribe: and then II was
upon the departur Of General Weylei ior tiie
ais several days ago. that it was Druiteu ao"ue .'e
that the man who killed Maceo could nave the
Prize
The story OF Maceo's death. rs told fronl OIL
cal sources. sustans fully the theory OF 40
tass!naton. General Maceo. instead or crossiIt
me trocha directly with his men. WAS throusn
some covert influence induced to pass MaIlel 5n
boat and TO reach his forces on the east s'oe
OF the death line.
There everything was In readiness by the con
ssppretors. and the brave leader fell victim 10
sne trap into which he had walked. IL IS re-
ssIoed as very singular that Maceos physician
1aaxmo Zertucha, was allowed 10 SURRENDER.
instead OF putting him in chains and rushlng
.nn OFT to a dungeon. he is treated with d,s-
-nction. Ia paraded before newspaper corrc-
sspondents and has that freedom OF speech which
novelty IN Cuba
~ me depression into which the cuDanS were
Ha."~h upon tn, first announcement Of Maceo =
'a'h now that the fact Of his cowardly as