The Portland daily press., 1896-03-02
YOUNG GoMEZ'S DEATH.
A Story of the Trials of the Brave
Young Cuban.

Washington, February 29.-Mr. Con
Zalo de Quesada and Mr.. Horatio S. Ru-
bens, the secretary and counsel. respec-
lively, of the Cuban legation in this city
do not place amy crederce in the tele-
grams from Havana which Indicate the
probable death of Gen. Antonio Maceo,
one of the two great leaders; OF the in
surgent forces.
Both gentlemen, however, were very
much affeo ted by more definite news Of
the death of TWO of their very close
friends and warm adherents of the Gu
ban cause. MIR. Manual de la Cruz pri-
waite secretary of Minister Tomas Estrada
Palma, died suddenly i'll New York,
Thursday night and W i'll be burid tomor-
row. Mr.. de la Cruz was but thirty two
years of age, but had already achieved the
eminence of being regarded AS Cuba S
most distinguished young writer and a
literary critic Of fine discrimi nation and
excellent judgment.
THE DEATH OBJ YOUNG GOMEZ.
Messrs. Quesada and Rubens had also
received news of the death, at Ceuta,
Africa, of Juan Alberto Gomez, who was
the representative of Marti in Havana
previous to the outbreak of the present
instruction, and through whom, Marti
sent his com munications to tho different
chiefs of the island, as we'll as the final
order for the present uprising. Gomez
was light colored mulatto, about forty
nUo of md a,1o
able journalist. He edited La Lucia,
and published newspaper himself pre-
viops to that time, in which he was the
hrst IN time OF peace to openly print sep
aratist propaganda. This led him into
trouble with the Spanish authorities, his
newspaper was suspended and Gomez was
imprisoned. The cause was tried in the
Cuban courts and thence transferred to
Spain, where the highest court decided
that such teachings were within the
constitution as long as they did not ad-
wise resort tn force.
IN THE HANDS OF THE SPANISH.
Gomez was one of the first leaders to
rise against the Spanish authorities dur
ing the present rebellion, which ne did
on February "a, last year, with few fol-
lowers. This was near Ma5anas and the
Spanish soldiers quickly dispersed the
small body and Gomez was forced to sur
render. He came within the provision
of the decree of the captain general which
granted manesty to all those who surren-
dered within eight days, and he was TAX
en- go the palace in Havana, where he was
liberated. In coming down the marble
steps, however, he was rearrested and
thrown into prison on the charge that he
had bought arms for the followers who
had risen with him, and he wac tried
and condemned to twenty years. penal
servitude in Africa. Previous to his de-
portatiOn to Spain he was confined in
Moro Castle where he was treated atroc-
mined. In the trials of San Gully, Col
oma and Aguirre, Gomez refused to be
government witness and shouldered the
responsibility for all the acts that had
been charged against the government,
saying that he did everything which was
attributed t. them.
EXHIBITED IN CHAINS.
Gomez WAS sent to Spain in chains and
carried through that country in that con-
dition and displayed to the people, who
reviied him and stoned him ON frequent
occasions. He was then sent to Ceuta,
the penal colony of Spain and Africa,
where the merciless vengeance OF the
Spanish government pursued him still
AAAoA0 OioeClAJs AC 6UOpHoQ
all correspondence between him and his
family and all writing materials were
taken from him. He was treated to hor-
rors and indignities that were appalling
The last letter received from Gomez was
smuggled through the Moorish lines. 1t
was written in his own blood, apparently
with the splintered end of stick or
match. and that CHASTITY proof of Spanish
cruelty is kept today by his stricken
family. In this letter Gomez begged his
friends not to write to him and asked
them not to send money to him or any
other prisoner at Ceuta, because the
Spanish authorities appropriated the
money to their own uses. AS yet the 40
tual cause of Gomez's death is not
known, bat the Cubans believe that he
was the victim of the policy which the
Spanish government is pursuing against
thu revolutionists whenever it gets them
into their power.