Connecticut western news., 1896-12-17
Claim Maceo Was Assassinated.

NEW YORK. Dec. 15.-The Cuban junta in this city is In receipt of trustworthy in- formation confirming the reports of the death of General Antonio Maceo and as- serting positively that the great patriot leader was foully assassinated-the victim of the most cowardlv and treacherous plot in the annals of modern warfare.
 The facts as received by the junta are substantially these:
 Early in November Maceo received a mysterious message which appeared to come from the Marquis of Ahumada, with full authority from General Weyler, as the messenger carried a safe conduct issued by Weyler personally. Nothing was written, the message was only verbal. The messen- ger stated that he came to offer an inter- view with the Marquis of Ahumada to ar- range the terms for the evacuation of the island by the Spanish troops
 At this conference only Brigadier Miro, chief of the staff of Maceo was present.
 We'll" answered Maceo, ''go and tell the Marquis of Ahumada that will con- slider the thing and give him an answer"
 Maceo immediately gathered his staff, and, explaining the situation, asked the opinion of his subordinates-
 Brigadier Miro expressed his belief that the whole thing was a scheme of the Span- iards to cItch Maceo in trap. But Dr. Maximo Zertucha tried to convince the Cuban leader that it was wise to meet the Marquis of Ahumada, as the financial sit uation of Spain clearly indicated that the Spanish army would soon have to abandon the fight. Though Maceo was satisfied that the situation of Spain indicated coming crisis he accepted the views of Miro and resolved to wait thinking 1t strange that tho first proposals for peace should be do tD &< C Maceo was very modest and unambitious man, and us brave as he was faithful to his superiors. Without first knowing the opinion of General Gomez he would never enter into any kind of treaty.
 When this first attempt of the Spanish failed, Weyler returned to Havana to con- fer with the Marquis of Ahumada. This is the explanation of the sudden return of the butcher to the capital after he started to Pinar del Rio to take personal con- mand of the Spanish forces with the prom ise that before his return the revolution should be crushed.
 The First Plot Failed.
 When Maceo invaded the province of Pi- mar del Rio for the second time the seo ond attempt at his assassination was plan ned, and Maximo Zertucha, the surgeon, was found as the traitor to carry out the CTlIne. fIrSb bdrTcrtl, IDe cnleI or pOICe, succeeded in communicating with Fer tucha. Afterward the traitor had commu- nications with the Marquis of Ahumada, through Colonel Tort, who before the war was an intimate friend of Zertucha, and to whom, as arranged previously, the traitor surrendered In San Felipe. He was subsequently, given his freedom, and un- occasionally received the reward, which is said to have been $50, 0o0, for his treaoh- cry.
 Colonel Tort, who is a very bloodthirsty Spanish officer. recommended Zertucha to the Marquis Ahumada as tho very man needed to attract Maceo a given place and to inform the Spaniards of all the Gu ban leaGer's movements. Weyler agreed, and, after promising Zertucha, through Tort, a monetary reward, with which he | could live safely in Spain, started again to | Pinar del Rio with more forces still to compel Maceo to make a desperate effort | which Weylsr hoped would bring him into the desired trap.
 | Led Into a Trap.
 Maceo had received advices from Gomez | that the commander in chief was prepar. | ing an invasiSl of the west with Calixto