The record-union., 1896-12-13

ATLANTA (Ga.), Dec. IA "Con-
stitutions" Key West special gives the
following account of Maceo's death, in
dicating his betrayal and duplicating
DR.. Zertucha:
your correspondent is now enabled to
state upon the most undoubted author
ity that the death of General Maceo was
a premeditated assassination, and that
the failure to produce his body is be-
cause it is mutilated and would shock
even Spanish official sensibilities.
1T seems that General Maceo had
planned a successful crossing of the
trocha, and that taking the sea route
with a bodyguard he was to rejoin his
forces east of Mariel. This was accom-
plished in safety, and While standing
alone within sight of a line of skir-
mishers, the General was shot down by
men in hiding, who were awaiting
their victim. His body was then hacked
up by the asSaSsins.
1T has been well known for a year
past that there was a price set upon
Maceo'S head, and that Captain-Ge
eral Weyler's first official act upon
reaching the island was to give recog-
milton to the plate odoS Glands of free
booters). These men, following in the
wake of both armies, would murder and
plumber, and when chased down by the
indignant Cubans would find protection
within Spanish lines, while the latter
would officially deny any killing of the
murderers.
A few weeks ago a band of these men
attacked a convent in the province of
young girls, who were most shamefully
abused. Some of these men We're caught
by General Lacret, the insurgent leader,
and executed, while the greater part of
them found protection within Spanish
lines. Although the enornity of their
crime was known and their victims
We're convent girls, the criminals were
protected from molestation and are to-
day free.
These are the men whom General
Weyler has spent hundreds of thou
sands of dollars to attach to his cause,
and through them he has ordered the
killing of foreigners whom he dared not
call up in court. He has made offers
of reward for the assassination OF in
surgent leaders For three weeks it has
been known IN Havana that a clever
bribe was out for the surrender of Cen
eral Maceo. It was to the effe t that he
held the ticket which called for the
grand prize of S30,0 900 in the Havana
lottery, and upon Weyier's departure
for the hills several days ago it was
breathed about that the man who
killed Maceo could have the prize.
The story of Maceo's death, as told
from official sources, sustains fully the
story of assassination. General Maceo,
instead Of crossing the trocha directly
with his men, was, through some CO.
vert influence, induced to pass Marel
on board boat, and reached his forces
on the east side of the death line. There
everything was in readiness by the con-
spirators, and the brave leader fell a
victim to the trap into which he had
walked 1t is considered very singular
that Maceo's physician, Maxine Ter
tLcha, was allowed to surrender, and
is treated with distinction.
THE depression into which the Gu
bans were thrown upon the first an
nouncement of Maceo's death, now that
the fact of his assassination is confirmed,
has changed to that of desperate de-
termination
JACKSONVILLE Fla.), Dec 12-J
A. Huau, the agent of the Cuban Junta
here, has received a letter from Havana
which confirms the report of the death
of Antonio Maceo, but also indicates
that the Cuban leader was the victim
of a treacherous plot formed by his own
physician. DR.. Zertucha, and the Mar
quis de Ahumada, who acts as Captain
General of Havana when Weyler is alb
sent in the field. The letter which
was written by a prominent citizen of
Havana, whose name is withheld in or
der that he may not fail under the dis
pleasure of the Spanish authorities, is
as follows:
Havana, Dee. ;, 1896
Dear Friend Justo: We are at pres
ent under the sad impression caused
by the death of our brave General, An
tonic Maceo, murdered together with
the greater part of his staff by the
Spaniards, acting under the assassin
Major Cirujeda, and as instrumental in
this horrible drama, Maceo's surgeon,
DR.. Maximo Zertucha.
Convinced as Weyler was that not
withstanding his enormous army he
could do nothing against our gallant
leader. who has so repeatedly defeated
the Spanish Generals in Pinar del Rio.
he conceived the idea of appeasing his
beastly instincts by cold -blooded mur-
der, and. making the best of the secret
relations between DIR. Zertucha and the
Marquis of Ahumada, he planned with
the latter his hellish scheme. Weyler
took the field, and in his absence
Ahmuada proposed. through Zertucha,
a conference with Maceo to take place
at a certain point in the Province Of
Havana. with a view of arranging plans
for the cessation of hostiIities on the
basis of Cuba's independence and a
monetary indemnity to Spain, with.
moreover. certain advantages that
would be agreed upon for Spanish com
merce aud Spanish capital here in
vested. To carry out the plans orders
had been given 10 the detachments of
troops stationed at the trocha in the
section between Mariel and Guanocha,
that Maceo and his staff We're to pass
the military lines unmoiested.
."Thse combinations took time to ma
ture. and to give them sembiance o.
truth. Ahmuada feigned that before
acting he must make known his plans
TO Weyler for his previous approval;
and this explains the sudden ARRIVAL OF