Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-09
OVER THE TROCHA
But Il Is the Trocha Of Death
Maceo Has Passed.
GOES DOWN ON THE BATTLEFIELD,


Or the Spanish Authorities Have Made the
Worst Mistake in the Matter Yet-Son Of
Gomez Dies with Him in . Successful At
tack on the Military Line-Description
Of the Two Bodies with the Facts De-
pended Upon for Identification, Which
Are All but Consultative.
Havana, Dec. 9.-[Copyright, 1896. by
the Associated Press]-It is stated in
most positive terms by the Spanish au
thorities that Antonio Maceo, the great
insurgent leader and the heart and soul
OF the Cuban cause, has been killed
In Havana province after having ef-
fected the passage of the western trocha
near Mariel. at it's northern extremity.
With the Cuban leader died the youth
Francisco Gomez, son of Maxine
Gomez, who accompanied the mulatto
general on his passage of the trocha.
Most explicit details Of the finding Of
the corpses of the fallen Cubans and
of the facts relied upon for their
report OF the Spanish commander,
Major Cirujeda. who contested the
passage of the trOcha unsuccessfully
on Dec. 4 0ast Friday, with Maceo,
and who sustained another conflict on
Monday with the forces under the in
surgent leader.
Fight at the Trocha Fearful Combat.
was in n recOnnicsanco after tho
latter engagement that the Spaniards
found the two corpses, not separated
In death, which they have identified as
those of Antonio Maceo and Francisco
Gomez. The authorities now permit
the publication of Major Cirujeda's Of
ficial report that the engagement with
Maceo on Dec. when he forced the
trocha, was "a fearful combat" After
the Cubans had passed into Havana
province the Spanish commander ef-
fected a fresh concentration in that
province and awaited the arrival Of
Maceo. He had received confidential
Information OF the proposed movements
of the Cubans and arranged his forces
accordingly. He had in addition re-
ceived a detailed description of the
horse which MaceO was to ride. as we'll
as Of its caparisons. The expected bat
tie occurred Monday, but no details Of
the engagement are given out for pub
lication here.
Describes the Supposed Corpse Of Maceo.
After the fight the Spanish troops
made reconnaissance of the ground
previously held by the Cuban forces.
Here was found the two corpses lying
together; indeed almost locked in an
embrace Of death. One body was that
or mulatto, a stout man with gray,
crisp. curling hair. and the other that
OF slender. dark-haired youth. Both
men were dressed in white linen duck
suits. When the linen suit was removed
from the corpse of the elder Of the two
1t was found to have under it a fine
undershirt with the initials "A. NJ" upon
1t. The pair of black silk socks on this
body had the same initials worked
in red ink. There was q gold ring on
the finger containing on the inner rim
the engraved inscription Antonio y
Maria" A revolver with an ivory han
die and marked. together with a small
gold mounted telescope, were also
found on the body. The head Of the
young mans body was resting upon the
body Of the first. There was found on 1t
a silver watch. an ammunition bag and
several handkerchiefs bearing the ini-
tiasl IF. c."
Letter Signed by NJ. Gomez.
There was also a letter among the pa
pers on the bodies signed M. Gomez"
1t is stated in addition to the above
particulars that there was found on the
body of the young man a letter written
in pencil. saying that he dies rather
than abandon the corpse Of his general
Maceo.