The record-union., 1896-04-15
Rebels Attack a Number Of Plantation
LaborerS and GuerrillaS,
Many Dead and Wounded Being the
Result Of the Battle.
Insurgents Lose Twenty-One Killed In
an Engagement With Spanish
Forces in the Province of Santa
Clara-GOvernment Troops Com.
PEELED to Fall Back Before the Ad.
vance Guard of Maceo's Forces.

CIara-GOvernment Troops Com.
PEELED to Fall Back Before the Adj
vance Guard Of Maceo's Forces.
HAVANA, April 14.-(From a staff
correspondent of the United Press)-A
band of rebels attacked number OF
laborers who were employed in cutting
sugar cane on the Constancia estate.
The guerrillas, who were guarding the
estate, went to the aid of the laborers,
and in the fighting that ensued four of
the guerrillas and seven workingmen
were killed. Four were wounded. The
rebel loss is unknown.
The Colonel of the Luzon battalion re-
ports an engagement between his COM
mand and rebel force between Rodrigo
and Amaro, in the Province of Santa
Clara. The rebel loss, according to the
report was twenty-one killed, while
only two Of the troops were wounded
People of all shades appear indignant
over the report of the garroting of four
negro murdererS as sent out by the
Chicago Associated Press, and printed
in papers which arrived from the States
yesterday. The report makes it appear
that five Cuban patriots had been wan
tonly tortured to death by slow strangu-
lation at the hands of Spanish execu-
toner, and a tale of horror is unfolded,
the like of which has not been witnessed
in modern times
1t is needless to state that no such
statement was cabled from here The
local agent of the Chicago Associated
Press at Havana is. an ex-Lieutenant
in the Spanish army, and is good
friend Of Spain. He reported briefly by
cable that five negro murderers, viola
tiers and incendiaries. had been gar
roted, and that the new executioner
made bungling job in killing three of
the men, and told how he dispatched the
other two victims without trouble. From
this column account of the affair was
turned out by the Chicago news fac
tory.
The minutest details are given Of the
behavior of the doomed men, one of
whom is made to confess while the
others pray for vengeance upon those
who had falsely sent them to the scat
fold" Ruiz, the executioner, is made to
act as If 'he fumbled and fumed, alter
nately turning to a deathlike whiteness
and flushing crimson with excitement"
All Of this is made out of whole cloth.
Ruiz, instead of stumbling away from
the deathpost and Insisting that his as
sistant finish the days work. turned to
the new executioner, after killing two
men, and said: That is two ounces
you owe me-" The Government pays an
ounce in Spanish gold, or about SIT,
for each man, and Ruiz wanted his
CHI Npn Tv,,;%
actual facts in the case in the following
dispatch:
HAVANA March 5.-Five negroes
were garroted here to-day They were
not rebels, but had been sentenced to
death for crimes committed prior to the
breaking out Of the Instruction The
crimes were of the kind that have re-
suited in negroes being burned at the
stake in the Southern States, and the
execution was not more bungling than
many hangings in the North.
The authorities at the palace were
amazed when theysread the story. They
sent to the cable office and obtained the
original dispatches as wired from here.
This proved the story to be a fake man
ufactured in the United States, and the
local reporter Of the alleged news asso-
citation was saved from decapitation.
j. FRANK CLARK.
SPANISH FORCES DEFEATED.
MADRID, April l4.-The Havana cor
respondent Of the Impartial tele-
graphs that the advance guard of Ma
coos forces have had an engagement
near Lechusa with the Alfonso XIII.
Battalion. The Spaniards were COM
PEELED to fall back upon their main body
near San Claudio. TIE troops lost four
killed and fourteen wounded Further
details of the engagement show that the
Spanish column occupied two hours in
advancing from Mariel to the point
where it met the main body of insur-
gents. On their retreat the troops were
exposed to a constant fire from the reb-
els in their rear, sand were frequently
compelled to form squares to resist the
charges of the enemy. 1t was necessary
to use cannon to open a way for the re-
treat of the vanguard The wounded
Spaniards We're embarked upon
schooner under the fire of the Alerta.
According to military authorities here
Colonel Sanchez Echevarria, who had
received orders to act in connection with
Colonel Debos and General Inclan.
failed to arrive in time to assist the
other two bodies of Spanish troops. The
authorities say had they arrived in time
Maceo's force would have been badly
whipped. Colonel Ecnevarria has been
relieved of his command and ordered to
appear for trial before a court-martial.
HAVE OFFERS BEEN MADE?
LONDON, April IA dispatch from
Madrid to the Pail Mall Gazette" says:
Senior Canovas del Castillo, the Span
ish Premier, is i'll and cannot be inter
viewed. His relatives, however, con-
firm the existence of "communique"
from President Cleveland, but state that
in the present state of public feeling it
will be impossible for the Government
to accept his offer.
Matters are very complicated, and
while the Government will do every
thing in its power to avoid a quarrel
with the United States, it will prefer
to fight rather than lose Cuba through
foreign pressure.
The coming Cortes will grant Cuba
every reasonable franchise to be en-
joyed under the Spanish flag.
WASHINGTON, April 14.-Nothing
is known at the State Department of
any such communication from Presi-
dent Cleveland to the Spanish Premier.
Senior Castillo, as is referred to in the
telegram from Madrid. It Is surmised