Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-13
LEE IS HAMPERED BY OLNEY
Consul General to Cuba Suffers Through
Interference from Washington.
SECRETARY OF STATE UPSETs HIS PLANS
Efforts to End the Rebellion, To Pro-
tcct Americans and to Ascertain
the Stntus of Cubnns Sue
ccssiVcly Thwnrtcd.

Copyrlsht, 1896. by Press Publishing Company
HAVANA, Oct. l2.-(New York World
Cablegram-Special Telegram) when Cen
eral Lee came to Cuba consul general he
was instructed, first, to offer the friendly
Intervention OF the United States to bring
the revolt to close; second, to visit per-
sonally the Cubans' headquarters, and third,
TO protect the lives and property Of Ameri
can citizens better than had been done be-
fore. Secretary olney is responsible for
General Lees failure to carry out his pro
gram, for the latter never had any en-
oouragement from the secretary of state,
and, furthermore he received no backing
from the administration and consequently
was forced to abandon one Of his plans.
Upon his arrival here he succeeded in
planning a settlement of the rebellion which
met with public favor A petition was
drawn up and had been signed by more
than 500 planters, merchants and politicians
both Cubans and Spanish when General
Lee was called down from Washington. All
chance of ending the revolt through the
friendly Intervention OF the United States
was thus lost through the weakness of the
secretary of state, then and now partial to
the Spanish legation at Washington.
General Lee prepared to visit the rebel
headquarters. Vice Consul Springer had
already obtained permission to act as consul
general during his absence, and everything
was ready for General Lees start, when
. Secretary Olncy sent word that Dupuy De-
lone, the Spanish minister suggested that
the trip be not made. as Spain would not
approve General Lees dolngs. Again the
consul generals plans were upset Finally
General Lee discovered an apparent indifTcr-
ence Of the government at Washington to
the case of Delgado, an American citizen
who was maltreated and left for dead by the
troops OF General Melquizo. who re-
sponsible for the later killing OF the Ameri-
can newspaper correspondent Charles Gown.
and for the l-treatment Of other Amer-
cans since then.
SELFISHLY SAVES HIMSELF.
II Secretary olney had pressed Spain for
prompt and satisfactory settlement OF
Delgado's claim the Madrid government
would have compelled Weylcr to order his
officers to respect Americans and see that
they were well cared for, but to carry
American citizenship papers nowadays Is fsr
more dangerous than to carry a rebel pass.
II seems that the secretary OF state in treat
ing the Spanish Cuban American question
has solely regarded his personal interest,
knowing or suspeCting that this war can
not be settled in n friendly way. His
policy has been to delay the end of IL at
the expense OF the welfare OF his country
men. BY doing so he avoids for the present
complications with SPAN when they ar
rive he will be out of Office aud some one
else will be in his place. This selfish, un-
patriotic course OF the secretary OF state has
cNasperated General Lee, whose report VIII
future complications with Spain, which are
not far Off, for Premier Canovas has an
nounced that war ships purchased and CON
structed by his government are not for
parolling the Cuban coasts, as they are so
large as to he useless for this service. Who
does not know that the only honorable way
for Spain to lose Cuba is through false
war with the United States?
General Bernal arrived yesterday from
Esporanza, Pnar del Rio province whittier
he had been forced TO retire after vainly
attempting to aid Lieutenant Colonel Grena-
dos, who was engaged In a hot fight with
Antonio Maceo The following is an exact
account Of the Maceo- o-Bernal battle, the III
rect cable report being untrue:
STORY OF THE LAST FIGHT
Two hundred men OF the Cautabria bat
talon left PinJr del Rio Saturday. October
g at a. m, to protect the construction Of
fort between Rio Guao and San Jose eight
miles north OF Pinar del Rio City Maceo
camped that night at Iona Blanca and ad-
vanced at sunrise OF Sunday, the 4th to-
ward Pinar del Rio with 5000 infantry, 500
cavalry and two field pieces meeting the
Cantabrla forces and pursuing them toward
Pinar del Rio. Lieutenant Colonel Grenados,
hearing of the fight. left for Guao where
he arrived at 8 a. m with 700 men. finding
the Cantabria men nearly surrounded by
Maceo sharp engagement followed, and
Grenados was driven toward Pinar del Rio
with heavy losses. Maceo returned to
Iona Blanca.
Meantime General Bernal learning of
Grenados' engagement with Maceo, left Vim
ales for Piuar del Rio with 500 men and
one field piece Maceo spied him and went
forward to meet him. Berna ignoring
Maceo's advance, campcd at Celia del Nigro,
small hill overlooked by the large Muir
guria heights, and ordered breakfast served.
Suddenly a small detachment OF Maceo's
forces appeared on top of Murguria heights
made feint to attack and retreated. Bernal
ordered his men forward. unware that
Maceo's forces were on the other side of
Murguria and instructed Lieutenant Colonel
Joaquin Romero to place the field piece on
tho summit.
KILLING OF \ COLONEL.
Maceo's men saw the movement and
charged for the field piece. Colonel Romero
received a ball through the breast a second
one pierced his stomach and he fell dead
Captain Eduardo QuintGna followed but
was shot Lieutenant Roman Rodriguez
also shot. Second Lieutenant Lucien
Casal took charge of the artillery but was
soon killed. Six tried to regain the corpse
of Colonel Romero. but failed, five Of them
being killed.
All this happened within fifteen minutes
after the fight began. The rebels having
possession OF the field piece. Bernal ordered
Lieutenant Colonel Juan Nieto to retake
It, but Nleto fell at the first attempt. Ad-
jutant Lieutenant Colonel Chacel then fol-
lowed, but wos badly wounded and retired.
Adjutant Company, the last OF Bernal' s
stan, went to the front to be badly wounded
and forced to retire. Bernal was then with
out officers, and after making several futile
attempts to regain his field piece he re-
treated. Bornal took several prisoners and
killed them in revenge for his severe loss
Demonstration at Pnrnclrs Grave.
DUBLIN, Oct 12.-Thoro was a demonstra.
tion at the grave Of the late Charles Stewart
Parnell at Glasnevn yesterday the occasion
being the anniversary Of the funeral cere.
mony attending the burial. very long
procession was a feature OF the demonstra-
tion, the mayor OF Dublin. the members
of the corporation Of Dublin and all Of the
Parnelllte members OF the House OF Com
mons taking part. Hundreds o. wreaths
were laid upon the grave. Parnell's mother,
Mrs Della Stewart Parnell, with her
daughter, Mrs Dickinson, aud her grandson,
Mr.. McDermott, Joined in the procession.
spnldinH's Appointment Denied.
ROME oct. l9.--The report rabled to the
United States that Bishop spald ng OF Peoria
has been nominated to succeed Bishop
Keane OF the Catholic university at Wash
ingtOn is pronounced hy the authorities to
be premature
Famine In siberian Province.