The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-14
BLOODTHIRSTY TORT.

Colonel Tort. who is a very blood
thirsty Spanish officer. recommended
| Zertuca to the Marquis of Ahumada as
| the verv man needed to attract Maceo
to a given place, and to inform the
| Spaniards of all the Cuban leaders 5
| movements. Weyler agreed and, az
ter promising Zertucha through Tort.
| monetary reward, with which he
| could live safely in Spain. started again
| to Pinar del Rio with more forces stu
to compel Maceo to some desperate eff
fort which Weyler hoped would bring
! him into the desired trap.
But MaceO received advices from Co
meZ that the n-chief was
| preparing an invasion of the west with
CaliXto Garcia. and that he thought 1t
| would be of the best moral effect IT.,
| leaving a good leader in command of
the trocha, join him, and march with
him to the very gates of the city of
Havana. The crossing of the trocha
was not an easy affair with a large
body of men, and even when opportun-
ity offered bur few Cuban soldiers
could do it without attracting atten-
tion. Maceo knew how. and moved to
Mariel; but the Spaniards. through
Zertucha, knew of his movements and
of the communication from Gomez.
| On the I'd of December Maceo sent
four men to reconnoitre the trocha on
the north side. They exchanged shots
with the sentinels, and by this the
Spaninsh knew the proximity of the in
surgent leader. Then orders We're
given by the Spanish commander not
to resist. On the Sd Maceo sent some
more scouts, who came back and as
sured him that the trocha was not well
defended on that side. He passed the
trocha on the night of the 4th without
resistance, after leaving General Ruis
Rivera in command of the Cuban forces
in the Province of Pinar del Rio.
On the 5th, in the morning he sent
a commissioner to the Junta at Hav-
ana. ON the 9Th. while marching with
six men. among them Miro. the son of
Gomez, and Zertucha. the latter ad-
Vlsed him to take route through a
cane field which he knew. They did
SO, ana fell into an ambush of 500
Spaniards, commanded by Major Cir
ujeda.
IF YOU surrender" said a voice, 1--WE
offer you your life and an honora BILE
treaty"
BUTCHERY BEGINS.
viva Cuba lbre," answered Maceo,
and then the butchery began Pancho
Gomez was wounded and fell before
Maceo. but Miro escaped. At this mo-
ment. said the Cuban commissioner to
the Junta in Havana, band of rebels
who were going to join Maceo at the
Havana side of Marel, approached and
were informed by Miro of the ambush
The Spaniards had already taken Ma
Geo, who was pierced with bullets. and
Gomez, who killed himself with the
last bullet of his revolver. They had
searched the bodies, and four men
were carry them when the Cubans came
up.
A terrible fight ensued, and the Gu
bans recovered the bodies of the two
leaders, pursuing the Spanish with
their machetes clear to Punta Brava.
Major Cirujeda had a narrow escape,
nut he was able to take with him the
objects seized in the first search.
though he left the bodies of Maceo and
Pancho Gomez dressed and in the
hands of the CIbans.
Zertucha was taken by a Spanish SOL
der to San Felipe. because he said that
1t was agreed with him that he should
surrender to Colonel Tort.
When Weyler heard that Zertucha
mad informed Ahumada of the passing
of the trocha by Maceo, he said he was
glad. He preferred to leave to Ahu-
mada the whole responsibility of the
failure as well Of the success and to
Keep quiet in the province of Pinar Del
Rio. II story of battle could be
afterward invented he was sure always
OF the glory, as Maceo would always
appear as falling under his military
plans.
The whole story is repeated in Ha-
Nana now by every Cuban sympathizer
OF the revolution, and the greatest care
mas been taken by the authorities to
prevent the truth from being sent out
by letters or cables.
The price offered to Zertucha by the
Marquis of Ahumada is said to have
been $4,000.