Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-26
MrsrooK GOATS FOR INSURGENTS.
Soldiers Shot More Accurately Than
When In the Field.

| at tne entrance 10 tnlS ndrOOT is q DeaCn
termed Playa Chivo Goats beach,, so called
on account Of the many goats which browse
in its vicinity. 1t transpired today that one
night last week a sentry on duty at the cas-
tie saw some white looking forms approach
ing stealthily. The soldier challenged the
approaching forms and receiving no answer
discharged his rife at them The shot
| aroused the garrison Of the fort, the guard
| turned out and a number of other soldiers
opened fire upon the supposed enemy, with
| the result that the latter disappeared The
| next morning an examination was made Of
| the beach and several goats were found dead
! about the beach, killed by the rifles OF the
| soldiers, who must have done better shooting
| than usual when engaged with the insur-
gents.
Consider able amusement was caused by this
fact and the affair was upon the point of
being forgotten, when persistent rumors
| were circulated in this city that a number
OF insurgents. said to be thrty-fve men, had
Deen executed near Moro castle during the
night The report was denied by the Span
ish officials, but II continued to circulate
until the captain general not only felt called
upon to make an official denial but ordered
an investigation. Eventually the matter mar
rowed down to the following facts: Some
soldiers, not on guard that night, who left
Moro castle for Havana the morning after
the alarm of the garrison by the noise Of
the shooting of the goats on Playa Chiyo
lieence In this city concerning the cause of
the hring. The soldiers were unable to give
any definite explanation of the subject but
one OF them was foolish enough to say that
ne believed some insurgents were executed
during the night. The report spread and
was naturally magnifed and zealously cir
cClated by the friends of the insurgents until
1t was used by the enemies of the Spaniards
TO attack the captain general and to blacken
| his character as much as possible. But in
stead OF executing the thirty-fve insurgents
who have been confined in Moro castle the
captain general has just liberated all those
or them against whom there was no clear
proof of guilt and there has been no execu-
tion at Moro castle or elsewhere with the
| knowledge Of the captain general since his
arrival here from Spain.
In addition, General Weyler has most
generously pardoned the mayor of Managua
Senor Cristo and his brother, who were re-
Gently captured by the Spanish after having
raised numerous band of insurgents and
Joined the forces of the enemy.
| The Spanish authorities have detained
Charles Nicholson. the correspondent of a
| New York and San Francisco paper and
his assistant, Lorenzo Betancourt both
Americans. They are charged with having
disobeyed the orders of the mayor of Marina
In leaving that place and going into the in
| surgent lines at Punta Braya and Guata de
| Mariana. The United States consul general
Mr.. Ramon o. Villains, has besn notified
and the friends of the prisoners are doing
everything possible for them.
1t now seems to be definitely established
| that Antonio Maceo not killed near
Placetas, as was generally believed A relative
| OF Maceo, who lives in this ety. admits
| however, that he has heard from good sources
that the insurgent leader is wounded in the
arm as result of the engagement at Ell Gao
| Among the dead insurgents found in hills
about Candida was man. evidently a mes
senger, who had in his pocket a note ad-
dressed to GARLIC, one of the insurgent
leaders. saying: Send me some salt" This
note was signed, Gomez
During the different engagements about
San Jose de Las Lajas 150 horses belonging to
| the insurgents killed or wounded
among them being the enc ridden by the
! insurgent colonel, Colunga.
| The troops buried the bodies Of seventy
insurgents which were picked up near San
| Jose de Las Lajas. The insurgents have
hanged two volunteers
United States Consul General Williams
has had prolonged conference with Captain
| General Weyler with reference to Messrs
| Nicholson and Betancourt the American
newspaper correspondents, who were arrested
today. Up to the present time Mr.. Will
liams' efforts on behalf Of the prisoners have
been without any result.
A report has been received that the column
Of Vicuna has had an engagement near Cor.
| raj False, Matanzas, with Maxine G-mez
but no details Of the fight are given.
The insurgent leader and ex-bandit, Tuerto
| Matos, has been seriously wounded.
Proposals Were Too Indefinite.
| LONDON, Feb 25.-A Constantnople dis
patch to the Times says Lord Salisbury has
sent reply to the communication which
the sultan instructed Costaki Pasha to make
to the government, inviting England to reg
| ulate the situation in Egypt, with suzerain
| power, on the basis of guarantees being given
for the security of communication between
England and India The Times correspond
| ent says Lord Salisbury, in his reply, says
| the Turkish ambassadors suggestions are
too vague. The sultan has therefore ap-
| pointed commission consisting of the grand
vizier, Hall Rifaat Pasha; the minister CT
foreign affairs. Tewfk Pasha, and the pres
! ident of the council of state. Said Pasha TO
formulate concrete proposal on the subject.
| Troops Behaved Very Badly.
LIMA, Peru, Feb. 25.-(via Galveston.)-
President Pierola has installed the council
Of state, Senior Olachea being elected presi-
dent and Senior Condamo. vice president.
| The troops which the government sent
| from here to Cerro Paso have misbehayed
| themselves and the residents Of that place
| beg the government to guarantee them
against the troops misconduct. 1t is prob
able that claims will be advanced by the
| British and Italian ministers here on be-
| half Of citizens Of Their countries as an out
growth of the trouble.
Quiet Enough for an Election.
MADRID, Feb 25.-Captain General
Weyler telegraphs from Havana that the sit
uaton in the rural districts of Cuba is such
| as to admit Of holding the elections. Gen
eral Weyler also says the insurgent chief
Garcia, has been captured.
A dispatch to a newspaper here from Ha-
| yana mentioned the arrest OF Mr. Nicholson
the correspondent Of New York paper, and
OF an American named Betancourt, the lat
ter charged with intriguing with the rebels.
Chinese Troops Rebel.
LONDON, Feb. ga dispatch TO the
Times from Shanghai says that Anhui troops
at Kiang- -Yng nnety-fve miles from Shang-
hal, have mutinied. BY the explosion of the
main powder magazine at that point 200 per-
sons were killed and many wounded One
captain has been killed by the troops and the
general has been made prisoner and Is await
ing death. The foreign instructors Of the
trocps are safe and are being protected by the
Human troops.
blue Hook ON Venezuela.
LONDON, Feb. 25.-The Westminster
Gazette this afternoon states that the dummy
Venezuelan blue book laid on the table of the