The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-23
cUBANS AWAITING A CRISIS.
,,-YIER EXPECTED TO INACCURATE
4 REIGN OF TERROR.

o,,-ee Thousand Troops Guarding
,he only Sugar Estate known TO
re Grfnding-GOmez Force in the
Havana and Matanzas Districts
sunpoSed to Number $4,000 Men.
some Talk of n Big Battle when
All the Cuban Forces Are United.
Havana. Jan. 22-Gen. Pando is here
.,rsnlting Gen. Marin and other gen
.-srs as to the future pan of campaign.
csn Pando takes charge of the field op-
cations and Gen. Marin remains here un-
III The arrival of Gen. Weyler early next
month.
The Cubans here are alarmed regarding
tba safety of themselves and their fam
lilies though they have taken no active
mart in the war. Every steamer carries
.rowds. Since it was announced that Gen.
WevIer has been appointed, 1900 holding
American papers of citizenship had them
,ised good for one month. The Cubans
saw they must choose between leaving
The island and joining the insurgents.
There is much wild talk regarding Gen.
yvay-lar's methods in the last war. They
fsar a reign of terror after his arrival.
co, Campos' departure is deplored by
Crban residents, foreign merchants and
others except the intense Spaniards.
Business is prostrated. The merchants
close the stores evenings, saying they
cannot afford the cost of gas.
The only sugar estate in the island
known to be grinding is the Toledo, just
outside Of Havana. 1t has a special
guard of 5000 troops. The rebels threaten
IN burn it, The fine crop Of cane on
other estates is uncut. The owners fear
the loss of their mills if they violate Go
The latter is now thirty miles south
west of Havana. Three columns OF troops
have pursued him for week AS Go
rnez' men are mounted and the troops
are on foot il is impossible to force a
battle unless Gomez is willing.
The eastern forces, under Jose Maceo,
Rabi Sespedes and Carilla. have entered
the MatanZas province and are now
near Bolondron. They will soon JON 60
mez. 1t is believed the latter has 2o,OO1
mon in the Havana and Matanzas PROV
inca There is some talk of big battle
near here when all are united. 1t Is
doubtful, as the insurgents lack ammu-
milton for such a fight. They nave plenty
Antonio Maceo was last reported south
west of the capital of Pinar del RIO. lie
had engagements on the llth ana lolh'
The Standards claim victories both Gays.
The Cubans ridicule the official re
ports of these encounters, one which made
200 infantry disperse 1000 mounted rebels,
inhicting a loss of 800 men.
The government is now building small
forts and block houses in a semi-circle in
the rear of aaHana. Some are stone ana
some wood. The United Press correspond
ent found similar forts at nearly all the
railway towns in this province. Batabano
has eight forts; Quivican, four; san Fe-
lipe six: Bejucal, four. Some are very
crude, being built of logs and barrels filled
with earth, indicating hasty defense
rather than aggressive operations. The
rebels infest the entire province and stop
stages, milkmen and chicken dealers in
the suburbs of Havana. Yesterday a
small town nine miles south of Havana
was visited, and horses, ammunition and
arms taken.
Cepero, the insurgent leader, captured
on the passenger steamer at Batabano ten
days ago, is an American citizen Consul
Williams has asked a civil trial for Cepero.
The Spanish deserrers captured fighting
in the rebel ranks, viii probably be court
martialed and shot.