Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-12-16
MACEO ASSASSINATED.
Cuban Leader the Victim of
Spanish Treachery.
Flag of Truce Violated Was Decoyed
and Ambushed.


attend conference to which he had been
invited by the Marquis of Ahumada,
acting captain-general of Cuba while
Gen. Weyler was in the field.
This morning a letter was received by
G. NJ. de Huau, head of the Cuban junta
in this city, giving a detailed account OF
the assassination of Gen. Maceo and his
entire staff, with the exception of DIR.
Zertucha. who was Maceo's physician.
The letter came from a reliable source
in Havana, but the correspondent
name, of course, was not made public
for, as Mr.. Juan said, ''the writer would
be shot within an hour by Spanish au-
thorities if they knew who disclosed the
details of the most horrible atrOcity ever
chrOnicled Ill modern warfare"
The Marquis Of Ahumada sent letter
to Gen. Maceo inviting him to a confer
ence.
Maceo. who was the soul of honor, new
er for q moment thought that treachery
was intended, especially as the invitation
came from such Ii prominent Spanlard as
the Marquis of Ahumada. He lmme-
diately returned an answer saying that
he would be glad to meet the Spanish
general.
Accompanied by his staff, he went to
the rendezvous little dreaming of the
awful fate that was in store for him.
On arriving at the trocha the Spanish
soldiers. acting under orders, actually
saluted the rebel chieftain as he passed.
but when he reached the rendezvous
Maceo was surprised to see, instead of
the Marquis of Ahumada, a large body
of Spanish soldiers, who seemed to come
from every side.
The actions of the troops were so sus
picious that Maceo felt that he had been
cruelty trapped, and his suspicious were
confirmed when peremptOry order came
from Il mounted officer. whose name 1T
was subsequently learned was Maj. Cru
jeda, who dashed up to the gallant Gu
ban leader as he stood at bay surrounded
by his staff and demanded his uncondl-
tional surrender.
Never was the reply.
Hardly had the words been uttered
when volley after volley was poured into
the little band of patriots, who, although
hemmed in on all sides and outnumbered
almost one hundred to one, struck spurs
to their horses. and with cries of Cuba
libren' rode gallantly to their death.
Maceo Slain at the First Fire.
Maceo is reported to have fallen at the
first fire with a bullet through his head,
breaking the jaw. Another bullet hit
him III the abdomen. Both shots were
fatal.
Young Francisco Gomez, son of the
Cuban commander-in-chief. was the next
corpses, all shot almost beyond recognl-
ton. so. fierce and concentrated was the
Spanish fire, were all that remained of
the gallant Cubans who had trusted to
Spanish honor.
Only one member of the staff escaped,
and that was DR.. Zertucha.
The cOrpses were buried on the field
and every precaution was taken to keep
the details of the horrible butchery from
being made public.
The Jacksonville Citizen tomorrow will
contain the following relative to the
death of Antonio MaceO:
Justo Carrillo, a well-known Cuban of
this city, brother of the Cuban general,
CarrillO, has received the following let
ter from a trustworthy correspondent IN
Havana confirming the reports of the
death of Antonio Maceo and showing
that he was killed by treaclery:
Havana, Dec. 9.-Dear Friend Justo:
Our brave general Antonio Maceo, and
the greater part Of his staff have been
murdered by the Spaniards, the Spanish
major, Cirujeda, acting the part of as
sassin, with DR.. Maxine Zertucha as an
assistant in the horrible drama.
Convinced that, notwithstanding his
enormous army, he could do nothing
against our gallant leader, who had so
repeatedly defeated the Spanish generals
in Pinar del Rio, Weyler conceived the
idea of appeasing his beastly instincts by
best of the secret relations between Dr.
Zertucha and the Marquis of Ahumada,
he planned with the latter his hellish
scheme.
"Weyler took the field, and in his alb
sence Ahumada proposed through Ter
tucha a conference with Maceo to take
place at a certain point in the province
of Havana with the view of arranging
plans for the cessation of hOstilitieS.
1.-THE basis was to be Cuba's indie
pendence and monetary indemnity TO
Spain, together with certain advantages
that should be agreed upon for Spanish
commerce and Spanish capital invested
there.
Safety Guaranteed to Maceo.
''To carry out the plan, the agreement
was that orders should be given to the
detachment of troops stationed on the
trocha in the section between Mariel and
Guanajay to allow Maceo with his staff
to pass the military line unmolested.
''Time was required to mature these
arrangements. and, to give them all the
appearance of truth, Ahumada feigned
that before acting he must make them
known to Weyler for his previous APP
prevail.
This explains the sudden arrival Of
Weyler in Havana and his prompt return
to Pinar del Rio.
1.-The conditions and place of the meet
ing having been agreed on, Maceo crossed
the trocha over the road to Guanajay
without being molested by the forts, but
as soon as he arrived at the place de-
cided upon he and his party were greeted
by tremendous volley from the troops
under Maj. Cirujeda, who lay conven-
iently in ambush
Most of the officers on his staff fell
with Gen. Maceo.
''Zertucha is alive because he was
aware of the scheme and remained in the
rear"
Spanish Deny 1t.
Key West, Fla, Dec. 14.-Advices
from Havana say that La Lucia and
other Spanish papers are quite bitter
over the story sent out regarding Maceo' S
assassination, and derry it emphaticaIly
Palace officials also deny it, and it is
stated that Gen. Weyler will deny it
over his own signature.
EX-INSPECTOR BYRNES RESIGNS.
Retires from Burglary Insurance.
Bureau.
New York, Dec 12.-Thomas Byrnes
formerly superintendent of police of this