The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-16
HIGH OFFICERS FILL HAVANA.
OVER A DOZEN GENERALS CALLED
BACK FROM THE FRONT.

Them-weyIer Believed 10 he Com
coctinE some Plan TO Break Up
the Trocha and Force IaceO Out
of Pinar del Rio Province-NIost
of the spanish Soldiers Not Paid
Their Salaries In -Four Months.
Havana. June 1S, via Tampa, Fla. June
15.-For the last ten days a lot OF Spanish
generals have been focking into Havana
from all parts of the island. There are
here at present Gems. Oldare. Barrague.
Gonzales Munoz. Ruiz. Melguizo, Hern-
andez, Ferrer. Bazan, Altacshte, Suarez
and Inclan, without counting Suarez
Naldes, brought disabled from the
wounds he received in the "Descanso" en-
gagement with Maceo. Naturally, with
these generals, there have arrived great
number of colonies. lieutenants colonels
and other minor officers. forming the stam
of the generals, the list OF which would
ill a column.
The hotels are crowded with them to the
great satisfaction of the hotel keepers,
who are rcaping a rich harvest with so
many guests. The cafes are also having
a boom. for at night nothing is seen in
them but the white caps and blue uniforms
of officers Of all ranks, slipping their lem
onades or other refreshing drinks, dis
cusslng war matters. Nobody looking at
these men taking their drinks with such
tranquility would ever imagine that the
island is cOnVulsed with tremendous
war; which only the American admins
traton seems to ignore and that some of
them have still on their hands the stains
OF Innocent blood, shed in their implacable
fury to destroy whatever bears the name
of Cuban, be IL man, woman or child.
Nevertheless, some of them bear on their
faces the stamp Of their characters. Take
for Instance, Melguizo, a tall, lean, close
shaven, small, piercing gray eyes, ana
general sneakish expression. which de-
notes his coWardice and brutality, repul-
Sive to witness.
The presence Of all these generals and
officers is exciting comment. Many be-
lieVe they have been called by Gen
Weyler 10 arrange another OF his famous
combinations against Maceo, in order TO
force him out of Pinar del Rio, where It
seems that that chief IS doing whatever
he chooses without the least intention
of entering the trap" they had set for
him. They now appreciate the stupidity
of having established that Gordon after
Maceo got inside Of the province, and
not before he tried to enter IT, as any
other foreign general would nave done,
according to the simplest rule of military
tactics. Consequently, seeing the grave
error they have committed, and that the
trocha Is crumhling to pieces on account
of the rains and fevers which are sweep
ing away the men by the hundreds. they
have decided to push MaCeo on the line
and force him to cross It in order to
is also said that they Will clear the road
and put no distractions IN his way for
That purpose. The question is how 70
break up the trOcha, which IS a sore
Wart on Weylers nose. 1t remains to be
seen what Maceo has to say about It
Another version Of the generals visit
Is that they have come to ask money TO
pay the troops, who are without pay since
the middle of February last. 1t Is said
that there Is great discomfort among
them, and this Is the principal reason for
so many of them desertlng to the rebel
ranks. IL Is also rumored that two bat
talions mutined against their officers at
Los Palos Havana province, few days
ago, but the mutiny was quelled by paying
them their arrears That there is some
truth in this is proven by the fact that
in this very city you are accosted fire.
uuently almost daily, by many poor, rag
ged soldiers, requesting the gilt OF q Few
coppers TO buy cigarettes or other arti-
cles Nothing more slckening can be seen
that these poor soldiers strolltng around
the city in their sOiled tattered outfit,
with an old straw hat, battered out OF
shape. cloth sandals with their toes pro-
trudng, or old shoes broken to pieces. 1T
is a perfect shame and a disprace to Spain
to keep these poor fellows in such piti-
And while the general officers look
unconcerned on the miserable condition
of their soldiers, they are filling their
pockets with the proceeds OF scandalous
speculatiOns, carried on with the great
est audacity. Something has already
been said about the big sums which are
being made by hiding the number Of
deaths occurring in the ranks either
Killed from wounds or diseases. The
names of the dead always appear on
the pay rolls for the benefit of those in
terested. The generals keep them living
on paper-in order to receive their pay.
This Is the reason why no acurate data
can be obtained Of the actual losses Of
the Spanish army since the beginning Of
the war, and all calculations are based
on mere suppOsitiOns, which, according
to good authorities, exceed 5000 men.
Another big speculation has been the
horse business. When CampOs ordered
the seizure Of all the horses in the island
to mount the troops he commanded that
the owners were to receive $34. as the
maximum price Of each, they being given
a receipt, which was to be collected in
present Now It appears that the treas
ury has paid 81 ,298, ,693 20 for the purchase
Of 81, 1877 horses, according to disburse-
ments made in the following manner.