The San Francisco call., 1896-02-27

twenty-five rebels at stone bridge on the
highway at the eastern entrance of Punta
Bravo at z. NJ, and some scattering firing
followed. Both sides admit that no losses
occurred. The rebels retreated south,
along the road leading to Guatao, small
town one mile distant, leaving the road
before arriving at the town and scattering
IN alldirections.
The Spanish column kept the road and
entered Guatao, firing right and left at
everything In sight. A milkman loading
a wagon in front of his house, an eighth
of q mile outside of town, was shot and
wounded. He ran and concealed himsei
in the house. Some OF the troops left the
line, broke into the house and shot the man
dead in his room.
The people of Guatao fled to the woods
or hid in houses upon the arrival of troops.
who fired indiscriminately The town
contains about forty houses, many of
them only matched huts. Several men
were shot running to the woods and others
in places of eoncealment. Some were too
old to run. One man, sick with erysipelas.
was killed in bed. The troops entered the
houses and shot men in their rooms.
One woman, whose husband hid in a
bedroom, stood in the front door pleading
Tor his life. She was struck with the butt
OF musKet and knocked insensibe. A
soldier broke down the door and shot her
husband. One man, 5S years old, was
killed. All mentioned were peaceable cit
izens.
The three brothers Chayes, cigar ma kers.
working in Havana, left work in this CITY
Saturday noon and went to Guatao in the
afternoon to visit their mother. One was
shot dead running to the woods and two
were taken prisoners.
Troops brought the bodies of the dead
from the houses and fields and placed
them on the ground in front of the main
store. The prisoners who were captured
in houses and fields without arms were
plnioned and compelled to walk to
Mariana. They were bruised and i'll
treated on the way and required medical
attendance upon their arrival.
Three physicians of the Red. Cross
Society went to Guatao and found thirteen
dead and no wounded. The bodies were
buried in the cemetery at Guatoa
Five prisoners taken on the morning of
the hight on the outskirts of Punta Braya
were killed in the fields, making eighteen
peaceful citizens slain.
The Spanish papers claim the insurgents
took refuge in the houses at Guatao, firing
upon the troops from the same a careful
examination of the houses and huts shows
no signs of bullets; nosdoois or Outer win
dows were broken and there are no signs
of conflict. The only STONE building in
town, the church. was not eutered. Among
the dead was the grave-digger, making it
necessary to obtain negro to dig the
graves.
The residents of Mariana saw the troops
were drunk when they returned with the
prisoners Saturday night. Edward San
chez. keeper of aadry goods store at Maria
no and member of the volunteers, openly
boasts THAT he went into a bedroom at
Guatao and shot a man under a bed.
The facts herein related are verifieu by
persons who4wents ta Runfas Bravo sad |
Guatao.
Marquis de Cervera, in an official report
to the Captain-General, says:
worthy of all praise, your excellency,
IS the compartment of this column, of
which feel myself proud. Captain Galvo
and all others merit the consideration of
your excellency. l can assure you the
efforts made exceed all praise All are
worthy. your excellency, for they have
done to-day what your excellency SO
gloriously did at Jaina, Santo Domingo.
thirty years ago."
The towns of Guatao and Punta Brava
are now deserted. The residents fled to
Havana in fear of their lives. OF ITO peo-
pie in the latter town only fourteen re-
main. The action OF the troops so close to
Havana has created an intense sensation
here. The only official notice taken by
the Government is a telegram of congratu-
lation sent Marquis de Cervera Sunday.
General Weyler, when asked if he had in
vestigated the affair, said there was com
bat and persons were killed with arms in
hand. The prisoners were also taken with
arms, he said. J. FRANK CLARK.