The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-27
CRUEL MASSACRE OF CUBANS.
,r,cEADLE CITIZENS SHOT DOWN
BY SPANISH SOLDIERS.

.o Flight. the Troops Enter the
Town Firing at Everybody in
sipbt-HOuses Entered by the Saw
age soldiers and Men shot Down in
Bed.
Havana. Feb. 26.-Refugees from the
,ouns of Punta Brara and Guatao, twelve
niles away. have arrived at Havana, and
gtate q. reign of terror exists in their local
t+v in consequence of troops having massa-
rcd peaceable citizens at Guatao on Sat
,,-dav. the 22d. The official government
renort issued Sunday states that fight
occurred near Punta Brara on the previ-
o,,s dav between the troops sent from Ma
7ianao and the insurgent bands of VII
lanueya and Acosta, resulting in glori-
ous victory for the Spanish arms, and
twenty insurgents having been killed and
fifteen prisoners taken. Residents at Qua
tao have identified eighteen of the dead
as pacificos peaceful citizens); two were
insurgents and the prisoners are nearly
all said to be peaceful. One of them,
named Ladislao Quintero. claims Amerf-
can citizenship. He is wounded by a ball
In the arm.
The following names of the dead paci-
6cOS nave DGGn ODldlllCa. JOoC OdAANDAds
Pedro Amador, Paseual Chaves, Vidal
Prieto, Francisco Loza, II. Quisano, NJ.
Hernandez, Ascadio Garcia, Francisco
sales and Pancho Chicho. 1t is impossible
10 obtain the names of the others. owing
TO the fright of the Inhabitants.
A thorough investigation by American
correspondents, despite the fact that one
Of their number has been arrested and
lodged in Moro castle, accused of visiting
Guatao. has resulted i'm obtaining the fol-
lowing facts: On the morning of the 22d
a band not exceeding forty insurgents,
under Nillanueya ana Acosta, We're at
tackled on the highway by troops under
Lieut. Zugasti and civil guards also, un-
der the alcade of Hoyo Colorado, town
two miles west of Punta Brara. The nght
occurred at the western entrance OF Pun
ia Brara twelve miles from Havana. 1t
resulted in the WOunding of one Spanish
soldier, who was shot in the head ana
died half an hour later. The insurgents
withdrew and the troops entered Punta
Brara and remained two hours, sending
mounted messengers to Marlanao, TOUR
miles east, asking that troops be sent
TO Punta Brara Lieut.. ZugaSu then NOV
ed his detachment back to Hoyo Colorado.
The Marquis de Cervera, alcade of Ma
rianao in command of the troops there,
sent 200 men, including the battalion Or
der Publico, volunteers, tremen and a
section of horse artillery, all under the
command Vt Capt. CalVo. The troops
found a gr, up of twenty-five rebels at a
stone bridge on the highway at the east
ern entrance of Punta Brara at p. m,
and some scattering firing followed. Both
sides admit that no losses occurred. The
rebels retreated south along the road lead
ing to GuataO, a small town one mile dis
tant, leaving the road before arriving at
the town. and scattering in all directions.
The Spanish column kept the road and
entered Guatao, firing right and left at
everybody in sight. A milkman loading
a wagon in front of his house, an eighth
of a mile outside of the town, was Shot
and wounded. He ran and concealed him
self in the house. Some troops left the
line broke into the house and shot the
man dead in his house.
The people of Guatao fled to the woods
or hid in their houses upon the arrival
of the troops, who fired indiscriminately.f
The town contains about forty houses,
many of them only thatched huts. Sew
eral men were shot running toward the
woods and others in places OF conceal
ment. Some were too old TO run. 80
One man. sick with erysipels, was Killed
in bed.
The troops entered the houses and shot
men in the room.
One woman, whose husband hid In
bedroom, stood in the front door pleading
for his life. but was struck by the butt
of a musket and knocked inSensible. A
soldier broke down the door and shot her
husband.
One man IS years old was killed.
All mentioned were peaceable citizens.
The three brothers ChaVeS, cigar max
eTs' working in Havana, left work IN TINS
in the afternoon to visit their mother.
One was shot dead while running TO the
woods and two were taken prisoners.
The troops brought the bodies OF the
dead from the houses and fields ana
placed them on the ground in front OF the
main store
The prisoners who were captured In
houses and fields without arms, were PIN
i0ned and compelled to walk 10 Marlano.
Ihey We're bruised and ill-treated on the
way and required medical attendance up
on their arrival
Three physicians of the Red Cross So
elety went to Guatao and found thirteen
dead and no wounded. The bodies We're
buried in the cemetery at Guatao.
FIVE prisoners taken on the morning or
lhe night on the outskirts of Punta Brara
We're killed in the fields, making eighteen
peaceable citizens slain.
The Spanish papers claim the insurgents
look refuge in the houses at Guatao, mr.
ing upon the troops from the same.
careful examination of the houses and
nuts shows no signs of bullets, no outer
doors or windows are broken and there
are no signs of conflict. The only stone
entered
Among the dead was the grave digger.
dig the graves.
The residents of Mariana say the troops
were drunk when they returned with the
prisoners Saturday night.
Edward Sanchez, keeper of a dry goods
store at Marianiao and member OF the
volunteers, openly boasts that he went
mo a bed room at Guatao and shot
man under the bed.
The facts above related are verified by
persons who went TO Punta Brara and
Guatao.
The authorities arrested, through mis-
take Charles Nicholson and his interpre-
tor, Lorenzo Betancourt, who went no
drther than Mariana and are in no way
'esponsible for this story.
Marquis de Cervera in an official re-
poft of the affair to the captain general
says of the company: Worthy of all
Islse, your eXcellency, is the comport-
mgnt of this column of which feel my
set proud. Capt. Calvo and all others
merit the consideration of your excellen-
ey can assure you the efforts made ex-
eeed all praise. All are worthy, your eX-
gelency, for they have done to-day what
your excellency so gloriously did at Jaina
osato Domingo thirty years ago
me towns of Guatao and Punta Brara
sc now deserted. The residents fed to
havana in fear of their lives. OF H,710
people in the latter town, only fourteen
!temain. The action of the troops so close
~ Havana created an intense sensation
The only official notice taken by the gov
ehment is a telegram of congratulatfon
SSht TO Marquis de CerVera. Sunday Gen
,"tyler, when asked if he had investiga-
yea The affair reD1ied there WAS a connbaf