Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-16
MANY SKIRMISHES
Fighting in the Province Of Pinar
del Rio, Cuba.
GOMEZ MARCHING ON THE CAPITAL
Making Wholesale Arrests of Sus-
pected Persons.
EXPEDITION LANDS

ANOTHER EXPEDITION LANDS
From The Stars Special Correspondent
HAVANA, Cuba, January II, 1896.
Reports indicate that Gomez Is marching
upon the city Of Pinar del Rio, the capital
of that province, with a force of 1900 men.
The remainder of his army is still in the
vicinity Of Guanajay.
number of sk'rmishes between the reb-
| els and the government troops have taken
| place recently, but the only fight worthy
of note was near Guanajay, in the San
Miguel mountains, on the Sth. Gen. Ma
varro, with Spanish force of about =, 400.
left San Antonio in the early morning,
hoping to prevent the rebels from reaching
Guanajay. an important place, where they
would be able to replensh their stores. On
| an open field, one league east Of Guanajay,
the forces met. Making a feint with 1000
| men, Gen. Navarro retreated, hoping to
draw the rebels after him, when the re.
| mainder of his force, in ambush, would
open fire on the enemy, and do great
slaughter in the def1le leading out from the
| field.
But Gomez was not to be trapped. His
| infantry advanced rapidly and fired one
volley. Then his cavalry made brilliant
dash. cut down few of the Spaniards. and
wheeled about before coming in range Of
Navarro's hidden marksmen. Without
| further fighting, Gomez moved toward
Guanajay, which town he occupied that
night. Navarro fell back upon San Anto-
MO. in the opposite direction, and there
| remained until the following morning. The
| Cubans lost in killed thirty-nine, and the
| SpaEiards about the same number, fnclud-
ing nine uncommissioned officers. There
We're but seventeen wounded spaniards.
Later news of the fight in the San Miguel
| mountains practically confirms the story as
| already told, and with the additional item
| that q priest Who was with Gen. Navar-
body was taken away by the rebels and
| buried In the cemetery at Guanajay.
Broke Through the Line.
correspondent few days ago. to the effect
that he had for some time hoped the reb-
els would enter the province of Pinar del
Rio, where he would be able to corner and
| crush them. herculean efforts were made
! by the Spanish forces between here and
| Batabano to keep them out. And despite
! .nese efforts, also, the cavalry division
| under Gen. Gomez has been in the heart
| OF that province. If Gen. Campos really
meant what he said. his forces were Ger
tainly not managed consistently; and If he
! didn't his attempt to prevent the rebel
| march in the narroweSt part of the island
| was a dismal failure.
the Spanish commander was in hopes he
| could prevent Gomez from entering the
| province and joining forces with Delgado
and Garcia, who have been awaiting his
| advent
Effectiveness of the Machete.
In the majority of Cuban battles there
are fewer wounded than killed on the Span
ish side. This is owing to the fact that the
rebels do theil best fighting with the ma
ohofn hot nho1 orlxS Nine
cases out of ten the Spanish soldier re.
ceives the machete wound on the head
and 1t is generally fatal. Your correspon
dent, riding over the quieted battlefields al
Colon, Perico end Joveltanos, was sur.
prised to note that not 10 per cent of the
dead had bullet wounds. although muske'
fire was incessant for hours at time.
The machete is withal a more effective
weapon than the cavalry saber 1t is per.
fectly straight, made of the best steel in
the world and very heavy. powerful
blow with it will cut into an ordinary rife
barrel to such a depth as to make the arm
useless. Gen. Campos has among his relics
at the palace rifle that was cut in two
by machete in the hands of negro
| fighter at Coliseo.
Policing Havana.
While the cloud of excitement has drift
ed westward from Havana and the popu
lace once more breathe easily. the govern
/, | ulent mas Increased us vigilance anu car
throughout the city. The police, who a few
!, days ago were supplied with carbines. nov
carry rifles and bayonets instead. Thre,
persons must not be together upon til,
streets, and even the idle tourist "a few
have landed here by mistake) must not gaz
| for longer than a minute two at any o
the public buildings. Yesterday the govern
ment swore in 100 men and seventy womel
to constitute a local secret service. AS ia
. as the women are concerned. this is hi,
| INN t{nv fosv to- ~ -
Spanish or Spanish-Amer:can countries, ar
not supposed to perform labor of any kind
However, this monstrous breach of Spanisl
, social laws will probably be overlooked a
this period.
The report that the magnificent Toled,
plantation, few miles from Havana, wa
wholly destroyed, is not true. About
| quarter of it, ten thousand acres wa
: burned over and some Of the buildings wer
partially destroyed, but the fine residenc
, and the newer mills are uninjured. TIL
Santa Rosa plantation, however visited b.
President Cleveland several years ago, an
: one of the most extensive and beautiful il
the world, has suffered like most of tn
! estates in the province Of Matanzas.
, Arrests of Suspects.
AS the days pass the arrests of politica
suspects continue to increase. To be "sus
pected" in Cuba means a term of imprson
ment in some of the local institutions, o
at the penal STATEN at Ceuta, Africa. TIL
Isle Of Pines, but thirty miles from tn
southern coast of Cuba, has witnessed
wonderful increase of population within tn
past two months. Hardly a day goes b.
that there are not from ten to fifty prison
ers sent there. Two days ago a batch O
1 thirty-five suspects arrived in Havana fror
Santiago de Cuba, bound for the Africa
colony.
! Gen. Campos personally examined tn
: | men upon their arrival here and, believing
. their sentence to Ceuta too severe, ordere
them confined in the MORO castle Their
: are no vacant cells in the latter institution
\ | and the central court yard is being pre-
vided with chains for the proper receptio
= Of the many other unfortunates who ar
: doomed, sooner or later to be there i'm
h prisoned.
: CHASTITY missive was received by certai
4 parties in Havana this week from Jua
/ Alberto Gomez, formerly editor of l.
e Lucia, and one of the brightest men G
n | Cuba, now inmate of the Ceuta prison
s Gomez tells of his inhuman treatment, an
= says with disease and cruelty he cannc
e much longer survive. The letter, the write
: says, is written in his own blood and wit
v an ordinary pin.