The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-03
and sent !, or The two other correspond

and sent 1t of. The two other correspond
ents handed him their matter
You Americans have no business 10 say
so much about Cuba he began. counting
over the pages OF the first mans story.
Then he took one-half OF the pages and
threw them into a waste basket.
He read the rest of the dispatch.
The third man handed his story over, but
the censor said:
"Pouf. I'm tired" and throwing II BACK
walked out of the room.
''But this information has already been
partly published right here in the Havana
papers today" protested the correspondent.
That's nothing. Some things can be
published here which I win permit TO be
known in Havana, but in the United states.
no. 1t is none Of their business"
Then he left, and the reporter could send
NO word TO his paper that day.
This is the great editor, and his fairness
to the men who have come here, most or
them ready 10 face any hardship or peril
If they might let the world know the truth
about this war.
For these reasons the truth about Gomez
successful operations within sight, almost,
of Havana in the past few days has not
been permitted TO go out by cable He has
been SO successful that amazement hardly
expresses the feeling OF the Spanish. 1t
will be remembered that about ten days
ago the statement reached the world that
Campos had Gomez trapped; that the rebels
had left the mountains at last and entered
the open country in the marrow western
province Of Havana, on their way into the
extreme western province OF Pinar del Rlo;
that Carnpos had thrown "a wall of men"
suddenly across the island west of Havana
from near Guanajay TO the south coast and
had hemmed in Gomez and his pand or
raiders" cutting them off from their east
ern strongholds, so that it was only ques-
ton of days before the whole outfit would
be shot down or the residue marched into
Havana with a bayonet at every man ;
back.
1t was not made clear why Campos was
In Havana when Gomez was crossing the
omen country back of the city. The Span
tsh say he stayed in the city because IL was
necessary to the laying OF the trap. The
Cubans point to the reason in the snort
campaign which Campos made some days
before. His generals had been receiving
his daily instructions TO Ego out and md
the rebels: hunt them up and make them
fight"
handed so long that he became aissatis-
fed and went out, saying;
"Pu show you how"
He went eastward with a considerable
column and met Gomez himself at Nal
TEMPO. There was not pitched haot!e,
but some severe fighting occurred with lhe
rear guard, Gomez avoiding decisive IS
sue by his peculiar tactics In battle, Whieh
viii be described later. At any rate SaAh-
pos moved his headquarters next nlsht
toward Hayana-"feh back, the Suoans
called II. ,.
Campos called IL an Advantageous
change in the base OF operations.
The rebels continued their skirrnishing
and there were encounters where coupe
of thousand men on each SIDE Were en-,
Gagged and the next night Campos teii
10Y again. The next day came no
chanpe IT began TO look as II Campos ex-
nar,enced less trouble than his generals IN
finding rebels and for the third time cam
pos moved his quarters back nearer
Havana The next day he arrived IN the
city
The Cubans say that Campos on ms ar
rival was unstrung. that he declared the
situation graver than he had before De-
lieved Il 10 be. Some who were In the
streets watching the return OF the troops
confirm this, or refuse TO discuss TX. Ana
the Spanish say that Canpos rsiufHeu
because he believed that Havana was TO
be attacked by the insurgents and the de-
Fanse ~ only $4,000 troops made IL neces-
sarv for him to throw his column into the
citv at once. The Cubans called this
retreat.
one train load last Sunday brought In
thlrty-six wounded Spaniards from night
at Quivican. They were counted by those
who watched their removed on stretchers.
The official report was: zone killed and
twelve wounded" And Il was given out
In all seriousness. Today a Spanish officer
who was in the fight admitted that sew
enty-eight men were killed with machetes.
It was before the Quivicsn fight. when
Campos was in the city. whatever the real
cause may have been, that Gomez came
~ Ia ma ht4~ linz
villages and plantations right and left.
cutting the railroad lines as he had been
doing further out, and driving out after
disarYning the garrisons he found defend
ing them.
When Gomez got into the west he found
the whole country ready to receive him.
He was soon Joined by more OF his troops
and while all accounts vary IL is fairly
probable that he had 400 cavalry with him
when Campos threw the wall Of men,
across the island, and the censor permitted
IL to be announced to the world that the
trap had been sprung.
The trap is stlH set, but last night Gomez
passed "the wall" captured Beincal. a
town Of 100 people only twelve miles south
OF the city. and is again east Of Havana
Various reports are coming IN about the
taking OF the city, most Of them agreeing
only that Campos left strong garrison
there, that u surrendered with slight re-
StSfance and lDdt TIE rAlFUal stAkfon IN
the center OF the city, with tniruy-fve
buildings. was burned. There IS not the
slightest doubt in Havana since the cap
ture Of Bejucal and the new move Of Co
rnez have occurred, that information Of
the movements OF Gomez generals indi-
Gates the gathering Of 10 100 or I2.a9o rebel
cavalry within the provinces Of Aatan2as
and Havana
The Spanish, IN the information which
they permit Havana TO receive but cut on
from the rest Of the world, make no con-
ceaIment Of their alarm. although they
would not OF course permit any ex-
preston OF Just what they fear VIII occur.
Yet they declare that they wish for nothing
so much as a chance for decisive battle
Meanwhile divisions of the Cuban army
are apparently hurrying eastward 10 join
Gomez That they are doing so for some
other purpose that 10 rescue Gomez Is APP
parent from the nature of their progress.
Gomez had 10 difficulty In carrying 70
successful issue his western campaign ana
went back through 1.-THE wall out OF the
trap without even one battle. NOW, the
troops he left behind have been ordered 70
Soin Maceo and the first OF them have
reached Nafaazas under Gen. Cespedes.
They are less than one hundred ard fifty
miles from Havana today. Generals Jose
Macso and Rabi. with other divisions, are
between Puerto Principe and santa Clara.
moving all In the same direction toward
Conner, bat their progress has not been
made as IL they had Ia mind az any time
a fear for GoEnaz's safety while west OF
Havana The Ca1ans say A.yo mounted