The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-09

ting out OF The trap into which accord
ms IL them hn had entered. The Gu
bnnA on the other hand have reported
his crossing nS In defiance OF the al
legged security OF thU Spanish line. Ma
Geo has nom time TO timo stated TO
those supposCd TO be In close cOulmu-
nlcatlOn with him, that he would cross
the line when II should DO time for him
10 meet Gcncral Gomez again ia lla-
rann or Matanzas province.
According to the recent dlspn tcheR,
General Gomez was In Santa Clara
province near Maianyas, with hts ex-
tremc vanguard ulreRdy near Havana
itselt Some OF his mon nro said to
nave participated In the raid on Gunn-
hhacOa Just across the bay from lla-
vuna, on December ].
Under such circumstances It would
Seem that tho moment would come
when Generals Gomez and Mnceo
would naturally combine their for,es
Tor q strong attack on tho Spanish
army"
Excitement In Havana.
There was much excitement here
when /, became generally known that
Macco had crossed the military line
with. II IL understood, strong forcn OF
with the fighting between Spanish
troops and inSurEncts close 10 this city.
II seems evident that the inSurGent
commander has not only clevcrly turn
cd the iiunk OF Captain General Wcy-
Ter, but has succeeded In getting In
his rear and crossing the famous mill
tarY line near the pOrt which has been
used as base OF supplies Tor the Span
ish troops In Pinnr del Rio. The I'm
portnncc OF this movement cannot be
exaggerated.
The exact whereabouts OF General
Weyler is not known; but he Is hcliev-
cd TO be hunting FOR MaCeo In the
mountains In the extreme eastern part
OF Pina- del Rio. while the insurgent
chief has seemingly doubled on his
tracks, turned the flank OF the Spanish
Ecnrrnl and passed In his rear. In the
direction OF this city, crossing the mtl-
ltmy line at will, and possibly being
by this time In the vicinity OF the cap
itol OF Cuba. II Maxine Gomez has
carried out the plan attributed TO him,
that OF pushing westward to the sup
port OF Maceo, n Junction OF the two
main bodies ~ the lEsurScnt forces
Inny be expected shortly.
Nothing appears 10 be known OF the
strength Of the irsurGent force with
fact, II was not until the news was
being passed from person to person in
the streets that the authorities would
give Il hllf-he1rted admission, OF the
truth OF the report that Maceo had
crossed the military line. This It IS be-
llcyed will alter the whole situation
and imrortlpS events may occur with
IN n short time.
Tho impending Blow.
There Is no doubt TINT the insur-
gents have recently increased IN num-
Der about the capitol. The stray
bands OF twenty 10 thirty bandits"
met by the. Spanish troops have now
swollen TO the proportions of !nsurgent
forces TO 10000 10 10000 men.
il seems to he admitted and belicv-
cd that Macco will strike before wcy-
ler can hurry back from Pinar del Rio.
Indeed. it Is currently reported tina;
the captain general has been wounded
In an engagement with the insurgents
before the latter crossed the military
line and that he may not be able TO re-
turn here except as prisoner OF the
Cubans.
The authorities. naturally, arc doing
all IN their power to rninimIZc the
crossing OF the trrl.ha by Maceo and
NaItAS sIc az usbdlt
Ing 10 the Spanish, running away from
them. This does not alter the fact
that he has escaped the hunter and
that the hunter may find difficulty IN
getting home.
The friends OF the insurgents here
are Overjoyed at the new turn taken In
the campaign and nrc boastinE that
Maceo and Gomez will soon be knock
Ing at the gates OF Havana. To this the
Spanish officials simply say: wait
and see; the time Is not yet"
But there Is no denying TINT the
supporters Of Spain here to-day are
looking much crrstlalleu and discour-
aged. Even n defeat nt the hands OF
the insurgents. Il Is admitted, would
have been better than the humiliation
which the Spanish troops have suffered
in being so skIllfuily out-manouevc--
Cd by the insurgents.