The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-20
MACEO THE MAN.
A Brilliant Correspondent Tells of Meet
in Him Years Ago.
(Chicago Record)
GRAHAM Dawes.

Chicago Record.)
"Maceo was man of very attractive
personality" said IA traveller at the Cos
mos club the other night Some years
ago had the pleasure of meeting him in
Costa Rica and was much impressed with
his appearance and conversation. lie
was a mulatto, but he had complexion
that any woman would c0vet His skin
had that peculiar tint of yellow which
in dress goods is called cafe au lait-a
yellowish cream color, like Mocha coffee
with just enough cream in il to make it
perfection-and was SO transparent that
you could see the blue veins beneath.
He had a fine head and a fine eye, and
although he was a man of no education
and never had any social advantages be-
yond those Of a soldier and a teamster-
the two trades that he had followed since
his youth-his manners were those of a
gentleman. | could not judge SO much of
his language, because he spoke English
imperfectly and my knowledge of Span
ish is limited, but | was much impressed
with his earnestness and the ideas he
expressed concerning the future of the
Central and South American republics,
the Monroe doctrine and their relations
Jose, where | was stopping for a few
days Arailway engineer and contractor
came along by the hotel one morning
and said: Wouldn't you like TO go with
me to call upon Maceo, the famous Gu
ban bandit"
NO / replied i made the acquaint-
ance Of couple of bandits in Mexico
once, and | do not care to repeat the
experience. 1t cost me good deal of
money.
But this bandit is taking a vacation,
he replied. He has been banished from
Cuba by the government, and is consid-
cred a dangerous man, but he has behav-
ed himself pretty well since he has been
in Costa Rica. SO far as know he has
killed but one man, and that was in
quarrel over game of cards in which, /
think, he was more than half right An
offensive word was passed. He and his
antagonist sprung to their feet and drew
their knives simultaneously. 1t was writ
ten in the book Of fa,s that one of them
must die. MaGeo having the cooler head
and the quicker motion lived. But we
don't count those things down here
This incident rather fascinated me- so
/ went with my friend to posada or inn
frequented by horse and cattle dealers,
where we sound Maceo sitting with a
party of companions smoking cigarettes
and gossiping idly. My friend called
him to one side, introduced me, and over
a bottle of wine we chatted for an hour
or two. No reference was made to his
personal history, but we talked of his
friends in the United States, of the atti-
tude OF our government in the last Gu
ban revolution and its policy generally in
regard to other American colonies and
republics. Maceo was very earnest in his
belief that the government OF the United
States should enforce the Monroe doc
trine, not only to prevent the attempts
of European governments to colonize on
American soil, but to assist in securing
the independence OF all European pos
sessions AS he expressed it, Americans
and not Europeans should rule America.
Il never heard this subject discussed
with more intelligence and eloquence, al
though his English was imperfect, and /
told my friend afterward that if Maceo
had enjoyed the benefits of education
he would have been a leader of interna-
honal reputation. | was so much in
terested in the man that a few days af-
ter | called to see him again, but he had
left the city for Guanacasta with a party
of csftelmen."