The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-08-20
CUBA'SLATE MYSTERY
A Missing Passenger Train Of Civil
ians and Spanish Troops
BEEN DUE SINCE SUNDAY
II Appears That the Insurgents
Ditohed and surned the Cars
and Engaged In q Hot Fight
With Weyler's Soldiers.

Copyright 1895 BY Aseocfated Press. .
Havana. Aug 19.-The mystery of a
missing military passenger train.
which was due here last Sunday. has
been solved and II furnished another
instance OF the audacity Of the insur-
gents and of the troubled state OF af-
fairs existing In the province OF Ptnar
del Rio On Sunday last q train hav-
Ing on board a number of civilian pas
sengers and a strong escort OF troops
consisting OF regular cars and armored
cars for the military escort left Con-
solacion del Sui Plnar del Rio. for this
city and should have arrived here the
same day. But the train did not ap-
pear; the railroad authorities became
alarmed and the military authorities
were notified. Apparently, however. the
latter were very slow In taking action.
In any case, throughout Monday the
military authorities professed absolute
ignorance OF the whereabouts OF the
train. although 1t was understood that
inquiries Of some description had been
made along the line but wtkhout any
definite result.
This failure to obtain necessary In
formation caused the railroad people
to renew their representations to mill
tary headquarters and eventually. ON
Tuesday. several exploring parties.
consisting Of cavalry scouts, reported
having heard heavy firing yesterday
between Bacunaga and Taco. The lat
ter town In about one-third the dis
tance between Consolation del Sur and
Havana. and not far from the import
ant town of San Cristobal. Consolation
del Sur Is only short distance from
Pinar del Rio, capital OF the province
of that name. Later the scouts report
ed that the passe niger coach. together
with the military cars had been de-
rallied between Bacunaga and Taco and
that II appeared thai severe lighting
had taken place between the escort OF
the train and the insurgents who at
tackled Vt.
This news stirred up the military au-
thorbties sufficiently to cause them to
sent relief trains loaded with troops
towards the scene. These forces. con-
sisting Of the Arapiles and Basbastro
baIttahons under command OF Colonel
Arizona, have just returned. The troops
brought with them passengers, who
arn move than 4s hours late, and the
survivors and wounded OF the military
escort Of the train. The latter II ap-
pears, were running between Canacag,ia
and Taco. when. near the point known
as kilometer No. 113. the train was
compelled to slow up on account Of an
obstruction across the line. and a. u
did 30 q smart rife hre was opened
upon the train from both sides Of the
road whdle q party OF insurgents was
seen to march out of ooncealmeDt be-
hind the train and place heavy OBJ
strucktons across the road. Other In
surgents occupied themselves actively
In removing the rails behind the OBJ
struct1on. thereby catching the mill
tary train In a trap from which Il
could neither advance nor retreat. The
troops promptly returned the Are o. the
insurgents who kept we'll under cover,
and whose bullets splintered the glass
and fastening them on the sides Of the
wagons. The firing lasted three hours.
according to the official statement. At
the end OF this time the insurgents are
said to have been repulssd. 1t Is added
that the military escort, upon the ar
rival OF the relief train, burned the
military passenger train and returned
to this city with the Basbestro and
Arapiles battalions.
Unofficial versions Of the affair, how
ever. claim the train was derailed and
subsequently burned by the insurgents
and that the escorts Of the military
train we've rescued just in time TO save
them from being exterminated by the
enemy. AS II was, six soldiers Of the
escort are admitted TO have been killed
and 21 soldiers were brought here
wounded. The lieutenant Is expected
to die.
Later details confirmed the state
ment that N was derailed by the insur-
gents who dynamited VI and afterward
destroyed the cars completely The
defense made by the escort is said TO
have lasted practically three days, al
though II is not claimed that the flr-
ing continued all that time. The lnsur-
gents who attacked the military train
were In strong force and II developed
later to-day that they also tried to dy-
Mantle the relief train. but without ef-
feet.
Colonel Aronaja reports that In re-
firing with the rescued escort of the
train he was attacked by Antonio Ma
Geo and a force of 5000 insurgents. Ar
tillery fire. however. was opened upon
the enemy and the latter retreated. The
insurgents loss is not known The
| Spaniards claim that the insurgents >
did not burn the military train until
after the relieving column Of troops
| 49,