Evening star., 1897-01-21
ALLEGED SPANISH BRUTALITY
Sack and Pillage of q Town in
Cuba.
Reyen1e for Defeat by the InauPgents
Officers Captured and
Hanged.

CINCINNATI. January 21.-A special to
| the Commercial Tribune from Key West
| says:
Among the passengers from Havana was
| Jose Micando from the interior. south Of
Havana. He reports a fight at Helena del
| Sur, in the southern part of Havana prov
| ince, two weeks ago, that the officials in
Havana have not yet reported. A Spanish
cavalry force of some go men camping
there were surprised by 40 Cubsns under
| Col. Sanchez, one of Maceo's old offic ars.
| The Spanish forces fought bravely but re-
! treated within half an hour with ~ men
| killed. The Cubans suffered a loss Of s.
| The Cubans pursued but were drawn into
| ambush and punished terribly losing 20
| men. They withdrew and the Spanish troops
re-entered their old camp and began merry
| making In honor of their victory. Late
| that night the insurgents again ATTACKED
| and surprised the camp. forcing their way
! to the commanding officers quarters before
| their presence was discovered. Then the
| terror stricken Spanish soldiers flsi, fling
| ing down their weapons
The insurgents pursued them for miles,
| killing and wounding over 100. The cap
| tured officers were finally released on "a
| role.
| The Cubans were received by the people
| as delfverers. After remaining there two
| days they moved northward. Three days
| after Spanish force commanded by the
| guerrilla captain, Felix des Gratia, marched
| In. After securing the mayor and other
| officers as prisoners he secured the lea ding
! women Of the place and then gave the town
| twenty-four hours theSpanish guerrillas had
| their own way. Seven men and four young
| lads were brutally killed while attempting
| to protect their relatives. Many women
died. Two young women killed themselves
rather than submit to the insults of the
| soldiers. The mayor was hanged In front
| of his own door, his wife ami daughter be-
| ing compelled to witness the execution.
The captain charged that he gave aid to
| the rebels.
Two of the other officials were brutally
beaten and then released with a caution
that the next visit meant death. The in
surgents have set price upon the head CT
| this captain, and If caught his trial will be
| short.
The Sinking of the RelampagO.
| HAVANA, January 21.-Further details
| reached here today regarding the sinking
Of the Spanish gunboat Relampago during
| the morning Of January II by the explo-
sion of 6. torpedo placed in the river Cauto
| near Mango Landing by the insurgents,
killing six of the officers and crew and
| wounding number of others on board the
| vessel, and also seriously wounding Com
mander Puerto of the gunboat Centinela
| and one Of her crew, besides wounding
| several others.
The insurgents, it appears, besides open
| ing rifle fire on the Centinela and upon the
| men in the water. also fired with artillery
| upon the Centinela at short range. But
| the Centinela succeeded in getting out OF
danger and replied with her guns. dis.
| charging grape shot at the insurgents and
| infiicting great loss upon the enemy. OF
| the Men IN the water, it is now learned,
| Commander Frederico Martinez of the Re
| lampagO was hit by an insurgent bullet
while swimming, and was probably after
| ward drowned, and, with his companions
| eaten by the alligators, which are plentiful
| in those waters.
Captured by Insurgents.
| There was great CONSERVATION in Ha-
| vara Sunday. when the report gained cur
| rency that the insurgents had hanged
| Senor Serrano, lieutenant colonel on the
| staff; thirteen officers and many passen-
| gers at GuaEabacoa. AS the usual train
left Regla at 10 o'clock pm. Saturday for
| Guanabacoa, the train was derailed near
| the switch at Cambute. The passengers
| believed that only a trivial accident had
| occurred. and jumped out of the windows
| Suddenly number of herculean negroes,
! armed with caTbiReS and machetes invaded
the three coaches, threatening to kill the
| passengers and compelling them to vacate
| the cars, killing negro passenger and
| seriously wounding a soldier.
| Great excitement Immediately ensued
| the ladies' shrieking and unwilling to leave
their husbands and parents
| 1t seems that the -insurgent Col Aran-
| gueren, with $50 cavalry had laid two
| bulls on the rails. which threw the train
| off the track. The insurgents captured two
| captains and eleven other officers all un-
| armed; four soldiers, the second chief of
! the municipal police of Havana who was
| returning home, the engineer and fireman
| and three employees of the railroad The
| insurgents Immediately set about p!under-
ing ana des polling the passengers of their
money and jewelry. They set at liberty
| all excepting the officers and railroad en-
| pioyes. They took from the officers their
jewelry. and from several passengers who
| were on the train over $1,000 In money
| The insurgents then carried their prison
| ers by a forced march to a farm near
Jaruco, where they hanged Lieut. Ber.
Eardo Banos, a native Cuban, for serving
| Spain.
Lieut. Ricardo Betancourt, also Cuban
! was saved on account Of the fact that he
| was friend of Arangueren before the
| war.
Insurgents Hopeful.
All of the rest were liberated and arrived
in Havana Sunday night Monday an Off
Ger of the party informed the correspond
ent of the Associated Press that Arangue-
| rem and his officers were well dressed. and
his forces well armed and provided with
! ammunition. The insurgents showed them.
selves hopeful of triumph, and were await
ing the arrival of General Castillo to make
an attempt upon Guanabacoa, the military
governor OF which place Is Fonsdeviela
Before the party were set at liberty an
| insurgent Major shouted, 'Vive Cuba Ii
| bre! whereupon Arangueren exclaimed
Silence These gentlemen are only al
lowed to shout 'Vfve Espana' The pris-
oners thereupon answered, "Vive Espana- -
captain General Weyler was informed at
3 o'clock In the morning that Governor
| Fonsdeviela, with a column of troops, had
| vainly sought to overtake the insurgents.
and he asked that squadrons of cavalry be
dispatched Immediately. 1t was for this
reason that Captain General Weyler did
not leave for the field until Wednesday, go
| Ing In the direction Of Sanjose De Las
Lajas. in Havana province
REFORMS FOR CUBA.