The herald., 1897-05-30
Proved Not to Be a Very
Effective One
GEN. GOMEZ WOULDN'T CRUSH
THE SPANISH DEFEATED WITH
RoUT
Negotiations Pending by Which the
Insurgents Hope to Purchase the
Islands Freedom
A..ociated Press Special wire.


Associated Press Special Wire.
HAVANA, Cuba, via Key West. May
29.-Details have been received here o.
an engagement at La Reforma. Sancti
Spiritus, between the Spaniards. COM
manded by General Weyler. and the
Cubans, led by General Gomez. The
battle was fought early last week and
1t was the result Of Weyler's scheme to
crush Gomez by surrounding him with
20, 1000 men. The plan failed and the
battle was reported here as an ordi-
nary Spanish victory without details.
1t was the first time in the war that
Weyler and Gomez have faced each
other.
General Gomez, placing his men In the
best strategic positions at La Reforma,
awaited General Weyler and for six
hours held him in check, although the
Cubans scarcely numbered 1000 men.
Gomez ordered his best shots to pursue
the Spanish General, but the latter
never came to the front When two
fresh Spanish columns came up Gomez
retired and the Spanish abandoned the
field.
SENIOR PALMA RECEIVED
NEW YORK, May ga special to
the World from Washington says: For
the first time a representative of the
Cuban junta has been received at the
State Department. Senor Tomas Es-
trada Palma, head of the Cuban junta
in New York, chief delegate to the
United States of the Cuban govern
ment, called at the State Department.
Secretary Sherman, in extending the in
vitation to Senior Palma, was obliged
t6 do so unofficially and to receive him
as an American citizen. The President
was also unofficially aware of his visit
Senior Palma stated that the insurgents
nre willing to purchase their freedom
at a reasonable price. A full under
standing prevailed, when necessary
funds could be easily secured to float
the bonds whenever Spain agreed to
erster into negotiations looking to a sale
of Cuba.
SAGASTA TALKS
NEW YORK, May ga special to
the Herald from Madrid saye: Senior
Sagasta has just given long interview
to the Herald correspondent. The state
nents he made possess value ct the pres
ent juncture of affairs, and they are his
only utterarces in a public sense and
destined for public ears. The Tetuan-
Comas incident threw the Spanish par
ties into discord and witnessed the with
drawal of the Liberal party from the
meetings of Parliament as a protest
against the Minister of States continu-
ance in office.
The following are the questions put to
Sagasta together with his replies:
"Is the withdrawal from politics of the
Liberal party due solely to the incdent?"
withdrawal ie not the correct word
for the attitude of the Liberal party. 1t
Is simply temporary abstention from
attending the sessions Of Parliament
while the Minister of State who has so
gravely wronged that Parliament con-
tinues in the Cabin et.'
by a telegram published some dayc'
ago in this capital, it appears that the
Spanish Conservatives, rather than the
Americans themselves considered that
you entertain the possibility of the eale
os Cuba. Do you intend to reply in pub
lie to the insinuations of the Conserva-
tive press?"
lls5 NY NItWS, Will WIllCL d.l
the world is familiar, that suppos.tion is
60 grotesque that 1 do not care to make
any reply to it al all. trust that public
opinion will not regard it as serious
charge. Indeed, the Public has not done
co."
when was in Porto Rico four months
ago the Autonomist Commission of that
island. which had just returned from
Spain, told me that you promised them
that, on your party coming into power,
you will give Porto Rico complete admin
istrative autonomy. Is that so?"
IT did say to the Autonomists that the
Liberal party will give Porto Rico COM
plete administrative autonomy, ard 1
have praised the tendency which the
Autonomists are manifesting toward
Identifying themselves with the Liberal
party of the peninsula, because this will
facilitate the administration of the An
titles and will link them more closely
with the mother country"
"Will you favor me with some outline
Of the policy which the Liberal party pro-
poses to follow in Cuba?"
"In all that concerns the integrity OF
the mother country there is no differ
ence of opinion Whatever among the
Spanish parties or politicians. We are all
resolved to make whatever efforts may
be necessary to maintain national SOW
ereignty in Cuba"
MADRID STILL EXCITED
MADRID, May 29-The political crisis
continues The Ministers assert that the
Premier intends to suspend the sittin Sc
Of the Chamber next week, in order tc
postpone until October the overthrow OF
q pessimistic article, declaring that the
United States is preparing to "intervene
with perfidy in Cuba" and asking if the
Spanish nation will swallow the pill.
THE RUIZ CASE
HAVANA, Cuba, May 29.-The COM
mission conducting the inquiry into thc
circumstances surrounding the death u
DR.. Ruiz closed its labors at an early
hour today. A mysterious messenger
from Washington came from Tampa
on the steamer Mascotte this morning
but did not land. Mr. Fishback secre-
tary of the commission, accompanied bS
Consul-General Lees son. went Or
board the steamer before she sailed and
held a brief consultation with the
stranger, and it is supposed that thes
delivered to him the report of the COM
mission and other highly important dis
patches from Consul General Lee ant
Mr. Calhoun.
DR.. Jose Congosto. the Spanish consu
at Philadelphia, who represented th'
Spanish government in the inquiry, i