The herald., 1897-06-05
OF
SUFFERING
Have Been Most Grossly
Exaggerated
CUBANs ARE NOT STARVING
CUBANs ARE NOT STARVING
NOR ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS
IN DISTRESS
Gomez's Aid, Formerly a United
States Army Captain, Gives
Some Reliable information
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK, June 4.-When Major
William D. Smith. who testified on Cuba
affairs before the Senate Committee OH
Foreign Relations in Washington, was
in New York he was interviewed by the
Herald, which scys: Major Smith was
formerly a Captain In the United States
army and is the only American officer
who has reached the field in Cuba. AS
second A,ief of the personal escort Of
General Gomez, he has taken part in all
the engagements of the last year. Co.
mez recently promoted him to the rank
Of Major for bravery displayed on the
field, and, to more fully show his graft
tude, ordered him on this special mission
to New York, at the same time granting
him long furlough to visit his family
at Mount Sterling, Wis. He also gave
him an order on the junta for his full
salary, amounting to about $2500. which
hae been paid.
Mr.. Smith, when questioned about the
condition Of pacif1cos in the country, de-
MED emphatlcally that there was any
suffering among them in the province of
Las Villas. saying that although vege-
tables were somewhat scarce about a
month ago, recent abundant rains have
hastened the crops. and at present
sweet potatoes and yams can be found
in plenty.
Major Smith stated that he believed
10 ho A rto ov,r
were starving in Cuba were greatly ex-
aggerated. He bases his belief on the
following facts: While in Trinidad he
was shown letter from Consul General
Lee to Mr.. Quale, American Consular
agent at that place, requesting q list
OF the destitute American citizene in his
district. Mr.. Quale said the letter was
the third he had received on the subject
and to each he was happy to reply that
there was no starving American m the
district Of Trinidad: neither had he
heard of any distress.
Major Smith also learned while In
Cienfuegos, where the bulk Of American
capital is invested in the sugar factories
of the district, and where, consequently,
there is fair representation Of American
citizens employed and residing there,
that there was not single family that
needed relief. This information was cor
roborated by the American Consul, who
had already made a report to General
Lee similar to that of the United States
Consular agent at Trinidad"
Major Smith afterward stayed a short
time in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba.
where several prominent Cubans and
Americans came to see him, and they
also said that up to that time, owing
to the failure Of General weyler to oper-
ate in the east. the people were not des-
titute nor in need of relief.
Recently Gen. Gomez placed under ar.
rest Col. Juan Bravo, who commanded
the brigade of Trinidad. He was
charged with misappropriation of Cuban
funds, receiving a bribe for permitting
large numbers of cattle to pass into the
Spanish lines, and general incompeten-
cy. He was ,court-martialed and Majo,
Smith believes that by this time he has
been shot.
Major Smith says that Gomez sharply
reprimanded Gen. Rodriguez for his
lukewarm campaign and ordered him tc
the hills OF Trinidad. The volunteer In
fantry under Brig. Gen. Quentin Ban
dera was placed under his orders,
Gomez, Major Smith said, had awak-
ened to the fact that these hills were OF
very great strategic Importance and
Rodriguez and Bandera were ordered to
prevent at all hazards the further in
cursions of the Spanish If his orders
are not carried out Gomez threatens Ia
degrade every officer in the command
That Gomez will keep his word is shown
in the case of Bravo, who repeatedly
disobeyed instructions to destroy the
sugar cane and factories Of Trinidad
valley. These estates, guarded by Span
ish forts. have been successfully de.
Tended for long time against the half
hearted attacks of the Cubans under
Bravo. Under the energetic leadership
Of Bandera the sugar factory at Cana
mabo, owned by Smith and Fischer has
been completely destroyed, and Ban
dera. declares that he will not rest until
the factory at Trinidad, owned by MI
Stillman, of Boston, shares like fate
Messrs. Smith and Fischer are German
subjects.
Major Smith, who led Gomez's escort
in all recent engagements with Gen
Weyler, says that the Cuban leader
sticks to his old tactics Of worrying the
Spanish columns, but that now and then
he tires of lodging and gives them q
good sharp fight. The most important
one that has occurred during the pres
ent campaign took place on the estate
Reforma. toward the end Of April
Gomez was informed that Gen. Wey-
Ter, at the head Of $4,000 men, divided
into eight columns, was to make su-
preme effort to annihilate him. Hastily
concentrating the forces Of Major Rod.
riguez, Pedro Diaz and Bandera, NUN.
bering about 1000 men. he waited fol
Gen. Weyler on the Reforma and ther.
occurred one of the hardest fights Of the
war. For two days Gomez successfully
resisted every maneuver Of Gen. Wey.
Ter to encircle him and, foiled and dis.
appointed, Gen. Weyler withdrew ths
bulk OF his forces to Sancti Spiritus
Major Smith says that the Cubans
never left the Reforna. Gomez had q
killed and 80 wounded
Comes Will qoon recrosgs the trocha o1
Moron 70 be present at JagA II the month