The record-union., 1897-08-06
His Departure From Matanzas Due
to Orders From Madrid.
Severely Criticised for Not Taking the Field
Earlier.
Possibility That the Forces of
Weyler and Gomez May Soon
Come Face to Face-Insurgents
Becoming Active in Havana and
Pinar del Rio Provinces.

NEW YORK, Aug. 5.-A dispatch to
the Herald" from Havana says: 1t
is rumored that General Weyler's de-
parture for Matanzas was due to orders
direct from Madrid, sending him to the
front. Weyler made preparations tn
take the field some days ago, but ac-
cording to a statement made by an
officer at the palace, he delayed his de-
parture in order to mature a plan to
entrap General Castillo.
The Captain-GeneraI is severely crit
lclsed here for not having taken the
field earlier For three weeks now
bands of insurgents have been swarm
ing into Matanzas and even Havana
They have raided small towns and
made demonstrations before large
towns. They have landed expeditions
and had time to organize. Yet Cen
eral Weyler contented himself with re-
naming on the. defensive and only re-
| tallatlng on the insurgents by issuing
DEGREES that considerably aggravated
the sufferings of the unfortunate re-
concentrates. 1t was only when the
insurgents boldly attacked the suburbs
OF Havana that public opinion forced
him to go.
Public opinion, with regard to Wey-
ler's policy, is beginning to manifest
itself Business is at a standstiu and
the merchants throw the blame upon
the Government. They say General
Weyler's edicts practically restrict them
from doing business with the interior.
The wholesale arrests that have lately
been made and the terror Of the people
on the outskirts Of the city help to
swell the feeling of uneasiness and dis
content with the way the campaign is
being carried on.
According to insurgent proclama-
lions, General Gomez is due in Matan-
zas about the time General Weyler will
arrive there. The chances are that there
Will be heavy fighting. There is a pos
slbllIty, too, that Weyler's and Gomez's
forces may come face to face
The insurgents not only stopped all
traffic on the railway line i'm Matanzas
and Santa Clara during the last week,
but they attacked several towns gar
risoned by Spanish troops
On July 9th a large band entered En-
crucyada and carried off whatever they
wanted. They raided and burned stores
and when they retired drove away
withSthem a large herd of cattle The
Spanish commander of the town, Simon
Guenec, shut himself up in a church
with his soldiers. The men in the fort
fired Unfortunately without exposing
themselves.
Thirty-six hours after the insurgents
had left the town a column of troops
started in pursuit.
Encrucyada has population of about
5000 and is situated on the railroad line.
The insurgents recently entered Es
peranza, a railroad town of 5000 per-
sons. They met with some resistance
and there was considerable fighting in
the streets. According to official ac-
counts the insurgents left twenty
killed when they finally retired.
The commander of the town was seri-
ously wounded. He admits that the
insurgents robbed several stores. Be-
londron, another small town about
eight leagues from Matanzas, was also
raided and many stores and buildings
were destroyed.
In Havana Province on Sunday last
the insurgents attacked Santiago de
Las Vegas, five leagues from the cap
ital. band was playing in the park
at the time, and most of the citizens
were out promenadng. a panic was
threatened, but the Spanish officers
kept their heads and took prompt steps
to repel the insurgents.
There was brisk fighting in the streets
for a time, but eventually the insur-
gents We're forced to retreat. Several
on both sides were killed. The insur-
gents remained close up all night to
keep a fire on the forts.
Four hundred insurgents under Gen.
eral Castillo attacked La Gorcha, a
town ten miles nearer Havana on the
same night. Castillo was not able to
enter the town, but kept a fire on the
forts all night. He also used dyna-
mite with great effect, throwing bombs
into the town and destroying several
public buildings, The bombs were
fired from dynamite guns, which were
landed by a recent expedition. The
Spaniards did not venture out of the
town.
The authorities determined on the
following morning to be revenged on
some one, and arrested the family of
Morales, because the daughter of the
house was the fiancee of Castillo's late
chief of staff. Mr.. and Mrs. Morales.
the daughter and two other children,
We're taken outside the town, ordered to
kneel down, and were fired upon by
squad of Spanish soldiers. Morales, his
wife and one child were killed at the
first volley. The daughter and her Z
year-old brother were wounded and left
on the ground. They will die
Advices from Pinar del Rio state that
the insurgents are becoming active in
the province. In consequence of recent
raids, General Weyler has ordered that
military lines around Havana be tight
ened, and that all cultivation and prop
critics about the lines be at once de-
stroyed.