San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-06-04
CUBAN ARMY AFFAIRS.
One OF GOmez'S Majors In
terVieWed.
WAS A CAPTAIN IN UNCLE
SANS ARMY BEFORE CO.
ING TO CUBA.
Has Been Promoted For Bravery And
Is Home On a FurlOugh-GO-
mez A Strict Military Dis
criplinarian - Cuba'S
New President,

New York, June 4.-When Maj. VIM.
D. Smith, who testified concerning Gu
ban affairs before the Senate commit
tee on foreign relations at Washing
ton, was in New York, he was inter-
viewd by the Herald, which says:
Mai. Smith, formerly a captain in
the United States army, was the only
American officer who held the field in
Cuba as second chief of the personal
escort of Gen. Gomez. He has taken
part in all the important engagements
of the last year. Gomez recently pro-
NOTED him to the rank of Major for
bravery displayed on the field and to
more fully show his gratitude ordered
him on this special. mission at New
York, at the same time granting him
long furlough to visit his family at Mt.
Sterling, Wis.
He also gave him an order on the
Junta for his full salary, amounting to
about 81, 500, which has beeen paid.
Maj. Smith, when questioned about
the condition of the pacificos in the
country, denied emphatically that there
was any suffering among them in the
province of Las Villas, saying that al
though vegetables were somewhat
scarce about month ago abundant
rains have FASTENED the crops and that
at the present sweet potatoes and yams
can be found in plenty.
Maj. Smith stated that he believed
the report that many Americans were
starving in Cuba was greatly exag-
gerated. He bases his belief on the
following facts: While in Trinidad he
was shown letter from Consul Gen.
eral Lee to Mr.. Quaylo, American con-
sui agent at that place, requesting a
list of the destitute American citizens
in his district. Mr.. Quaylo said the
letter was the third he had received
on the subject and to each he was hap
by to reply that there was no starving
Americans in the district of Trinidad,
neither had he heard of any cases of
distress in the neighboring country.
Mai Smith also learned while in
Cienfuegos, where the bulk of Ameri-
can capital is invested in the sugar
factories of the district, and where
consequently there is a fair represen-
tation of American citizens employed
and residing there, that there was not
a single family who needed relief.
This information was corroborated by
the American consul who had made
the report to Gen. Lee at Trinidad.
Mai Smith afterwards stayed
short time in the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba, where several prominent Gu
bans and Americans came to see him,
and they also said that up to that
time, owing to the failure of Gen. Wey-
Ter to operate in the east, the people
were not destitute or in need Of relief.
Recently Gen. Gomez placed under
arrest Col Juan Bravo, who command
ed the brigade at Trinidad. He was
charged with misappropriation of Gu
ban funds, receiving a bride for per-
hitting large numbers of cattle to pass
into the Spanish lines and general in
competency. He was courtmartialed
and Mai Smith believes that by this
time he has been shot.
Maj Smith says that Gomez has
reprimanded Gen. Rodriguez for his
luke warm campaign and ordered him
to the hills of Trinidad. The colored
infantry volunteers, under Quintan
Bandera were placed under his order
Gomez, Maj. Smith says, has awaken
ed of the fact that these hills are of
great strategic Importance to the cause
and Rodriguez and Bandera were or
dereQ 10 prevent at ali HdzdruS the
further incursions Of the Spanish. If
his orders are not carried out, Gomez
threatens to degrade every officer in
the command.
That Gomez will keep his word is
shown in the case of Bravo who re-
peatedly disobeyed the instructions to
destroy all the sugar cane and facto-
ries in Trinidad valley, when ordered
to do so.
These estates guarded by Spanish
forts, have been successfully defended
for long time against the half heart
ed attacks of the Cubans under Bravo.
Under the energetic leadership of Ban
dera, the magnificent sugar factory at
Canabanado, owned by Smith & Fish
er. has been completely destroyed. and
Bandera declares that he will not rest
until the factory at Trinidad. owned