The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-21
BIsncO Appoints the ReviIed Cuban
Traitor Mayor of Bejucal, in
Havana Province.
SPANISH CUBANS DIVIDED
STORMY MEETING OF CONsERvA-
TIVES AT HAVANA LAST NIGHT.
Marquis De Apextequia Denounced by
the Opponents of AutOnOmy-At-
titude of Insurgents.

HAVANA, Dec. 20-Dr. Zertucha, who
was the physician of the late General An
tonic Maceo, has been appointed mayor OF
Bejucal this province.
Zertucha has belonged in his day to all
the political parties in Cuba. At one time
he was q bandit in the Vuelta Abajo, and
his record was very dscreditable. 1t was
quite inexplicable to the friends of Maceo
that he kept the physician on his staff for
so long q period, Notwithstanding the warn
ings given him. Maceo used to say that
Zertucha's fault was his drinking habit.
At the time the famous Cuban command
er was killed Zertucha was charged with
leading him and his party into the fatal am
bush but he issued long statement in
which he tried to show that Maceo met his
death in battle in the usual way. Zertucha
also bitterly assailed the honor of the other
Cuban leaders. After the killing of Maceo
the dishonored physician was allowed to go
free by the Spaniards, and it was said, and
generally believed, that his pockets We're
we'll lined with Spanish gold
Maxine Zertucha was born a Spaniard,
graduated from the medical department of
the Havana University and joined the rebel
army about nine months before the killing
of Maceo. His appearance in the rebel
camp caused some comment, because he
was among those who had welcomed Wey-
Ter to Havana after Martinez Campos re-
turned to Spain. But the Cubans needed
a physician and accepted his protestations
of fealty to his adopted country. 1t took
him three-quarters of a year to get into
the position he desired, and then he led
General Maceo to where the great Cuban
leader and all Of his staff except the traitor
~l1,% 70 In Gnap pfcIa elY1a1,t
cade.
zertucha was one of the few Cubans well
come in Spanish social circles at Havana.
He had served in the futile ten-year war,
but gave up to the Spaniards before it was
over. He served his time in prison and the
Cubans considered that the prison term had
wiped out the stain of detection and count
ed the clever young doctor patriot. Then
came this war. For year it was waged
with varying fortune in the eastern jungles
of Cuba. Gomez and Maceo passed the
eastern trocha as if it had not been there.
Down they came with two armies through
the very center of Cuba, burning the cane,
harassing the Spaniards, fighting all the
way. Town after town fell before them,
until the Spani9rds held only the ground
on which they stood. A banker, mer-
chant. a planter and capitalist called on
Captain General Campos and told him that
the two rebel leaders must be taken from
the head of the patriots army.
I'VE will raise million a piece for
them,' said the spokesman.
There is not money enough in all Spain
and Cuba combined to buy Gomez and
Maceo from their commands" was Cam
pos's recorded answer.
Even two millions of dollars could be
paid for the lives of these two men," per-
sisted the spokesman THE revolution will
cost Spain a hundred times that if they
live"
"Assassinationr' said Campos.
The four men of money shrugged their
shoulders.
You could get men to do this thing?"
asked the captain general.
I'VE have the man."
Then" said Martinez Campos, you had
better not tell me his name! Such man
is not fit to breathe the same atmosphere
as men of honor! l prefer to see Spain in
the abyss of defeat rather than stain my
conscience and my name with such
crimer
The four men of money and respectability
and prominence bowed and retired. On
Opispo street, just around the corner from
the palace, they met DR.. Maximo Zertucha,
and the five went up town together. The
story was publicly told in Havana by mem
nothing came Of it the Cubans rather at
tributed it to the officers desire to paint the
Then Campos went away to Spain and But
cher Weyler came. Among the crowd that
thronged his first levee was DR.. Zertucha.
Meanwhile the rebels were almost at the
gates of Havana. They had swarmed over
the line and was raiding in Pinar del Rio
far to the westward. Havana was in an
uproar. No one would have been surprised
if the rebel armies had swarmed over the
Gordon of forts and fought the Spanish le-
gions on the Prado itself
No one knew exactly what Weyler was
doing in those first days of his incumbency.
1.dr ohr1 han6 yns hCt tnep ar1rF
mented by accessions from the young nitn
of Havana, and in one of the parties that
sknlRed out on the t road 5nat n sKlrts 13sl 1a
patched back to Havana that Zertucha was
with Gomez and the Cubans hugged them
selves with delight He was recruit worth
having. Men were more willing to expose
themselves to Spanish machetes and Mauser
bullets when they knew that Zertucha's
skill would make their wounds we'll again.
Zertucha was attached to General Maceo.
He conveyed the information of his scces-
sion to power to Weyler in Havana. The
message was brought by peasant of Arte-
mesia. A plot was formed. Maceo was in
yited to conference %, or truce with the
Spaniards and against Zertuchas $ advice le-
fused to meet the Marquis of Ahumada-
Then came the more desperate betrayal.
Maceo determined to cross the trocha. The
trocha could not be forced except by great
sacrifice of men, so Maceo decided to pass
1t with a few In the night. There were plen-
ty of men for him to command in Havana
province. On the I'd and Sd of December,
M&ceo's scouts reported that the trocha was
and on the night of the 4th Maceo, with his
staff, crossed the trocha, leaving General
Rus Rivera in command of the Cuban
forces i'm the western provinces.
No one but Maceo's immediate staff knew
of his intended movement, but the Spaniards
were kept well informed. In view of sub
seQuent events il is morally certain that
their information came from the surgeon.
Maceo notified the Cuban Junta in Havana
on the 9TH that he had crossed the trOcha
The next day, with very small staff only
half Il dozen men, among them Brigadier
Miro, Maximo Gomez's son and Zertucha
Maceo rode into Havana province. Ter
tucha told Maceo that he knew every loot
of the country, and pointed out hidden
path through Il cane field as the easiest and
safest way for Maceo 10 reach lhe main
body of rebels in Havana. Maceo listened
to him and they passed into the cane, rid
ing single file They had hardly reached
the thicker part OF the cane field when Zer-
tucha's saddle slipped under him and he
alghted To cinch 1t up. The rest of the par
ty went on ahead.
Suddenly out of the cane ON either side
rose 500 Spanish soldiers, commanded by
Major Cirujeda.
Surrender cried voice in the cane.
I'VE offer you life and an honorable
treaty"
viva Cuba Librev" was Maceos answer
ing cry.
He dashed his horse In the direction Of
the voice. Out of the cane came a volley
and Zertucha had won the prize of treason
~ - - Na