The record-union., 1897-02-19
Such Said to be the Case in Spanish
Official Reports.
other Advices, However, State That
Gomez, With Fifteen Thousand
Troops, Not Only Slips by Wey-
ler's Forces, But Attacks and Cap
lures a Fort and Takes the Whole
Army Through the Trocha.

HAVANA (vfa Key WesD, Feb. 1S.-
copyrighted, 1897, by Associated
Press If official reports are correct,
the insurgent army under General Go
mez has been divided into small corps
and Gomez himself is in full retreat be-
fore the continued advance of Weyler.
Dispatches from Ciego de Aviel say
the insurgnet communicating chief,
with 1000 men, has recroSsed the mill
tary line in the province of Puerto
Principe extending from Jucaro to
Monon, and is going eastward through
Puerto Principe in the direction of the
Capital of the province.
General Cahxto DE Garcia (GomeZ's
second in command) was reported four
days ago in the vicinity Of Puerto
Principe retreating toward the same
point as Gomez.
Weyler arrived yesterday at Sancti
Spiritus, the most important town in
the eastern part of the province of
Santa Clara, near the boundary of
Puerto Principe, in the territory where
the insurgent headquarters were re-
Gently located.
Weyler Will push forward TO Monon
Ciego de Aviel and Jacura, thus SEEM
ingly sweeping across the island with
large force, driving the enemy before
him. He expects to trap Gomez be-
tween the two wings of the Spanish
column and force a decisive engage
ment before the rains put an end to
military operations.
The Cubans believe, however that
Gomez Will, as usual. slip through the
Gordon before being completely en-
veloped.
DR.. ZERTUCHA REPORTED DEAD.
MADRID, Feb. 1S.-A dispatch re-
ceived here from Havana says that it
is reported there that DR.. Zertucha,
who was General Antonio Maceo's
physician. accompanying him at the
time of the insurgent leaders death,
has been assgassinated.
Zertucha was generally reported to
have led Maceo into an ambush of
Spanish troops and has been an OBJ
ject of hatred ever since that tragedy.
although he has empha tically and per-
sistently denied the truth Of the
charges made against him. If the news
prove true as to his death, il will not
be matter Of surprise, as it is known
the insurgents would be only too glad
of an opportunity to kill the man whom
they considered a traitor.
A dispatch from Monta Clara under
date of February 11th said that force
of insurgents were camped at San Gil.
twelve miles from that city, under the
command of Generals Maya Rodriguez
and Chuco Montague, apparently in
tending to continue their march toward
the Vuleta district, in the same PROV
ince
A dispatch from Consolation del Sur
adds that Pinal del Rio is far from be-
ing paciffed. Numerous bands of in
surgents are said to be hidden in
thick woods, and on Monday last the
insurgents dynamited and deraibed an
exploring train from Pinal del Rio be-
tween Los Palacious and Paso Real.
The line is still uninterrupted
Rinar del Rio reports that a small ex-
petition from the Elsie which landed
a La Mulata several days ago was
led by Manuel Maria Coronado. a. cor
respondent Of "El Liberal" OF Madrid.
and by the editor of La Discussion "
Ii adds further that Collaxo landed a
band of insurgents dressed like Spanish
guerrillas. The schooner Mercedes was
captured in February and is now an
cilored in the river Canambo. They had
on board thirty three tons of coal own
ed by Smith & Co. of Trinidad Four
of her crew escaped into the burned
cane fields in that district
The military commander of Arternfsa
Hidalgo reports that families can re-
sumo cultivation in Las Canas District
under the terms of Weyler's first edict.
but ais living inside a fortified zone.
According to the tennis of the second
edict over sixty families of that dis
trict Were compelled to abandon their
homes. burning all the houses. includ-
ing some handsome dwellings and a
large starch factory. and reducing
them to a state of the greatest poverty.
A dispatch from Jaruco says that
Emilio Nunez has landed near there.
The bank bills question is producing
serious differences among the proprie-
tors of the exchange houses and the
Government officials. Many of them
have returned their licenses to the Gov
ernment. and intend to close thsir busi-
ness. The whole matter has caused
great excitement among the people.
particularly in the case of the poorer
classes, as the stores of all descriptions
nave, IN consequence OF The forced sill
Yer bill, raised in the prices of all kinds
OF merchandise 40 per cent This is
making the people here desperate. and
(has added greatly to the burdens they
have been bearing for a long time
MIX and beef are scarce. all kinds of
provisions dear, and grocers and others
have raised the price another 80 per
cent.
To make matters worse, no lottery
ticket sellers are TO be seen on the
streets. which deprives the Government
of frustful source of revenue, and
compels 1t to adopt other measures To
raise the funds necessary to continue
the campaign against the insurgents.
The statement that everybody is tired
of the war has so frequently been made
that it is almost useless to repeat ii, but
recent developments have intensified
this feeling considera bly,. and there is
every evidence of this on all sides The
feeling of depression cannot be dissi-
pated by changes in the features of the
campaign. Everybody seems TO be anx-