The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-06
MACEO, THE DARING.
Major Julio Baz Tells Of His Fear
less Ways.
A Host of Gentle Manners and Dis
criminating Taste In Letters.

army OF lnucDcDCeuCe, tcillpOrhrhy fcsiu-
ing In New York In order TO recover from
his wounds lie has served as aid-dc-camp
to the elder Maceo, and To him the death
Of that real hero comes with the force of
crushing blow.
"You know" continued the major,
"that nowhere more than in the Antilles
does the feeling against negro blood pre-
vail. The present war has done wonders
toward stamping out color prejudice, how
ever, and, In my case at least, it served to
make me thoroughly ashamed of my sense
less objection to the mulutto as chief. I
first joined Antonio Maceo In MataDzas.
shortly af.er bis elevation to tho rank of
lieutenant general l had preferred serv-
ing under Gomez, but duty called and I
had to obey However, had only to spend
ten minutes with Maceo To become CON-
pletely won over. IN the first place, he up
set all my precopcoived notions of his per-
sonality. OF course he was brown skinned,
but his features were handsome, his eyes
fine and his figure and bearing so graceful
and commanding that one saw In him at
once the we'll hammered man as we'll as the
dashing cavalry commander.
"His manners, even ~ the field, were
perfect. / have Dcen aim sitting on soap
box as hastily impTovised supper table
after days fighting, and do not think
that the Duke Of Tetuan or any other Span
ish grandee could play the host with great
er polish and dignity. He was admirably
educated-a Jesuit's 10y, believe--and
his acquaintance with Spanish, English
and French literature surprised me. For
instance, have heard him quote from
Rudyard Kipling's 'Barrack Room Bal
lads He expressed q wish once that some
Cuban could translate Kipling into the
vernacular.
'I have been with Maceo in several en-
gagements. On one OCCASION during an en-
counter at Mayana, near where the trocha
of 1896 loses itself In the seacoast marshes
of Pinar del Rio, we fell in with body OF
Spanish. They far outnumbered us, but
one could tell by tho irregular way in
which they made their mausers crack that
they were not veterans. AS events proved,
they were, in fact, lot of recent recruits
boys almost Maceo had us in the shelter
of some palms before you could cross your
self, and here we awaited the next volley.
1t came-tho shot rattling among the leaves
and bowling over very few OF U.S. Then
suddenly Maceo gave the order to charge.
Wo whipped out our machetes and went for
them with whoops and yells. / saw An
tonic good horses length ahead OF the
next man. Ho was not shouting, but he
seemed to be calmly knotting tho cord OF
his macheto handle more firmly to his
wrist. One of the Spanish officers let fly a
brace of revolver bullets at him, but missed
each time Next moment Antonio was
upon him, and / heard the slicing OF q
machete We sent those Spaniards right
about face and chased them within 500
yards of the trocha. was In hot pursuit,
for 1t was my first lively fight and had
just cut man down when i heard high
voice sing out, Altar 1t was the general,
and when / rode back here he was onoe
more fumbllng at his machete cord.
"'This Internal cord, he said as salut-
ed. 1T must have been made in Spain,
captain.
"We took a few prisoners on that occa-
sion. Now, the Spanish showed our pris-
oners no mercy. 60 I'm afraid we were
rather inconsiderate with those poor fel-
lows. Toward evening we campco on a
plantation hear Candelaria, the owner of
which, an American, was our friend. Ma
Geo had good dinner and couple OF
glasses Of rye whisky. Afterward he had
the prisoners brought before him to learn
something of Woylers movements, and
very ready those Spanards were to tell all
they know. There Is not much patriotism
in recruit prisoner thousands of miles
from his native Andalusia. Antonio got
plenty OF information, and he felt In high
good humor. One of the prisoners was a
rogush looking, broad shouldered fellow,
who seemed to act as spokesman. Finally
the general asked his name, and what was
our surprise when he answered Antonio
IL. 1.fr l..,
and on his account the whole of that sorry
gang was sent back to the trocha under
cover OF darkness.
"Maceo was proud of both his names.
In a swoop across the trocha we rode by
forced marches TO the outskirts of San An
tonic de los Banos in Havana. 1t was a
most dangerous and difficult trip, and that
was what tho general loved. We burned
four plantations belonging to Spaniards
and the wretched noncombatants, and
when we finally halted at a friends haci-
enda there was no lack of good cheer. Aft
OF supper Antonio snid half jokingly, Il
have an idea that L ought TO ride into the
! city yonder and pny my respects to my
patron saint, San Antonio He unused
over this foolhardy proposition for awhile
and then asked me If could accompany
him. OF course agreed, and with Ramon
! Paja.ito and three others we set out The
camp lay between Lake Aguanabo and Sar
| Antonio. and thus north of the line Of rail
roads 20 Havana. We rode rapidly, recon
motoring as well as 80 could. No signs oi
Spanish occupation could we SEQ when We
rodo into the town. Then remembered
| that it was Sunday night. The garrison
if there was any, was probably at yespers
and when we halted on the outskirts o
the town and put our horses up at sor'
| of drinking shop none of the women In
the place asked questions or showed sus
| picion. In fact, the citizens believed MaceC
leagues away beyond the trocha.
1--WE walked across to the plaza, whert
stands the church OF San Antonio. The or
gan was pcaling, and we knew the people
were at benedlction. The few loungors out
side did not notice us, and before coult
say word Macoo had scribblcd few linc
on n sheet Of paper from his notebook anc
nailed IL TO one of tho church doorpost
with his knife Then no took of his ha
while the bcnodiotion was being pro
nounosd will admit that did not fee
very comfortable standing there at Chi