The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-12
The Famous General Was with Cuban
Arrived i'm This Country.
HISTORY OF THE OLD WARRIOR
THIRTY YEARS SPENT IN BATTLE
AND IN SPANISH PRISONS.
Attempted Suicide Rather than Cap
ture, and Carried the 1IarI of a
Bullet to His Death.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11-General Claxito
Garcia. the distinguished Cuban warrior and
leader, and the head of the commission
elected by the Cuban assembly to visit this
country, died here this morning shortly after
10 O'Clock at the Hotel Raleigh, where the
commission has its headquarters. The sud-
den change from the warm climate of Cuba,
with the hardships he had there endured, to
the wintry weather of New York and Wash
ington, is responsible for the pneumonia
which resulted in his demise. He contracted
slight cold in New York, which did not
assume an alarming stage until the early
part Of last week. On Tuesday night Cen
eral Garcia, in company with the other
members of the commission, attended a din
ner given in his honor by General Miles,
and it was a result Of the exposure that
night which eliminated in his DEATH Dur
ing the twelve hours or more preceding dis
solution General Garcia was unconscious
most of the time. At intervals he recog-
nized one or more about him. During his
dying moment. as all through his busy and
active life, his thoughts were for his be-
loved country and Its people, and among his
last words were irrational mutterings in
which he gave orders to his son, who is on
his staff for the battle which he supposed
was to occur tomorrow, and in which he
understood there were only 400 Spaniards
to combat. Just before he died he embraced
his son.
Rev Father Magee, of ST. Patrick s
Church. was called in during the day and
was With General Garcia uhtn the end, ,ad-
ministering the last rites of tha Catholic
Church. Other members of the commission
and Mr. D-J,a
try, were also in the bed chamber when the
end came. The remains were Immediately
prepared for burial, and were placed on a
bier in the room in which he died. A large
Cuban flag served as a covering and the
head rested on one of smaller dimensions.
The face and bust were left exposed to pub
lie view. The features had remarkably
hfelike appearance, and gave no indication
of the suffering which the deceased had
borne. Just above the head rested a mag
nificent floral piece of red and white roses
and crossed palms tied with a pure white
ribbon
BY direction of Major General Miles a
detachment of soldiers from Battery T..
Sixth Artillery, at the barracks here, under
command of Lieutenant Cox, was detailed
as bodyguard for the remains
After General Garcia's death stems were
taken to notify the government officials here
and also the executive committee of the
Cuban Assembly, which has it's headquarters
at Marianao Cuba. Secretary Joe Vilalon.
OF the commission, sent a telegram of noti-
hcation to Mendez Capote the president of
the Cuban Assembly, who is now in Havana.
LETTER FROM M'KINLEY.
AS soon as the death became, known a
number of visitors, including many public
men. came to the hotel to express their con-
dolences. President Mckinley manifested his
sympathy by sending a suitably worded let
ter and Vice President Hobart sent his card
Among those who called were Senators
Foraker, Money, Proctor and Chandler, and
Gems. Lawton and Wheeler.
General Garcia left a large family only
one of whom, Justo Garcia. was with him
when he died His widow and Mercedes. a
daughter seventeen years old, are at
Thomasville, Ga, where the girl is quite ill.
Mario son aged nineteen, is with the
mother at Thomasville, and Colonel Carlos
Garcia, another son, is in Cuba. A daughter
Leonora who married an American, is now
Irving i'll Paris. General Garcia's mother is
still alive and resides in Havana
General Garcia, whose name will be ever
linked with those Of other patriots who
have fought against unequal odds for the
freedom of his country, has had most
active and varied life, much of which has
been spent in fighting for the cause of
Cuban liberty, which he had the satisfaction
of seeing accomplished so short a time be-
fore his death. He was a man OF culture
and refinement, of splendid education and
came from a distinguished family of
Jaiquani, Of Santiago de Cuba province He
was born in Cogquin, Oct. A. 1899, and was
therefore in the sixtieth year of his age
General Garcia was educated in Havana
and in Spain. In 1864 he was married to
Isabel Velez. General Garcia was the orig
inal conspirator in the uprising of the
Cubans against Spain in 1868 and in that
war under Gomez he attained the rank Of
a brigadier general. In October of 1868 he
captured the towns of Jaiquani and Baire,
and recruited many hundreds of patriots.
He had command of the eastern depart
ments during that revolution after 1873 and
wen many notable victories. including those
at Melones and Aures. While the revolution
was in critical state in the other provinces
and its outcome was uncertain he main
tanned it with vigor in the territory under
his command
TRIED TO KILL HIMSELF.
III 1910, Wulic accommodating Will MS eS-
cort, he was surrounded by two thousand
Spaniards. Preferring death to capture and
subsequent execution at the hands of his
enemy, he attempted suicide by placing his
revolver under his chin and firing. The bull
let came out between his eyebrows. For
months he lay between life and death, but
was finally saved by Spanish surgeons, who
possibly had owed their own lives to his
mercy. The Spaniards, believing he was
about to die, gave him pardon. The hole
which the bullet made when ii entered the
chin and came out between the eyebrows
was always visible, and shows plainly in