Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-07-21
REPORT BY WAY OF JAMAICA SAYS
HE WAS SHOT.
STORY Is NOT YET CONFIRMED
II. $. RUBENs SAYS 1T Is NOT HARD
To CREDIT 1T.
Has n Theory as to How Garcia May
Have Been killed-Sketch of the
Old Warrior Who Has
Fought So Long
for Cuba.

NEW YORK, July eo.-A Kingston. ia
naica. special to the Evening Post. says:
"Cubans arriving from Sboney bring in
reports of the death of General Garcia.
They make a mystery Of II. saying that
II should not be known in Cuba yet or in
the United States. for reasons of state,
anG give no particulars, except that he
was shot. Spanish refugees here who are
officially connected with General Blanco
believe the story"
The last word directly received by the
Cuban junta in this city from Garcia was
dated Before Santiago. July IL 1t was a
cable message and stated briefly that he
was Well and that the progress of events
was satisfactory. At that time General
Garcia was to the west of Santiago. guard
ing the approaches from expected REIN
forcements to the city.
Horatio s. Rubens, counsel to the junta,
when given the information contained in
the Evening Posts dispatch said this aft
ernoon that news of Garcia's death had not
been received at the junta, but that. at
best, communication with the Cuban forces
in the field was irregular.
Il am greatly surprised" he said. but
] do not find ii hard TO credit the dispatch.
During the assault on Santiago Garcia was
in the. west with his command. with the
special duty of intercepting reinforcements
and cutting of the retreat of the Spanish
soldiers.
When the city fell. his duty there was
at an end. But. IL appears. the attack on
Manzanillo was then planned. Manzarfllo
lies to the west. and it is. therefore, prob
able that Shafter detailed Garcia's COM
mand to cut off reinforcements there. Hol-
suin lies near ManzanilIo. and was gar
risoned by a considerable force, as the
American general must have known.
1T is not unlikely that Garcia and his
men came into conflict with body of
Spanish soldiery bound from Holguin for
ManzanilIo.''
Calixto Garcia was In his Goth year, and
was regarded by the Cuban insurgents as
one Of their most intrepid soldiers. In the
ten years war his skill bravery and en-
ergy won him continued promotion until
he received a generals star. In an action
in 1874 Garcia was surrounded by Spanish
troops; rather than surrender he shot him.
self through the chin with suicidal intent.
He lived and was sent to SPAIN He was
released in 49, when the peace of Zenjon
was declared.
Garcia at once set out for New York and
organized an expedition to Cuba. He
landed in Santiago de Cuba, but was taken
prisoner second time. He eluded the
vigilance of the prison guard in Spain one
night after fifteen years imprisonment
and fled to England.
Garcia was the promoter of the Hawk
ins expedition. which left this city in jan
uary, 1885, with 900 men and a large guam
tity of supplies and ammunition. The YES
sci sank He next fitted out the Bermuda
which was seized upon the eve of her de-
parture. in February, 1886 by United
States marshal and his deputies.
Garcia arrested and released in q 5fD
bail. He at once made ano;her start and
landed in Cuba several days before the
day set for his trial in this city
For the last two years he has been en-
gagged in conducting the campaign of the
Cubans against Spain in the province OF
Santiago de Cuba