The San Francisco call., 1898-04-01
SOLDIERS ON
 THE RAMP AGE Spaniards Under Com nand Of Benedito Are
 Enraged.
Made Desperate by the Shooting of the Officer They Arrest
 and Maltreat Civilians.
Comment Caused by the Nasty De- portation of Correspondent
 From Havana.
Copyrighted. 1898. by James Gordon Bennett

HAVANA (via Herald-Call dispatch steamer to Key West), March 31.-The negro's crime in Guanabacoa, just across the bay from Havana, yester- day, created a disturbance that came near ending in most serious results. Lieutenant Colonel Benedito of La Reina Battalion, Spanish army, was shot and seriously wounded while call ing at the home of pr. Francisco Vidal, 5 Camerera. When the soldiers of Colonel Benedito's command heard of the affair they became infuriated. Seiz- ing their rifles they paraded the streets of the little suburb. intimidating resi- dents and in several instances assault ing passers-by with the butts of their guns and flats of their swords. Many citizens were arrested by them and forcibly taken to the barracks. but they were afterward released. Two persons were wounded during the disorder, which at no time reached the propor- tions of a riot. It was reported that one citizen had been killed, but thus far I have been unable to verify the rumor.
 Colonel Beneditos wound, while very serious, is not necessarily fatal. He is now in the military hospital Alfon- so Doce and reported doing well. The rumor circulated last night that there was a scandal at the bottom of the affair is not believed to be well found ed. It is generally thought now the negro aSsailant was animated solely by motives of revenge for the death of the brilliant young inSurgent chief, Gene ral Nestor Aranguen, who was almost idoliZed by the CubanS of Guanabacoa and vicinity.
 The deportation of Musgrave. the cor respondent of the New York Journal and London Chronicle, to Cadiz yester- day, was much discussed among the British and Americans at Havana. Musgrave having made no secret of his recent experiences in an insurgent camp, continued to go boldly about the streets and cafes of the city. No one questions the perfect right of Spanish authorities to arrest and deport him There is much criticism, however, of the method of arrest and deportation. Mus grave was kept incommunicado a whole day without an opportunity to com- municate with friends or the British Consul, and then put aboard the Span fSh mail steamer Buenos Ayres, with out even a change of linen, or any other clothing except that on his back British Consul Gallon learned of Mus graves plight just before the steamer sailed for Cadiz. but did not go to see him. To-day MT. Gallon says he vii endeavor to arrange to have Musgrave provided with clothing and other com forts when the steamship touches Porto Rico en route to Spain. Musgrave's movements have been carefully watch. ed by the police since his return from the rebel camp recently. He knew this but overestimated the tolerance of the military authorities of the present re. gime.
 General Luque's operations in the east, as officially reported, were rose colored fakes. It turns out now thar there was no attack by the Spaniards l am in position to say that Luau, with 1900 infantry. 700 cavalry, force. of artillery, two rapid-f1re guns ant marine infantry under Colonel Carrill, started March 26 from Puerto Padre escorting an important convoy to Sar Augustine, where he was attacked a Maniabon, Cementerio, Aguarras an, Marillo. Luque losing on the journe, forty-siX killed and sixty-seven wound ed, while the Cubans' loss was com paratively small because they am pushed the Spaniards and only attacked at an advantage. It is not know1 whether LuQue lost the supplies.