The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-15
TROOPS MUTINY IN CUBA
DISSOLUTION OF THE 0RDEN PU3LiC0 OF
HAVANA.
Troops Demanded Arrears. Mutiny Prec pitated
by ArcIas' Brutality. Seven thousand
Mutiny, Demanding their Pay.

Mutlny, demanding theIf ray.
Havana. Nov. 13. via Key West, Fla,
Nov. 1.-THE mutiny of the Orden Pub
leo force, which for two days threatened
the peace of this city, resulted in the
dissolution of that body today, when,
after the payment of some arrears and
the promise of a full liquidation. the re-
voting troops laid down their arms.
Captain General Blanco then ordered all
the foot and mounted regiments of the
Orden Hublico to bc disbanded.
The Havana mutiny. which started
yesterday, was precipitated by General
Arolas, the military governor of the
city. whose fiery temper and brutal
treatment of officers is the source of
daily spreading discomfort. At midnight
on Wednesday. General Arolas. at the
head of battalion of regular infantry.
having been apprised of the intention of
the troops to join in the mutiny and de-
mand their pay surprised the artillery
outposts stationed along the Vedado
Road. including the Santa Clara and
Re'na Chorrera batteries, disarmed them
and placed them under surveillance.
ne ueAl ulbIilIliS Ihulsud!j tht
| Third company of the Orden PublicO.
numbering about $50 men, drew mp be-
fore the Captain Generals palace. in the
Plaza de Armas. and demanded their
overdue pay. The men were ordered to
retire, but refused. General Arolas, who
arrived ON the scene almost simultaneous
| ly, lifted his baton Of office and savagely
attacked some of the onlookers. seriously
1 -l1
| had rushed out of the palace from curios-
Iity
BY this time the Plaza de Armas was
| filed with wildly excited crowds. who
| loudly condemned and cursed General
| Arolas. They were quieted by General
| Solano Captain General Blanco's chief
of staff.
The mutinOus Orden Publico learned
later that General Ar0laS had called over
| 4 900 regulars in from the suburbs. Be
Ilieving that General Arolas meant to dis
arm them. the Orden Pubico again left
| their quarters, each man with $50 rounds
| of ammunition in his belt. and lined up
| in the street opposite the armory, ready
/ 10 Offer resistance. if necessary.
| Shortly after nightfall. General Arolas.
at the head Of the regulars. and preceded
by band of music playing national
airs. arrived before the Orden Publico's
| headquarters, where he halted. Before
him stood the mutin0us Third company,
| grim and sulleh.
] General Arolas ordered his men to
charge but they refused to obey. He
then ordered them to fire, which they
also refused to do.
| General ArOas then. after calling the
officers aside and comforting with them
for few minutes, left for the palace.
accompanied by his staff and seven Off
GERS.
| About two blocks from the scene Of
| the mutiny General Arolas' party came
upon an innocent and unsuspecting MEM
ber of the Orden Publico. who was un-
armed. Mad with fury, General Arolas
drew his sword and savagely attacked
the man. inflicting on him wounds from
which the victim of the assault died
| this morning.
In the mix up Lieutenant Malta, Gen
eral Arolas aide de camp. had his hand
cut, supposedly BY General Arolas' sword,
as ii was the only one drawn.
Towards midnight most of the regi-
ments of the Orden Publico. both cavalry
and infantry. throughout the city, had
mutinied and turned out, fully armed.
| General Arolas, with the regulars, met
them at the Calseada del M0nta, where
| Il repetition of the earlier incidents oc-
CURED, the troops again refusing to obey
orders to fire when commanded to do so.
| \ conference then took place between
the officers and the men and the mutt
neers disbanded and retired for the night.
The night passed without any further
untoward incident, bringing about today
| the result before mentioned, namely, the
disbanding Of the Orden Publico forces.
MUTINY AZ NEUVITAS.
Key West Fla. Nov 14.-private re-
ports from Puerto Principe and Neuvi-
tas. Cuba, say that seven thousand reg
ular soldiers mutinied demanding their
pay before embarking for Spain. About
four thousand armed soldiers the re-
ports add, presented themselves in front
of the palace. calling on the military
governor, Emilio March. for their over
due pay. Thereupon General March
drew his sword and ordered them to
disband. The soldiers however, refused
to obey and some of them. armed with
loaded rifles, threatened the life OF Gen
eral March, who returned his sword to
its scabbard, crying out:
DO you wish to kill me? Well, kill
me-"
| The soldiers, in reply, shouted;
| mo. no. we only want our pay before
embarking for Spain
| General March promised that they
would be paid and the soldiers return
ed to their quarters peaceably.
The steamer Alava left Havana four
days ago with $150,000 with which TO
pay those soldiers who were to embark
Immediately for Spain.
| The cruiser Alfonso MI and the gun
boats Conde de Venadito and lnfanta
Isabel have proceeded for Nuevltas to
compel the soldiers to embark, AFTER
which they will proceed TO Gibara for
| like purpose and will then go to SPAN
unless new orders are received.
EnnuSI YESTERDAY