The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-18

New York, June fS-Captain Rafel
Conte of the Cuban army has arrived at
the headquarters of the Cuban junta il
this city with dispatches from General
Gomez. He was accompanied by lieu
tenant OF the Army of Liberation
Captain Conte and his companion left
Gomez in Las Villas. The general then
had with him a body guard of only 60
men-a. cavalry escort. There was lit
tie food in the region where Gomez was
making his headquarters, so he did not
mass any large number of men there,
but had them spread over large eX-
tent of territory and directed their
,novements from his headquarters.
q He has all the necessary arrange
1Hnents made for the concentration OF
the troops when the proper time comes,
but keeps them scattered and employed
in guerilla warfare in the meantime,
so that they may fiDd food.
The captain claims that Gomez can
concentrate so 900 armed men in a short
time at any point where it is desirable.
There are several thousand more men
who are attached to Gomez army, and
are only waiting for arms to be availa-
BILE for defensive or offensive opera
rions.
In a skirmish with guerillas about
three weeks ago, General Gomez was
wounded in the left arm by a Mauser
bullet. The wound healed quickly how
ever in spite of the generals advanced
age, and when the captain left head
quarters the old chief was able to use
his arm as well as before he was hit.
After leaving Gomez the ENJOYS made
their way to the seacoast, living upon
sweet potatoes and fruit which they
found along the way. For two days
they were without food at all. Finally
they reached the coast between Matan-
zas and Cardenas, and wer taken by
fishing boat to small cay until a
vessel of the blockading feet was re-
ported, when they put off in row.
boat and were picked up six miles off
the coast.
The vessel which picked them up was
the tug Osceola, Captain Purcell. The
Osceola is one of the auxiliary fleet.
They were nearly naked and nearly
famished when they were taken on
board the OSceola, but the officers of
the vessel supplied them with food and
clothing, and carried them into Key
West. From there they came on at
once to this city with their dispatches
Gomez is now especially DESTROYS of
receiving arms and food. 1t is under |
stood that definite plan for the CO.
operation of the troops under Gomez
with the United States troops, when !
the time for such cooperation arrives, !
has been arranged between the general |
and the war department at Washing |
ton. Meantime Gomez will keep his |
forces scattered.
Captain Conte says that from infor-
nation received from Gomez spies, it |
is known that in all the garrisoned |
towns held by the Spanish, sickness is
making great ravageS among the |
troops. The hospitals in Havana are
so overcrowded with sick that proper
medical attention cannot be given
them, and the number of dead in
creases every day.
The coal supply of Havana is nearly
exhausted, and what there is left has
been taken in charge by Blanco, who
has his officers supervise consumption.
The electric lighting company recently
received an order to shut off their
dynamos at 8 o'clock, so that the coal
might be husbanded. After the hour
at which the electric light works shut
Down, Havana is now in darkness.