The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-17
lORAL ASKED MADRID
Gaining Time By Battling
Skaters Agents.
FINALLY FORCED TO SIGN
His Commissioners Yielded
With Bad Grace.
FINALLY FORCED TO SIGN

"Al' Wa livingston, Jamaica, July is, az
q m.-The preliminary basis for the ca.
pitulahon Of the Spanish forces in east
ern Cuba was agreed to and signed under
picturesque cieba tree halfway between
the lines, shortly after midnight Our com.
rnissioners were invited 90 enter the CITY
by those representing General Tolar, 5ut
the Invitation was declined and the con.
s,serence was held under the spreading
cfeba, just such a tree under which Col.
ombus assisted at mass when he frst
landed in Cuba.
AT the very outset a hitch occurred
owing 10 misunderstanding of what was
said at the personal interview between
General Shafter and General Tolar at
noon, Thursday At that time our in
terpreter, translating the language Of Gen
eral Tolar, had given General Shafter,
Miles and Wheeler distinctly to under
stand that General Tolar had consented
that the commissioners should have plen-
Gry powers TO negotiate the terms of sur
render. such terms as they agreed upon
10 be binding upon both parties. Some
thing was said about notification to the
insisted that the population had been ac-
tually agreed to and that no further con-
sent of the Madrid government was re-
Quired.
When the commissioners met, shortly
after ? O'Clock in the afternoon. those in
behalf Of General ToIar General Escario.
Lieutenant Colonel Fortan and Robert
Mason, the British vice consult, combat
ted at once that the capitulation had ac-
tually taken place. The consent Of Ma
drid, they insisted, was still necessary.
but 1.-THE same time they claimed strong
" that it would be forthcoming. as CAPTAIN
General Blanco had advised it and the
home government would do the same
thing. General Tolar, who was present
and who in fact directed the negotiations
on his own behalf, said he had never
been Overruled by the captain general
Still he said until Madrid had sanctioned,
Santiago had not capitulated.
All this was extremely unsatisfactory to
our commissioners, VINO chung tenaciously
20 the underst landing General Shafter had
received earlier in the day
Finally. with the question of whether
or not the Spanish forces had actually
@A- H-iANADN Sun Oltlllr iIlt commissioners
proceeded 10 the consideration of the pre-
liminaries
Captain Aliley mad drawn up thirteen
articles of a general nature and these
were submitted to General Tolar person
ally. He made a strong appeal that the
word 'captulation'' be used instead of
the {arsher term surrender" and that /
his army be allowed to march out, the
officers with their side arms and the men
with their small arms. He said the arms
could afterwards be sent TO Spain. either
or the same ships with the troops or on
some other shops. General Tolar further
remarked that he expected that our COM
rnissioners, as represen ia tiVes Of a brave /
and chivalrous race. would not seek TO /
Aumiliate his army or make it appear
That he was vanished. As brave men, his !
soldiers desired to go home with honor. |
They had simply yielded TO superior force |
and they would prefer dying 10 going /
home without their honor.
our commissioners could not resist this |
appeal. but they said it lay beyond the |
terms laid down by our government and |
they could only recommend the matter
10 Washington.
the city 10 consult with General Linares. |
General Tolar and the Spanish commits
sioners returned al o'clock saying they
desired a still further change in the phra-
5eology in the articles and suggested a
pos ponement Of the negotiations until
his morning. This General Wheeler firm
y declined. Thereupon a recess was taken
until $3.50. The commissioners returned at
hat hour and the articles We're gain gone
over in detail. arious changes Of verbiage
y mich tended only 10 soften the sound Of
he terms without affecting the sense
we're proposed by the Spanisris. and our
accepted practically all of
hem.
Shortly after midnight General Wheeler
that the good faith OF the Span
ards be tested. All the articles were re-
cad and each commissioner in turn was
sked Il they were satisfactory. When
hey replied in the affirmative, General
Wheeler askd them % affx their sigma
ures. This they appeared 20 be reluctant
o do. but they could not well refuse
When all had signed, the commissioners
eparated To meet again at $50 IL the
morning, Friday)
7 ne plEHt-AEe AAANsi4-NE ~ dAk-ApAll4tS are
o continue in control Of the city until
he Spanish troops are embarked.
The Spanish troops from other points
re 10 be embarked at she nearest ports.
Refugees are 20 return 10 their homes
,ut viii not until the sanction Of Madrid
: received and the same applies 10 the
enovl Of the distractions a. the mouth
4 the harbor.
Pending THIS. however. Miss Clara Bar
on and The Red Cross agents. with sup
lies, are 20 be allowed 70 enter the city
yer the line Of the Juragua railroad
The water which was cut is 10 be re-
aired today No Cubans are 10 De allow
d 10 enter the city.
AL the artillery and the batteries at the
ntrance Of he habor are % D. lef intact
nd We are to obtain possession OF the
urboat IN the harbo-.
Pending The sanction OF Madrid. every
ming is a. = standseiu. and as 4 resul,
he troops on both sides remain in the
renches.
While there Is only = remote chance
: the government a; Madrid upsetting Z
verifying at the last moment such al
vent IS still recognized as a possibility
However. our plans are being prepared
5 though the campaign were over
General Skaters headquarters sre 70
10 moved, probably today. 10 me hign
round north OF the city. where the whole
{ our army viii be encamped after San
ago is evacuated. pending the possibii-
y Of its embarkat!ou Tor the island OF
'orto Rico.
The troops which were landed at Sibon-
s. but which were not brought up, are
, Be sent hack On hoa-d he .rarsnorts