The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-11
SEVEN MONTHS WITH GOMEZ.
SURGEON OF THE CUBAN LEADER
IN SAVANNAH.

v. SchnrIing Tells of His Experience
With the Insurgents-RevOIu
Was at q Low Ebb Until the United
States. Put New Life Into It-Cubans
and Spaniards Both short of RAJ
tiOns-GOmez Silent Chieftain.
Men who Go to Cuba should Not
Mix Liquor and Fruit-They Must
Do without One or the other.
A member of the staff of Gen. Gomez,
the Cuban commander-in-chef, spent yes
terday in the city. He registered at the
Pulaski as v. Smith, though this is not
his real name. His right name is V.
scharllng.
Mr.. Scharling has spent the last sew
eral months In close association with Gen.
Gomez. He talked at some length of
Gen. Gomez and affairs in Cuba, though
not as freely as he might have done. This
may have been due to the fact that he
spoke with strong German accent. Mr..
scharling is native of Germany. but
has been in this country seven years and
feels himself to be a thorough Ameri-
can.
When asked to explain his connection
with the insurgent leader he said that
he accompanied Maj. w. D. Smith of
Chicago TO Cuba seven months ago. He
is a trained nurse by profession, but af-
ter arriving at Gomez camp he was made
assistant surgeon, and on the death of
the surgeon, who was killed by the Span
iards, he was made surgeon. Mr.. Scharl-
ing said that in company with Maj Smith
he left this country seven months ago,
going by way of the Plant steamship line
70 Havana. They left Havana by rail
and reached Gomezs camp in Santa Clara.
Maj. Smith was made second in command
of cavalry. He was killed Sunday a
week ago, having run into an ambush
Of Spaniards while reconnoitering near
the camp.
Mr.. Scharling said he saw no battles
while he was in Cuba. The Cuban cause
was at rather low ebb when he arrived.
The Cubans contented themselves with
catching attachments of Spaniards and as
saulting them unawares, and the Span
iards pursued the bushwhacking policy
taught them by their adVersaries and shot
them from ambush at every opportunity.
THE Spanards fight like the devil" said
Mr.. Scharling. They never give up even
if they are wounded, but fight to the last
When they are attacked by the Spaniards
they follow them up until they have killed
the last man."
Don't they take any prisoners?" he was
asked.
What would the Cubans do with pris-
oners?" said Mr.. Scharling, with evident
surprise. They have hardly enough to
feed themselves, let alone feeding prison.
ers"
There is no quarter shown on either
side" he said. According to Mr.. Scharl-
ing the Cubans were barely managing to
keep up an existence when he arrived.
In fact. the Spaniards were having things
pretty much their own way. The interior
ence of the United States put new life
into the Instruction, and when he left
Gomez, the leader, had an army of $4,000
men. Many OF them were poorly armed,
some of them having only machetes. The
total armed forces Of the Cubans he esti-
mated at about So, 900 men. The numerous
expeditions which have reached the Island
from Key West In the last few weeks have
put new life into the insurgents, said Mr..
Scharling, as they brought arms,
ammunition and food supplies. The
food supply, Mr.. Scharling said,
is almost exhausted. Meat Is very
scarce. The insurgents had had
none for week when he left. The Span
iards are nearly as bad off. A Spanish SOL
der, who was captured outside of Havana
before his departure, stated that the peo-
pie of the city were pleased when they
could get mule meat and fat dogs.
THE insurgents" said Mr.. Scharling
live largely on sweet potatoes, mangroves
and bananas and drink aguardiente. That's
the trouble with me now. Mangroves and
aguardente, or sugar cane rum, are not
good for a civilized stomach. Aguardiente
is the popular drink of the Cubans.
Mr. Scharlng said that he left Cuba on
account of his health and also to bring dis
patches to the authorities in this country
AS to the health conditions in Cuba, he
said that in the cities the conditions are
very bad. smallpox, yellow fever and dys-
entery prevailing. In the country the con-
ditions are fairly good provided the men
are supplied with good food and take
proper care of themselves. Even now it is
very hot in Cuba in the day time, he said,
but at night il is very cool.
''You win always need blanket in Cuba
at night" he said. THAT is one good
thing about that country. You can sleep
there at night"
The effect of the blockade, Mr.. Scharling
said, is that 1t is simply starving out both
Cubans and Spanlards. and unless there is
immediate action on the part of the United
States there VIII be great suffering. The
whole country has been devastated and 1t
present affords little support to the popula-
ton.
1T is a mistake to suppose that all the
American citizens have left the island,''
said Mr.. Scharling. 'There are many
American citizens in Havana and else
where throughout the island, living in
great restitution"
Being attached to Gen. Gomez staff,
MIR. Scharling naturally had a good OPP
portunity TO observe the grand old man"
of Cuba THE general is about 72 years
old" said Mr.. Scharling, but vigorous
and active. He is very thin, so thin that
the Cubans say the Spaniards cannot hit
him. He is a silent old man and rarely
says anything. He never tells anybody
his plans When he leaves his tent and
mounts his horse in the morning nobody
knows where he is going and no one finds
out until the old man calls a halt He is
greatly loved by his men and 1 formed
a warm admiration for him. As 1 speak
very little Spanish and he speaks very
little English we could not converse very
much. Some rascal has taught the old
man very bad English and consequently
he expresses himself very badly when he
undertakes to talk our language. I sound
Oh him on the question of independeura