Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-10-17

lnat OeaG bandits never gave trouble.
What he meant was that he would sup
press any attempt at brigandage by clutch
ing its throat in the beginning. II left to
General Gomez and his lieutenants, those
who understand the conditions prevailing
in Cuba have little fear of a return to the
old practice.
Bandits Not Tolerated.
In the constant struggle of Spain to
maintain its supremacy. and in the con-
tinued oppression to which the people of
| the island were subjected, there were BAN
dts who were not exactly heroes OF the
J rural populace, but whose existence was
tolerated 1t was one of the schemes OF
the Spanish authorities in the beginning
of the insurrertion TO make out that its
ranks Were chiefly recruited from the law
less and the criminal classes. For time
that impression even obtained in the Unit
of the criminal classes Joined the Spanish
guerrillas. Nevertheless. the insurgents
element, who lived according to Jack
| Cade's theory that those who have should
share with those who have not.
Gomez iron discipline soon reformed
recruits of this class or drove them from
| the ranks of the insurgents to the Spanish
| in reality bandits were executed by his
guerrillas. Several petty chiefs who were.
order.
| One of the tragic incidents last winter
was the killing of two former brigands
| by their own followers They were known
i as CdyltO Alvarez ana Major NuneZ, anu
| were bothers-in-law. They had entered the
| ranks of the insurrection, become tractable,
and had been given small command
| by Gomez. An arrangement had been made
| by them TO accept autonomy, as they called
| it. This simply meant that they had taken
| a bribe offered to them by the Spanish au-
| thorities. With some forty insurgents
they were encamped near a hamlet in
| Santa Clara province. When they got
ready to ride into the Spanish lines they
made known their purpose to their fol-
I
were daring and desperate men Of great
| physical bravery. They must have
known the risk they were taking, yet they
evidently relied on the fear in which they
were held by their own followers.
| The most picturesque of the Cuban bri-
gands and bandits of recent years was
Manuel Garcia. He was ambushed and
killed by the civil guard little more than
three years ago. 1t was just at the be-
| ginning of the revolution. and his death
caused a great sensation. Books We're
glamour was thrown over his crimes. and
| the discussion of his fate filled more space
| than did the beginning of the insurrection
which was to end the power of Spain.
| The Havana theaters of the dime museum
variety gave realistic exhibitions with Car
cia as the central figure. So attractive
and popular were these exhibitions that
| they were not displaced until the death Of
| Maceo. Then the pro-Spanish classes Of
| Havana had the incidents of Maceo's life
produced for their benefit. and Garcia, the
| panQlt, disappeared from tile stage.
His Romantic Career.
| Garcia's history was an eventful. IL not
a wonderful, one. 1t was said that his
first crime was in avenging an Insult to
his mother, and that as a boy. becoming
| a fugitive from justice, he went step fur
ther and became brigand. For many
years he was able to escape the civil guard,
| because the country people to whom he
| was known did not betray him. He was n
sort of Robin Hood. levying tribute only on
| the rich. Fear. however, had as much to
do with his security as his failure to rob
der country people who were suspected
of attempting to betray him. Garcia
gathered about him a small band who
were as reckless and daring as he. He
himself. and the popular story repre-
sented him as meeting the civil guard
sometimes as a peddier and sometimes
as a simple countryman. He had some
fierce encounters with the officers of
law. and was several times wounded.
At one period. when chase after him
ida and remained in seclusion for year
or more. He carried a large sum Of money
| with him. 1t was said that he had re-
formed. but the authorities put no trust
in these statements. In time Garcia was
back at his old haunts. and was bolder
than ever. Several daring robberies were
committed by him. His favorite- practice
was to abduct some rich sugar planter or
merchant. and hold him for ransom
These abductions were committed with a
skill and boldness that would have put the
celebrated Italian brigands to the blush.
The relatives of the prisoner. who knew
Garcia's character, never failed to provide
the ransom. The breach of faith or an
attempt to evade the conditions meant
murder One of the most celebrated alb
ductions committed by Garcia was that OF
Fernando de Castro. then, as now, a lead
ing and wealthy citizen of Havana. It was
done right under the eyes of the authori-
ties Garcia took delight in defying them
and in showing his prowess. He was a
man of fair education, and one of his
humors was to minsle in Havana society,"
On various occasions he came to the city
and stopped at a we'll known hotel. Prob
ably a dozen persons would recognize him
during these visits, but his presence would
never be made known to the police, such
was the fear in which he was held. He
made many boasts of his exploits while in
Havana. In time most of the members
of his band were hunted down and killed,
but he continued as reckless and daring
as ever. When he was finally shot by the
civil guard in passing along country
road. It was said that only two or three
faithful followers remained 20 him.
Like all picturesque bandits, Garcia had
his partisans. Nevertheless: the number
of murders which could he traced to him
were said to number not less than dozen.
The civil guard looked upon his death as
the greatest triumph they had achieved i'll
wears. Garcia was said to have left u
buried treasure somewhere. but this was
mere legend. During the last year of
General Weyler's sway in Cuba two BAN
dts who had been in Cabanas fortress for
more than a year were garroted. 1t was
at the time when Cuban patriots were be-
ing shot two three times every week
for their participation in the revolution.
The interruption of this proceeding due to
the garroting of the bandits caused some
sarcastic comment. The brigands were
said to have been members of Garcia s
band. They refused the last Offices of
the priests, and died laughing and cursing.
Their execution was witnessed by q num-
' lAas- nF A prH n N n
the time.
Stealing Cattle and Horses.
In the country districts of Cuba before
the war there was a kind of brisandage
which consisted chiefly in stealing horses
and cattle. The cattle thieves Were not of
the daring class. They would commit dep
relations on the poor farmers, and some
times would succeed in driving away oxen
| from the sugar plantations, but as rule
their thefts were not extensive, and they