The herald., 1898-11-15
RESULTING FROM THE SPANISH
LACK OF FUNDS
SOME PAY AND MORE PRO MISE
Quell the Disorder for the Time Being.
The Havana Orden Publico Is
Disbanded
Associated Press Special Wire

dissolution of that body today, when, after
the payment of some arrears and the prom
ise of full liquidation, the revolving troops
laid down their arms. Captain General
Blanco then ordered all the foot and mount
ed regiments of the Orden Publico to be dls-
banded, and that organization ceased 10 ex-
ist from this date. As originally planned,
it was intended that the mutiny should have
extended to the Guardia Civil and the ar
tillery regiments and it would in that event
have assumed much graver Importance and
might perhaps have inaugurated reign OF
terror and bloodshed in the island.
For some time past, the uprising OF the
troops in consequence of the nonreceipt OF
their pay has been feared. Not only is their
nav owing for months and in some cases for
wears, but the reserve pay of the soldiers,
their savings since the date of their enlist
ment, which were looked upon by them as
sacred, has been appropriated or stolen, as
the men say, by the government which now
turns deaf ear to their protests
What amount their reserve pay reaches
it is impossible to estimate, but it is known
it aggregates millions. This is what has
been preepitating riots, causing mutiny
here, impellng the men to ins,lbordnatlon
at Neuvitas, and which may yet give rise to
further widespread disturbances in the is
land.
The Havana mutiny, which was started
yesterday, was precpitated by General Aro-
las 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 in
, fantry, having been apprised OF the intention
of troops to join in the mutiny and demand
their pay, surprised the artillery outpost
stations along the Vedado road, including
the Santa Clara and Rena Chorrera batter
les, disarmed them and placed them under
surveillance.
The next morning Thursday the third
company Of the Orden Publico, numbering
$50 men, drew up before the Captan-Gener-
ais palace and demanded their overdue pay
The men were ordered to retire, but refused.
General Arolas, who arrived on the scene al
most simultaneously, in an excess of rage,
lifted his baton of office and savagely at
tackled some of the onlookers, seriously hmt
ing government employe who had rushed
out of the palace from curiosity. But this
time the Plaza de Armas was filled with
wildly excited crowds, who loudly con-
demned and cursed General Arolas.
At that period of the excitement the
Orden Publico, with fixed bayonets, assum-
ed an attitude of deep hostility toward Gen
eral Arolas, whom the men considered re-
sponsible for the disgracefu way in which
they had been treated. That moment Gen
eral Solano, Captain General Banco's chief
of staff, appeared at the palace door and COM
manded the attention of the men, He adj
dressed them in conciliatory tones, upbraid-
ed them for their INSTRUMENTATION and con
demned the ill-advsed course they were pur.
suing.
Then placing himself at their head. Gen.
Solano himself marched the men back 10
their quarters where he again addressed
them, promising them they would be paid
Thursday. The day passed quietly without
any further incident until dusk.
The mutinous Orden Publico had then
learned that General Arolas had called over
1000 regulars in from the suburbs Believ-
Ing that General Arolas meant to disarm,
the Orden Publico again left their quarters,
each man with l5O rounds of ammunition in
his belt and lined up in the street opposite
the armory ready to offer resistance if nee
essary. Shortly after night-fall, General
Arolas, at the head of the regulars, and pre-
ceded by band of music, playing national
airs, arrived before the Orden Publico's
headquarters, where he halted. Before him
stood the mutinous third company, grim
and sullen. Turning to the men, General
Arolas reminded them that they were reg,,-
lars and veterans, not mere policemen, as
they had been tauntingly referred to- The
Orden Publco then gave three cheers for
Spain and the army, which were Justify
answered. To the disgust of General Arolas.
right on the heels Of these "vivas," the reg
ulars cheered their comrades and the
Orden Publico answered in turn.
General Arolas, mad with rage, 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
realized he had lost his moral influence over
the men and, after calling the officers aside
and conferring with them for few minutes,
he left for the Palace accompanied by his
staff and seven officers.
About two blocks from the scene of the
mutiny, General Arolas' party came upon
an innocent and unsuspecting member of
the Orden Publico who was unarmed. Mad
with fury, General Arolas drew his sword
and savagely attacked the man, nflicting on
him severe wounds, from which the victim
of the assault died this morning.
In the mix-up, Lieutenant Malta, General
Arolas' aid-de-camp, had his head cut, sun.
posedly by General Arolas' sword, as it was
the only one drawn.
Toward IL O'Clock, General Arolas. who
had been informed that further uprsinps
had taken place among other companies of
the Orden Publico, returned to where he had
left the troops and ordered them away. leav.
Ing guard stationed in the buildings ad.
joining and facing the barracks of the 0rden
Publico, who by this time had besn nor.
suaded by their own officers to withdraw
within their quarters.
Detachments of troops are still puord;no
the palace, parks and principal streets MS .
matter OF precaution against further tronble
and also in order to preserve public order in
view OF the dsbanding of the Orden pnh.
leo. "D'
Last night the Guardia Civile outnosts
!tationed at Arroyo Apollo, Jesus del Monte
Calvario and Managus, or tho outskirts -;
Havana, numbering about 200 men. cave
indications of an intention to follow the OK.
ample of the Orden pubIico and come to Tho
captain generals palace to make n demon.
stration against the withholding of their
pay.
The military authorities, as q measure of