The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-15
a NOTED cusAM sa,cAMo.
Manuel Garcia. His Grimes and His Pop
ular Fame.

ular Fame.
Among the Institutions of Spanish rule
In Cuba which are expected to GO along
with the bullieht and the lottery Is brig
andage. A Cuban once declared that brig
andage was not really an institution. but
rather an old and deeply rooted custom.
some OF the American army officers have
expressed fear that the American troops
who are to garrison the islands will have
plenty to do In keeping down bandits in
the rural regions. They argue tina the dis
banding OF the insurgents on one hand
and OF the local gueriilas, who were part
OF the Spanish army. on the other hand.
VIII turn loose n considerable number Of
iawless men. who will return to what was
once a profession. The Cuban leaders do
not share this fear. The suggestion was
once made to General Gomez that after
peace came trouble might arise from this
lawless element. but the grim old warrior
replied that dead men never gave trou-
Die. what he meant was that he would
suppress any attempt at b~rigandage at
the very beginning.
IN the constant struggle of Spain TO
maintain her supremacy. and i'm the con-
tinual oppression to which the people of
,ne island were subjected. there were
bandits who were not exactly heroes of
the rural population. but whose existence
was tolerated. IL was one of the schemes
or the Spanish authorities at the begin
ming OF the Instruction to make out thai
the ranks of the insurgents were chiefly
recruited from the lawless and the Grim
maj classes. As a matter of fact, the
bulk of the crimina classes Joined the
Spanish guerrillas. Nevertheless, the in
surgents had their share of the lawless
element. Gomez's iron discipline soon re-
FORMED recruits of this class or drove
them from the ranks Of the insurgents 10
the Spanish guerrillas.
several petty chiefs. who were in real
ity bandits, were executed by his order.
one of the incidents last winter was the
Killing OF two former brigands by their
own followers. They were known as Cay
ITO Alvarez and Major Nunez. and were
brothers-in-law. They entered the ranks
OF the insurrection. became tractable and
received a small command from Gomez.
An arrangement was made by them to
accept autonomy. as they called IL. This
simply meant they had taken n bride Of
Tered them by the Spanish authorities.
With some 10 insurgents they were en-
camped near a hamlet in Santa Clara
province. When they got ready to ride
into the Spanish lines they made known
their purpose to their followers and were
Immediately shot. Both were daring and
desperate men. They must have known
the FISK they were aking yet they evil
IDENTIFY relied on the fear i'm which they
were held by their own followers.
The most picturesque of the Cuban BAN
dts of recent years was Manuel Garcia.
80 diIl lilt ~ the flNll
guard a little more than three years ago.
IL was just at the beginning of the revo-
luton, and his death caused a great SEN
sation In the island. Books were written
about his exploits. "a romantic glamour
was thrown over his crimes and the dis
cussion of his fate filled more space than
did the beginning of the Instruction
which was to end the power OF Spain.
The Havana theaters Of the dime museum
variety gave exhibitions with Garcia as
the central figure. So attractive and pop
ular were these exhibitions that they were
not displaced until the death of Maceo.
Then the Spanish element I'm Havana had
the incidents OF Maceo's life produced for
its benefit. and Garcia. the bandit. disap-
peared from the stage.
Garcia's history was eventful. II was
said that his first crime was committed in
avenging an insult offered TO his mother.
ana that. as a boy, becoming a fugitive
from justice. he went a step further and
became a 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 a 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 the poor, for he did not hesitate to
murder country people who were sus-
pected OF attempting to betray him. Gar
cia gathered about him n small band of
men as reckless and daring as himself.
He had an unusual facility for Disgusting
himself. and the popular story repre-
him as meeting the civil guard
as a peddler and sometimes
as a simple countryman. He had some
fierce encounters with the officers Of the
law and was several times wounded. At
one period. when pursuit grew very
warm. he crossed over TO Florida and re-
manned In seclusion for a year or more.
carried a large sum of money with
him III WAS Az tho hA hAI
but the authorities put no trust in these
In time Garcia was back at his old
haunts and was holder 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
with skill and boldness. The
of the prisoner who knew Gar
cia's character never failed to provide
the ransom. A breach OF faith or an at
to evade the conditions meant
murder. One of the most celebrated alb
committed by Garcia was that
Of Fernando de Castro. then, as now. a
citizen of Havana. Ii was done
light under the eyes of the authorities.
Garcia took delight in defying them and
N showing his W lie was a man
,f fair education. and one of his humors
was to visit Havana. He made many
boasts of his exploits while in Havana.
In time NOSE of the members of HIS
'and were hunted down and killed. but
he continued as reckless and daring as
yer. When ne was finally shot by the civ
] guard in passing along a country road.
I was said that only two or three faith
ul followers remained to him. The num-
Ter of murders which could be traced TO
lin was said TO be not less than a dozen.
rhe civil guard looked upon his death as
he greatest triumph 1t had achieved In
ears. Garcia was said to have left a
'uried treasure somewhere. but this was
mere legend.-New York Sun.