The herald., 1898-09-04
PANDO NOT PfNNILfSS
WHEN HE SAILED FROM HAVANA
FOR SPAIN
The Spanish General Sneaked Of With
Millions, Leaving Soldiers and
Civil Officers Unpaid

| NEW YORK, Sept. IA dispatch to the
Herald from Havana via Key West says:
Having successfully done everything in
his power to convey the impression he was
sailing to Spain via New York on the
steamship Philadelphia, Thursday, Gen.
eral Pando instead secretly started for his
native land about ten hours later on the
French steamer Notre Dame du Salut, 1t
is said with 100000 francs. The secret
was so effectually kept that very few per-
sons here have any knowledge Of it and
all the Havanese papers announce, Pando's
departure on the Philadelphia.
Before daybreak in the morning when
few were about General Pando and suite
were put aboard the Notre Dame du Salut,
every effort being made to avoid NOTICE.
Pando was no sooner aboard the ship
than he sent for Captain Pillard and en-
trusted twelve million francs to his safe
keeping, obtaining a receipt for 1t. Pando
then locked himself In his stateroom and
remained until the ship left the harbor,
about o'clock in the evening. There are
many plausible reasons for General
Pando's conduct. though exactly which
enc moved him 1t is impossible TO ascertain.
Much depends upon where the treasure is
when the army is seven months in arrears
and the civil list four months, and both
crying for pay, it is obvious that a danger
GUS amount Of discomfort will be stirred UP
IL the knowledge of the transportation OF
any such amount becomes public.
Although Pando had the reputation Of
having considerable private wealth it is
preposterous to suppose any such sum
co116 bo htc Jar
is ting circumstances. II the amount taken
was paid by Blanco at Madrids order.
army and civil list conditions would make
secrecy absolutely essential. II 1t was taken
without Bianco's knowledge, no matter
from what source, secrecy would not he
less necessity. The funds may have been
the combined resources euphemistically
called the savings Of Pandos friendly Of
fees. The sum may have been and most
probably was made up of large subscrip-
tions from Spaniards in South America,
Central America and Mexico, which
reached Pando in large amounts during his
visit to Mexico. General Blanco having ig-
nored Pando's plan for the defense of San
tiago. Pando probably insisted on deliver
ing the funds direct in Madrid, rather than
through Blanco. Here again, secrecy
would be essential.
1t is worthy of note that on the Notre
Dame du Salut besides were Generals Fig
uero and Salcedo. sent home in disgrace
by Blanco. Other passengers included
many cadets from Spanish military schools
and wounded or Ill soldiers provided with
blankets and other comforts by the Span
ish Red Cross. Apropos Of Pando's de-
parture, persons here have long been ask
ing what has become of the three high Of
ficers who left Cuba when Pando tried to
secure vessels to run, the blockade, each
Of these other three having carried away
for that purpose $4,000 pesos from which
reports say nothing has been heard since
Within the last few days the authorities
here instituted the system OF patrol boxes
about the Maine wreck, as main tanned be-
fore the war, intending to show the COM
mission their determination that American
property shall be fully protected and in
cidentally that they do not regard the cause
of the disaster as determined and intend
to give no opportunity for the manufacture
Of evidence such as will be natural from
their point of view.