The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-04
B|LKED THE SPANISH TROOPS
SECRET DISAPPEARANCE OF
GENERAL PANDO.
With Twelve Million Francs He
Boarded French Steamer, After
Giving Out Different Story.

New York, Sept. "a dispatch to the
says:
Having successfully done everything
in his power to convey the impression
he was sailing to Spain via New York
on the st mshiD Philadelphia Thurs
day, General Pando instead secretly
started FOR his native land about ten
hours later on the French steamer
Notre Dame du Salut, it is said, with
II. coz. 900 francs. The secret was effect
ually kept, and very few persons here
have any knowledge of it, and all the
Havana newspapers announce Pando
departure on the Philadelphia.
Before daybreak in the morning,
when eew 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
entrusted 100000 francs to his safe
keeping, obtaining a receipt for il.
Pando then locked himself in his state
room and remained until the ship left
the harbor. about o'clock in the even
Ing.
There are many plausible reasons for
General Pando's conduct, though eX-
actly which one moved him it is i'm
possible TO ascertain. Much depends
upon where the treasure he carried
away came from, but whatever its
source, when the army is in arrears
seven months. and the civil list four
months, and both cry for pay, it is OBJ
viouS that a dangerous amount OF dis
content will be stirred up if the knowl-
edge 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 could be realized on his property
under existing circumstances. If the
amount taken was paid by Blanco at
Madrid's order. army and civil list CON-
ditiens would make secrecy absolutely
essential. If it was taken without
Blanco's knowledge, no matter from
what source. secrecy would be no less
a necessity for Pando, because of the
treasury straits here. The fund may
have been the combined resources. eu-
phemistieally called the savings of
Pando and friendly officers. The sum
may have been. and was. most probably
made u of large subscriptions from
Standards in South America, Central
America and Mexico. which reached
Pando in large amounts during his
visit to Mexico. General Blanco having
ignored PandO'S plan for the defense
of Santiago, Panoo probably insisted
on delivering the funds direct in Ma
drid, 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
Figueroa and Salado. sent home in dis
grace by Blanco. Other passengers in
Guided many cadets from Spanish mill
itary schools, and wounded or i'll SOL
diers provided with blankets and other
comforts by the Spanish Red Cross.
ApropoS of Pando's departure, per-
sons have long been asking what be-
came of three other high officers who
left Cuba when Pando did 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 author
tiles here Reconstructed the system of
patrol boats about the Maine wreck
as maintained before the war, intend
ing to show the commission their deter
mination that American property shall
be fully protected, and, incidentally,
that they do not regard the cause of
the disaster as determined. and intend
to give no opportunity for the manu-
facture of evidence such as will be nat
ural from their point of view.