New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-22
BANDITS IN EASTERN CUBA.
OBSERVATIONS OF A PARTY OF AMERICANS
IN SANTIAGO PROVINCE.

IN SANTIAGO PROVINCE
Holguin. Province Of Santiago de Cuba April s.
party consisting Of Colonel Beacon, who for sew
eral months has occupied the position OF AdJutant-
| General OF the Department Of Santiago ana VINO ~
now about to join his regiment In the philippines;
| Major McCleary. formerly belonging to the IN
spector-General's Department. who has been mus
| tered out OF the service and representative OF
| The Associated Press left Santiago on horsepach
Monday. April 3, overland trip to santa CARA
| where the party will take the railroad to havana
| Colonel Beacon being on a semi-official tour and
| requested by General Leonard Wood to. so far as
| the Province Of Santiago goes supply him with all
| the information possible, particularly regarding the
so-called bandtti secured for the party an escort
| of ten mounted men OF the 9Th Regular Infantry
| as we'll the necessary pack OUTFIT. In ADDITION
there were guide and n servant VINO acteo as IN
| terpreter for the party.
STORES AND SUGAR ESTATES ROBBED
| on Monday night halt made at st. LUIS,
| where the party the guests of Colonel crane
and the officers OF the 9th Immunes. The officers OF
this regiment believe the bandit question to be
much more serious affair than the people In the city
| OF Santiago look upon It, asserting that IN their
| neighborhood alone there several hundred
bandits who rob stores and sugar estates and COM
| nit depredations property generally. though
| they are anxious to take human life unless at
| tackled. except in cases where revenge had had
| good deal to do with the raid There Is no DOUBT
| that the citizens, planters and others In the
| neighborhood really alarmed at the rumors OF
| the removal of many American troops from tho
province. Behind the breaking out OF these numer-
| GUS small bands OF thieves are men who were more
| or less prominent during the revolution. one or
| them, It is generally believed being man named
| Miro who was. and apparently still is Inspector
| General of the Cuban Army Of the Oriente Where-
ever this man goes trouble has invariably followed
| After leaving st. Luis Colonel Beacoms party
| made their way TO the Santa Anita sugar estate
| six miles distant, where a halt was mace ior
| luncheon The estate is valuable property, owned
| by three brothers. named Auza. Cubans by Drth'
| but who were educated in the United States. and
| who very much in fear of the island being
.urned to the Cubans. saying II means practi-
| cally ruin to every man who has anything to lose.
The brothers recently had their estate attacked by
| bandits and a squad Of the 9Th lmmunes Is
| on guard there They say that the men VINO are
| now bandits became so at the conclusion OF the
| Ten Years Insurrecton. and prefer that mode OF
| livelihood to any other and they VIII only De
| broken of the habit by drastic measures, public
| corporal punishment probably being preferable
| particularly In the Of the more prominent
| On the third day over thirty miles were covered,
and the woods showed for good part OF the jour
| ney a rather larger growth, some magnihceht
mahogany and cedar trees especially being passed
| The ruins OF many fine old plantations were seen,
| and showed what Cuba must have been IN Dygone e
times arrive No signs OF any bandits were seem
but about every halfmie the guide would SION
piace Up to date his list Of killed and wounded Is
owen opinion and Tremendous liar in the opinion
of those he is guiding. On the AFTERNOON Oh elio
became the guests of Lieutenant. Colonel Grubbs
and the officers of the I'd Immune Regiment
HoLGUIN's GLOOMY FUTURE.
The city OF Holguin celebrates this year the Tooth
anniversary Of Its existence. the city OF Gibara'
twenty miles away, antedating 1t JUST TWO years.
Probably there is city In Cuba that mas so ie"
grounds for existence Hoguin. for II Is entirely
surrounded for over five miles by rocky formation
which gives nothing but certain amount of good
grazing ground and for all ordinary purposes Is
absolutely useless. In Spanish times the popua-
ton consisted OF about thousand inhabitants,
exclusive Of from four thousand to eight thousand
troops. according TO circumstances Indeed WITHIN S
the last few years two occasions there
have at times been as hign as twelve tnou t
ha. s had Pa nc 3 IL gloomy
only about four hundred men. belonging TO the "a
mom,hs the se pepSation has decreased from seven
thousand to four thousand. and the people are stu
any other portion OF the province and houses are
to be rented for practically nothing II was In the
that the necessity for garrison at Holguin arose
Glbara. its port, was then an Important place but
keep much property there and everything OF any
g qo, Which in course Of time developed into
| the present city of Hoguln 1t is healthy local.
place to quarter troops fresh from Spain as It en-
abled them to get gradually used to the climate. 1t
IS quaint old city, having two large churches,
| hospitaL military barracks and the inevitable
| palace" generic term given In Cuba to any ana
every public building on the main square. The pal,
ar and the place where liver the c2e1 ns
mostly white, and almost to man In favor OF
prefer Spanish rule In this the city Is quite DIFF
erent to other places in the province Not even the
any kind and it is doubtful If there are two Cuban
flags any. bigger than a handkerchief to be had in
Holguin for any purpose Whatever -
Bandittl have recently made their appearance
within few miles of the city have almost scared
the country people out of their senses and many OF
stay in the country. This is especially the case
within radius OF ten miles OF Gioara Which IS asa
small prosperous towns Within week three
such towns have been robbed. much after the
stolen and In addition the bandits sacked the
stores At Arroyo Blanco and Cantemplora the
robbers walked off with everything possible IhSugn
been securing the country. none OF the banqts IN
this district have so far been captured People
living in this vicinity in great trbulation at the
rrmors OF the removal Of the American troops.
saving that neither their property nor their lives
will be safe the soldiers cave as. 1t IS
alleged the rural police. gendarmerie are mostly
In lea que with the bandits.
There IS no question but that the state OF affairs
in Inc Province OF Santiago Is gradually growing
bands o. bandits. storekeepers at Holguin say
that IL is lust the during the Instruction
thst these same men would rob at every chance
and the Spanish would send out cavalry In chase.
The only difference they say. Is that under Span
ish rule any towns OF the size OF those recently
robbed were more or less gssrsohea WIN .'VS S
40 that the merchants had better protection than
The probability is that in ten years from now HEl;
Save much more than doubled in size This Is the
opinion OF the majority Of Americans now living IN
Iiolguin.