The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-30
A Big RUSH
ofCuban Troops for Share of the
S3,O0O.ooO Gratuity-Tbe Opposl-
tion EfTectunlIy Killed on. G=

s"h hCheCtuuiIy hlllCu OiI. gt|f.-t ~
HAVANA, May 2o.-To-day's events
In connection with the payment of the
Cuban roops'cntitfed to apply here for
q share in the American gratuity have
effectually killed Off the opposition to
the receipt of the bounty by prlvates.
In American military circles 1t Is con-
sidered that u fine start has been made
and that the opposition Is defeated.
Three hundred privates arrived DUR
ing the day to apply for payment, but
though Lieut.. Colonel George NJ. Ram
dali. of the Eighth infantry, the COM
missioner superlntending the distribu-
tion here. kept his office open from 10
a, m. to & p. m. only 112 could be paid
during that interval, as each man took
up several minutes. Many who brought
arms were not on the rolls at all. Nine-
ty-five rifles were surrendered, most OF
the applicants declining to take any
chances In turning the weapons over to
the mayor of Havana, evidently believ-
Ing 1t would be better to give them d.
rect to the Americans
All day It was virtually impossible
to get through the front door of the
way. The Cuban officers who on the
first day tried to discourage any who
were disposed to apply, finding now
that the tide OF feeling has turned, are
Offering all the assistance possible to
Col. Randall.
At the conclusion OF the days work
there were more than 200 who had not
been paid. These will have to wait
Until after the return of the pay car,
on June IL, when there will probably
be extra days assigned for Havana.
Tomorrow morning the pay car will
leave. carrying money, COL. Randall,
his escort, q physician and the puymas-
ters. One thousand posters We're sent
this afternoon into the province OF
Pinar del Rio to announce the places
and dates Of payment. General Brooke
gave the order for the, printing and
Senor Domingo Mendez CaPote. secre-
tary of government, sent special mes
sengers to attiN the notices in the prom
inent places.
General Pedro Delgado. commanding
the Cuban forces around Gudnajay,
called his men together to-day, and
told them they were disbanded, and
ordered them to take their arms and go
home. OF the 200. some thirty who
were mounted on ponies. said they
would ride to Havana and get their
money. Thereupon Delgado, who was
formerly notorious bandit, called upon
the rest to draw up in line and shoot
any man who took the road to Havana.
The thirty mounted men gloomily dis
persed. They will have an opportunity
to receive their share later
1t Is said that most OF the Cubans.
who, though having arms, did mot fig-
ure in the muster rolls when they ap-
piled for payment were furnished with
the weapons by friends at Guanbacoa,
where many arms had been stored With
keepers of grocery shops by people who
had purchased them from the Spanish
suerrillas and volunteers.
These were given out to enable the
holders TO secure shares In the Ameri-
can gratu!ty. Some Cubans undoubt-
edly entitled to payment, have also OBJ
tained arms from the same source. and
are thus able to retain the weapons
that they uscd during the war.
The dIsbanding OF the troops con-
tinues. Twelve hundred men. under
the command of General Jacinto Her
nandeZ, who were encamped at San
Jose dc 1as Lajas, about twenty-five
miles from Havana have been mustered
out. They were given certificates of
service, redeemable under the first Gu
an gorrnment. Some OF these men
were In the Cuban service three and u
half years. One party of eighty, liv-
Ing in Santa Clara, started Immediately
for their homes. The horses OF many,
however, have died OF disease or been
killed off, and consequently most Of the
men go home by trains, which give
them free passage.