The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-28
ONLY SEVEN CAME FOR CASH.
OFFICERS WAITED IN VAIN TO DIS
TRIBUTE THE MONEY.

A Helper Came Up With n Gun, But
His Name Was Not ON the Rolls
Who Wanted It-Omcers Expected
400 Men in Havana. But the Wait
Was in Vain-EGorts VIII Now Re
Made In the Country.
Havana, May 27.-Not soldier has thus
far appeared at La Punta 40 receive the
honorarium' of SIS allotted by the United
States for the surrender of arms and dis
bandment of the men composing the Gu
ban army
AT three minutes after 10 this morning,
the hour set to begin the payment of the
troops. Maj. Francis S. Dodge of the pay
masters department drove up in four
mule team with $4,000 in gold and $9 900
in silver. Six guards accompanied him,
and details of men from the Eighth In
fantry were under arms to preserve order
among the mobs which 1t was supposed
would gather
Col. George NJ. Randall of the Eighth
Infantry, was present as commissioner of
the United States.
Gen. Ruis Rivera, who was to-day in
Quoted into the Office of civil governor of
Havana, was there to receive the arms,
with representative of Gen. Gomez, four
or five Cuban officers and fifteen reporters.
Half a dozen American clerks, with the
rolls of the Cuban army, sat at a long Ia
bic at the headquarters of the Eighth Reg
iment. bag of gold was displayed, but
there were no applicants for a share Of it.
Rivera Explained II.
The spectators spent the time in dis
cussing why no Cubans appeared. Gen.
Rivera said that though there were 4.3l9
enrolled privates and on-commissioned
officers in the Fourth Corps. few of them
lived in Havana. He explained that they
were outside the city and would probably
appear al other places in the province
and get their apportionment Nearly Oh
the officers, he added, are in Havana.
The representative of Gomez who has
been acting with the latter In the inter-
views with Gov. Gen. Brooke, took
gloomy view of the affair. He said the
Americans had made mistake In stipulat-
ing that the Cubans must give up their
arms, as this had caused a bad impression
among the Cub2ns.
A group of Cuban officers. who proved to
be some of Gen. Mayia Rodriguez's staff
had in the meanwhile assembled. They
smiled at each other, twisted their nous
taches and grew confident as the quarter
hours passed and no soldiers came. Finally
they jeered in a quiet way at the whole
proceeding.
Towards 1 o'clock an armed colored man
in Cuban uniform came across the
square, attended by an the American spec
tators He was shown to the paymasters,
but turned out to be an assistant" or
camp follower
American military men consulted togeth-
er and as it was thought he was not enti-
tied to a share OF the So 100000, and his
name not being on the rolls he was dis
missed.
One in the Penitentiary.
Mai. Scott, Gen. Ludlows adjutant sent
word that a man named Harris, a Cuban
American serving a sentence In the peni-
tentiary, would be sent under guard to get
his $75, so, at least, one man was sure
to take the gratuity. About 400 men had
been expected, and possibly many OF these
will come later. But the scheme of pay
ment, so far as Havana is concerned, looks
like failure.
Quite different results are expected In
the country districts, where the Cuban
military assembly and enti-Gomez infu-
ence is not as strong.
AT noon Gen. Rivera left, remarlxing
that 1t was wasting his time 90 stay there,
and Maj. Dodge went TO the Trocha to in
form Gov. Gen. Brooke of the state OF
affairs.
Four professed privates appeared at
about II 80 o'clock without arms, but as
their names were not on the rolls, they
were not paid.
seven of Them Showed Up.
Seven Cubans were paid SIS each, as the
result of the first days distribution Of the
money allotted by the United States for
the payment of the Cuban soldiers.
The cabal of the members of the former
military assembly to prevent The soldiers
from accepting the gift of the United
States and giving up their arms is sue
cessful, therefore, so far as Havana is
concerned.
1t is too early to predict what Will be
done in other cities and in the interior,
but the indications are that the money
will not be asked for to any great extent.