The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-25
GEN. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
4 GREAT DESoNsTRA Ton IN HoNoR
OF THE CUBAN LEADER.
Con. Ludlow and Thousands of Soldiers and
citizens Escorted Him-Roception at the
P~aIace-Speech of ton. GomeE-Cubans
Highly PIenSed-The Tramway Dispute.

hiEniy fle~nheu-Ihe IrAmWhy DlspuNes
Special Cable De,pateh 10 TuE Sun.
HAVANA. Feb. 24.-The demonstration here
to-day in honor OF Gen. Gomez. the old Cuban
commander-in-chief. was an imposing spec
tacle.
This morning. after attending a banquet
given TO n thousand reconcentrados at MARI
anao. he took an express train to III Cerro. n
suburb of Havana, where he was welcomed by
Gen. Ludlow and his staff and eight hundred
Cuban cavalry and n thousand infantry.
After an exchange Of salutations between the
officers Gen. Gomez mounted a horse. and.
with Gen. Ludlow on his right. and followed by
| his " stafr and Gen. Ludlow's. he set out for
Havana. The band OF the Seventh United States
Cavalry. playing the Cuban national hymn.
followed the staff officers. Behind the band
was Company l. OF the Seventh Cavalry,
and this was followed by Gen. Mavia Rod
riguez with $4,000 Cuban soldiers. and
the Cuban Generals Carrillo. Rolon. San
gully. Hernandez and Jos6 Miguel Gomez.
Behind the military marched more than 10000
civilians. representing the corporations. clubs
and all ranks OF people. There we're
more than a hundred thousand persons
gathered along the streets through which
the procession passed. The shouting and
cheering for the old Cuban hero were deafen-
ing. The balconies OF all the houses were dec
| "lNh NV INV Nhh AoeSs 'ie
flowers were thrown in front OF Gen. Gomez by
many women.
When the procession reached the Central
Park a thousand fremen and 1000 girls
dressed In red. white and blue joined tho
marchers. The line OF march from the park
was 0bispo street. passing under triumphal
arches, to the Plaza de Armas. the square in
front OF the palace,
Gen. Gomez looked very old. small and thin.
! h,t ba IN ar,o+ on hEa Gorsn orJ aoIpta1 rIoht
and left in RESPONSE to the wild welcoming ofthe
crowd. He was dressed in a new uniform that
was presented to him last night at Marianaob ya
Spanish tailor. When he arrived near the Plaza
de Armas the spectators made a rush to get
to him. breaking through the police lines
in their excitement. The police tried to push
the crowd back. and in doing 80 one officer
dubbed a man. The latter. who was close TO
Gen. Gomez. appealed to him.. showing tho
blood on his head. Gen. Gomez said: Il am
always for the people" and he requested that
the police be withdrawn.
At the palace were the Mayor. Aldermen, the
Cuban Assembly. Civil Governor Mora. Gen.
Brooke's Cabinet. Gen. Ludlow and his staff.
a great number OF other American Off
GERS and many American civilians. After
Gen. Gomez had entered the palace he
was greeted on behalf OF tho Cubans
by DR.. Varela Zequeiza. who delivered
u bp66Cu III WIllCh no IoNlC"Co llO HlbIOIy II
the revolution. He said that the revolution
was the work of Marti and Gomez. The mo-
ment came when the awful crime OF the Maine
was committed. The horror Of 1t shocked WASH
ington. America extended her mighty arm.
and her intervention. which began with
the noble declaration that the United States
would establish in Cuba q free and in
dependent government. ended with the fall
Of Spain. Now Cubans ought to COOPER
A ..h,,,to.Atoa1I rritb thA JTrttaI Otata,
putting aside all past III feeling and
divisions. DR.. Zequeiza concluded by s~aluting
Con. Gomez in the name Of Havana. and offer
Ing the people cooperation In the final dis
bandment OF the Cuban Army.
In reply, Geu. Gomez said: When in war I
dreamed OF peace. l could not believe
that the people OF Havana would ever
do me this extraordinary honor. I do
not deserve it. / was born in San Domingo.
but my heart Is Cuban. and my life
has been devoted to the freedom Of this people.
l am only ono Cuban who loves his country.
We have no rank here. We are all citizens.
We worked to free Cuba. and l will continue
the work until the country Is reconstructed
and absolute independence is finally estab-
lished."
After his speech Gen. Gomez went to a bal
cony OF the palace to review tho troops,
Just at this time an American named
+. L. Mccarthy took an old picture OF
King Alfonso XII. which was at the end
OF the hall. where it had been forgotten.
and placed it at the entrance OF the pal
ace. where everybody could see 1t. The
Cubans Indignantly protested. and some Of
them tried to kick the portrait. Mccarthy
grabbed one Cuban by the neck. and n
fight ensuod. A Cuban policeman named
Pulgaron attempted to arrest Mccarthy. but
the latter fought him. Mayor Lacoste then
interviewed and ordered both Mccarthy and
Pulgaron to leave the palace. The picture was
removed.
The Cubans are highly pleased with Gen.
Ludlow because he refused to have anything to
do with arranging the programme for Gen.
Gomez's reception. leaving the matter entirely
in tho hands OF the Cubans. He said that they
could manage things as well as any other or
derby. civilized people.
Gen. Brooke invited Gen. Gomez to take
dinner with him at FL Vedado. but Gen. Gomez
could not get there in time owing to
the fact that the people stopped him
along the route every minute. Suisse
quently the two Generals had q cordial
interview. There was a grand ball tonight in
honor OF Gen. Gomez at the Tacon Theatre,
Eight thousand persons were present.
Gen. Gomez was slightly i'll after the excite
ment of tho day. and begged Gen. Brooke to
excuse him from n long intcryiew until to-
morrow. Gen. Gomez Is physically worn Out
by the demonstration and old age.
Gen. Brooke has issued q decree inviting the
provincial deputations to a banquet tomorrow
at the Tacon Theatre. Covers will be laid for
800 persons.
The directors OF tho Havana tramway
have appealed to the Judge OF the dis
trlct of III Cerro against the Indictment
against them decreed by tho Judge OF the
Cathedral district on a charge Of having sold
the company's property through bribery. The
Cerro Judge considered that a more serious
crime than bribery had been committed and
ordered the Indictment OF another member
Of the board for forgery. This director
is Isidore Cano. a wealthy Havana merchant
who bought the company property, The rep
resentatlyes OF the American syndicates who
are fighting about the railroad property are
trying to reach an agreement.
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