The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-21
Cen. WOOD NOW
CUBA GOVERNOR
Accorded a Great Welcome on
His Arrival.
MUCH ENTHUSIASM SHOWN
Reception Wae Without Parallel
in Hist S Cuba
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CUSTOM Ho9 81 lcERsARREsrEp
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5ss
1t is Alloge, Ss They Were in oollu-
sion w vana Merchants to
Deffs Government Out
of Large Amounts

Havana, December 2O.-Major General
Leonard Wood, the new governor general
of Cuba, arrived at daybreak and was
greeted by major generals salute of
eighteen guns by Cabanas fortress.
The steamer Mexico, on which General
Wood was a passenger, was gaily decorated
with flags. Every launch in the harbor,
barges and row boats had been hired and
decorated with bunting. Even a big ferry
boat with band was pressed into service.
Three bands played during the hour which
General Wood remained on the Mexico af-
ter arrival. n
Civil Governor Nunez was the first man,
after the pilot, to board the Mexico. He
was accompanied by Commissioner of Gus
toms Bliss, Generals Chaffee, Richards and
Humphreys, Mayor Lacoste. a deputation
from the courts and every department Of
the government. General Wood was deeply
affected upon hearing of the death of Gen.
eral Lawton, and was unable to converse
for several minutes.
After greetings had been exchanged the
party boarded launch supplied by the en-
tertainment committee. while salute of
twenty-one rockets each having American
or Cuban flags attached, was fired.
Much enthusiasm was manifested on
every side. large crowd received General
Wood~at Machina wharf, and upon landing
there, he was greeted with hearty cheers.
He was then driven to the Hotel Ingla-
terra.
No reception was given to General Wood
on shore, as the committee thought to do
this might show a want of proper respect
for General Brooke, the retiring governor
general
One Of the first callers on General Wood
was Senior Quesada, special commissioner of
Cuba at Washington, who arrived on the
steamer Mascotte the same time the new
governor general arrived on the Mexico
General Wood called at the palace at noon
and was received by General Brooke.
Officially Transferred
Here the governorship was officially
transferred General Wood was accompa-
MED by General Chaffee and Lieutenant
Brooks. The retiring governor-general viii
leave for the United States on Sunday, re-
naming for some time in Tampa before 60
ing north. The only additional formal cere-
mony prior to General Brookes departure,
will be the introduction to General Wood
of all the staff officers, secretaries and
island officials of note.
The welcome given General Wood today
was, according to all the old residents,
without parallel in the history of the island.
The elaborate display of bunting in the
harbor and the multitude of boats and
bands showed that the hastily formed re-
cepton had done excellent work More
over, there was a heartiness in the cheer
ing that was quite unusual.
During the morning there was a constant
stream of callers at the Hotel Inglaterra,
where General Wood will remain until Gen.
eral Brooke's departure. Among the call
ers were Generals Ludlow and Wilson, ac-
companied by their staffs.
Next Sunday General Ludlow will give an
official reception in honor of the new gov
ernor-general and a governors salute will
be fred from Cabanas.
Owing to illness General Gomez was not
able to be present. Before sunset General
Wood returned Captain Sigsbee's visit and
received a salute.
Great Sepsf on
An immense sensation was caused in Ha-
yana This evening by the. arrest of nine of
the chief appraisers on the custom house
staff on a charge of being in collusion with
many Havana merchants to swindle the
government out of large sums. lit is
serted that the fraud has been practced
for two weeks at least, and probably
longer. and 1t Is believed that thousands
of dollars have been corruptly diverted.
Colonel Bliss obtained evidence enough
to warrant the arrests and secure convic-
tion.
Many merchants are likely to be arrested
within the next few days
CONSERVATION reigns among many of the
principal families of Havana, as the men
arrested are some of the best known So
cially in town, several belonging to the
Union CLUB the most exclusive social or
ganizaton in the city. All assert that they
do not know why they have been arrested,
and they believe that their arrests are con-
nected with the recent arrest Of an alleged
counterfeiter.
Members of the Union club are very In.
dignant that their fellow -clubmen should
not have been allowed to take hacks on
the way to the city prison. AS a matter
of fact, all were marched to the prison in
a body surrounded by police. Orders were
given that their friends should not be all
lowed to communicate with them.
General Ludlow, who was appealed to
prisoners, made an exception in her case,
but this has caused much dissatisfaction
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