Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-29

sugar planter5 Everything about the event
was romantic. and the ransom was large
enough to enable the br gands to live In
peace and quiet in the cabins or their lime
or period But as
tempest"
King Manuel and IFS associates had a rest
less spell. and once more took to the fields
or the roads. The civil guards were IN a
1t was more chance than design that caused
Manuel Garcia and his fellows to be sur
pr1sed And Il was also chance shot
which laid him low without his identity
becoming known At first it was supposed
that countEymanl- had been killed &C
cidentally, but the country people them
selves recognized the corpse and the au-
thorities had no trotble in Identifying their
victim. The story b that when his WIRE
who was residing in the neighborins viii
lage OF Quivican. heard OF his death. she
wept and cried:
Poor Manuel. how often have warned
you against taking part In politics!
The bandit king was buried in the GEM
etery Of Ceiba Mocha. have heard IT
said that friend. perhaps another span
ish grandee, or perhaps grate1ul sugar
planter, erected an humble wooden cross
upon his grave, with this inscription:
EN- Paz Descansa crest in peace)
Manuel Garcia"
Not having visited the cemetery at Ceiba
Mocha, l do not know whether or not the
wooden cross still marks the grave.
Though One-eyed Santana, late OF the
Spanish army is said to be ranging over
the domains which once were those OF
King Manuel Garcia, no one appears 10
fear that he Is going to become anotner
bandit monarch, and l am inclined to be
lieve the statement of the authorities that
when he Is found the most serious charge
to be brought against him will be that OF
petty stealing.
Will Never Revive q System
What is true of Cuban brigandage Is
that while there may be individual marau-
ders as a system il never will revive. lis
basis was the sympathy of the country
people, who were not molested, and VINO
looked upon he brigands their protectors
from Oppressive authority. A second rea-
son is the certainly that with any kind OF
good government partnership between
powerful individuals and the brlgands Will
rot be possible In Havana today man
is pointed out who by common fame was
the confederate of the bandits of the past.
but he never will be in position where
his influence can protect thieves and ROB-
berS.
1t is worthy of a word Of comment that
the localities in which most was feared
from brig andage after the insurrection are
those in which there has been the least OF
it in any form. These are the provinces
of Santiago and Puerto Principe. The fear
was that because of these provinces being
SO sparsely settled highwaymen would be
able to range over them at will. But
vigorous policy, entered upon immed ately
after the American control, resulted in kill
ing most of the really desperate characters
who sought to defy the rural guard 1t
be came unhealthy to commit crime in
those regions whore there were no courts
Gee ssible, and where, therefore, executions
were made on the spot. Last winter while
in Puerto Principe l heard a good deal
about the br gands. and the probability that
several bands of them would be roaming
around within year. This has not hap
pened. The rural police in that province
has an efficient chief, who permits no one
to travel with arms without a permit
A soft-hear:ed member of the Cuban con-
stitutional conven, ion, in the draft of a con-
stitution which he has submitted has an
article forbidding capital punishment That
might be assumed TO encourage brtgandage.
but one Of the members from the interior
whom l asked about 1t said it would have
no effect. Our rural guards" he said,
have no trouble in knowing when they
are chasing bandits, and they know that
the only way 10 capture bandit is to take
him dead. They won't worry about the re-
suit of abolish:ng he death penalty after
man may be tried and convicted" The
rural guard In all sections Is not so well
differed and so free from corruption as in
the provinces referred to, but when 1t
reaches that stage Of efficiency and honesty
all over the island less and less will be
beard Of brigandage.
CHARLES M. PEPPER.
Copyright 1890.