Omaha daily bee., 1905-06-18
MAXINOCOME ZPASSES AWAY
Hero of Two Revolutionary Wars in Cuba
Is Dead ct Havana,
LIFE SPENT IN SERVICE OF COUNTRY
He Declines the once of President
and would Not Allow the
Senate to vote Him
Pension.
lFE sPENI IN sERWcE OF COUNTRY

HAVANA, June II. General Maxine
Gomez died here at G o'clock this evening
after an extended illness.
The end came quietly in the beautiful
temporary homo at the seaside in the
suburb of Vedado, to which General Gomez
was taken on his return from Santiago
President Palma, accompanied by General
Andrade, arrived about a quarter of an
hour previous to the death Of General
Gomez.
The distinguished patients heart had
weakened steadily since II o'clock in the
morning and failed to respond to stimu-
lants. Several times during his long ILL
| ness General Gomez had shown recupera-
| tive powers that were astonishing. His
real illness extended over fortysix days,
although his health had been failing for
some months prior to that time.
General Gomez leaves a widow, five sons
and one daughter. Only today the secre-
| tary of the treasury delivered to one of
| General Gomezs sons a check for 100000,
| which has been voted unanimously by Con-
gress for the generals benefit and approved
| by President Palma. This was in addition
to the $4,000 previously voted by Con-
gress.
The admiration of the mass of Cubans
| for General Gomez amounted almost to
| idolatry. His death admittedly is Sc
we're Blow to any political interest to
which he was allied.
Sketch of His Career.
General Maxine Gomez, who commanded
| the Cuban forces during the insurrection
which broke out in 1896 and ended with
the complete independence of the island,
when on May 20, 1902, the control of Cuba
was formally transferred to the new Cuban
| government, was born at Bani, Santo Do
| mingo, in 1886, and came of Spanish fam
| lily. He began life as cavalry officer In
the Spanish army in santo Domingo. and
served during the last occupation of Santo
Domingo by Spain.
In the war with Hayti, Gomez distin-
guished himself at the battle of Tome
when with twenty men he routed much
1 superior force of Haytians When the
spaniards were driven from the island. Go
mez went with the Spanish troops to Cuba
and for a time was in garrison at Santiago.
| Later disgusted at the manner in which
| the Spanish general Villar treated some
starving Cuban refugees for whom Gomez
| had collected funds the young lieutenant
| severed his connection with the Spanish
| army. He became so enraged at General
Villar's conduct that he struck the general
| called him coward and from that time
became an enemy of Spain.
General in Ten Years War.
| He Joined the patriots In the insurrection
| of 1868 and fought ten years, being Cuban
commander-in-chief from 1873 to 1873, sue
ceeding General Agramonte on the latter S
death AS a guerilla commander he was
unexcelled. His exploits during the war
| of independence are we'll known. From
Holguin, in the northern part of the prov
ince of Santiago de Cuba, where Gomez
and Marti landed with fifty we'll armed
men from a yacht, Gomez fought his way
inch by inch up to the. gates of Havana
and into the province of Pinar del Rio, fire.
quently crossing Spanish trochas Of mill
tary walls, when they were looked on as
| impa ssable. He completely outgeneraled
Marshals De Campos and Weyler, winning
victory after victory under. the most dis
advantageous conditions, and though he
was a very sick man.
After Cuba obtained it's independence
there Is no doubt that Gomez could have
been elected president, but he refused to
accept the nomination and declined pen
sion. Gomez was of great service to the
American authorities in bringing about a
settlement of the demands of the disbanded
Cuban soldiery who were clamoring for ar
rears of pay.
Death Due to GOngrene.
In May last General Gomez underwent al
Santiago an operation as the result of the
spread of gangrene in an abcess in his
hand. For time his life was despaired OF
and his family was summoned to Santiago
but the general recovered sufficiently to. be
moved to Havana June Z on a special train
Until the morning of June 16 he showed
signs OF Improvement and hopes were en-
tertained for his recovery. From that time
on the general failed until the end came
General Gomez's last public appearance
was at Havana March % last, on the occa
sion of the visit Of the American squadron
to that port. He was the first speaker al
the luncheon given at tho National to the
American officers and 'eulogized the United
States, adding that the Cubans would mo-
forget their obligations to the great re
public.
There is some uncertainty as to the veal
and month of his birth, some references
placing It at November 1s 1886, and Others
| ar August *. 1896