The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-18
DEATH OF GEN. MAXIM0 GOMEZ
THE GREAT CUBAN PATRIOT AND
FIGHTER PASSES AWAY.
President Palma At His bedside when the
End Came-Senate Had Voted Him
8lOO.OlO Only the Day BefOre-His
Years OF Fighting for Cuba Libre.


Spsrioi Cable Despatch to THE SUN.
HAVANA. June 17.--Gen. Maxine Gomez
died at O. clock tonight of the liver trouble
from which he had been suffering for some
time and which finally affected his heart
last Thu rsday. The doctors feared this
complication and knew that when it came
the old General would not last long. He
was not conscious at the end.
When the General passed away his wife
and six children, President Palma, the
Secretary Of Government and some
others were present. The body will be
laid in state in the palace tomorrow. Only
yesterday the Senate passed bill to present
500 900 to the General !, and a check for that
amount was delivered this morning by
the Secretary Of Finance to a son Of the
General.
President Palma arrived at the Generals
bedside few moments before he died.
This was the Presidents first visit, and
the fact that he had not called before has
occasioned some comment. The Presi-
dent. however, had on several occasions
expressed wish to visit Gen. Gomez and
had asked when he could call. The family
did not fix any day, and this is given as a
reason for the Presidents failure to call
before. This morning Ell Mundo published
a statement by DR.. Gomez to the effect
that President Palma could have visited
the house like anybody else II he wished.
The funeral Of Gen. Gomez will take place
on Monday at 8 o'clock. An impression
vas taken of the features tonight in order
that bust may be made for the Govern
ment.
A large numt err OF officials, members OF
Congress and old revolutionists called at
the Gomez house tonight
Maxine Gomez Commander IN Chief OF
the Cuban Army during the war for liberty
against Spain, who won for himself the
name of Cuban Napoleon, was 80 years
old. He was born in Santo Domingo In
1873 and was of good Spanish descent.
When he was very young man ne entered
the Spanish Army as Lieutenant, but when
his family emigrated to Cuba he withdrew
from the service of Spain and gave himself
heart and soul to the cause OF Cuba libre.
His home for ma ny years was near Santiago.
1t was in 1868 that he joined the patriot
army and his ability and intrepidty earned
him rapid promotion. During the revou-
ton of that time he beat the Spaniards at
the battles Of Jiguana and Ho,lguin and,
In 1872 Gen Agramonte, then commander.
in-chief of the Cuban Army, promoted
Gomez to brigadier ,generalship and after AFT,
that the Spa nish soldiers called INN Inc
error. ne nau only SHldll, ANY
equipped force of half naked soldiers who
fought with poor weapons, but he captured
Nuevitas. Santa Cruz, and Cascorra and
fought the battle of Las Guasimas against
overwhelming odds.
In 1874 he invaded the province Of Santa
Clara. driving the Spanish forces before
him. defeating Gen. Jovellar in several
small engagements and was made a Major.
General. When' the revolution died out
in 1878 and the treaty Of Zanjon was signed
Jamaica, and lived farmers life there
until the recrudescence of the rebellion in
, 1895 under Jos, MART.
He landed in Cuba on April "A, 1895. was
hailed by the Cuhans with wild enthusiasm
and was made Commander in Chief HIS
ability and energy and his genius for &C,
comprising results without fighting pitched
battles spread the revolution until the
whole island was involved.
criticized and sneered at by the Spaniards'
and even some of his own officers. hut he
was adored by the rank and file and by the
Cuban people, who looked to MN TO
secure the liberation Of the island. Time
after time he used his tactics with success
against large Spanish armies. outhanking
the overconfdent enemy, falling une1-
pectedly on their rear and turning apparent
defeat into victory. Time and again in his
wonderful march from the Oriente to
Pinar del Rio this stratasem was prac.
tised successfully. until Gen. Campos got
in the habit of saying TO his officers:
Look out for the old fox when he COM
nences to fall back
Perhaps his most r,na rka BILE ACHE ement
was the battle on t. Saratoga estate where
he rasti'y gathered 800 men to meet the =, az
vancing columns of Gen, Castellanos. Win
his little force of 500 and odd he met de-
feated and drove lack the 2.6n0 Spanish
troops under Castellanos in spite OF the
artillery and unlimited ammunition his
foes had. The fight lasted four days
Gomez lost 65 killed and 1873 wounded.
Gen Gomez was hard as iron against
a solder who failed in his duty, or who
did not show loyalty to the cause. His
army was hone ycombed with treachery
and some of his officers were willing to sell
him out at any minute. he TORI ade all
loval Culans to accept money Tor any ser,
vice rendered or any commodity furnished
during the revolution. One of his Briga-
diers was caught selling brown sugar to a
Spanish garrison. Gomez stripped MN
of tis stars and Sald
From this time forth he is Brigadier
Ra>uaGura I-ugar catic', No man IN !ut a
shall give him any other name. Go ack
in the rank. You ar" hot patron inu
ere common porlcr OF privileges i'e
grateful If my -olcie"- condescend to march
with you
,. he Old veteran was very fond of Antonio
Maceo and Calixto Garcia, his aides, Maceo
Compounded and executed ,'olntZ''
orders with kind Of military telepathT
One of the saddest hours Of Gomez mr."
was wher the news was brought TO him
that Maceo was dead. or Garcia he enc"
said: with Calixto and plenty OF IT.
ridges we would soon free Cut a, Gen:
Gomez never entertained the shadow OF
jealouslv for tn successes OF either Naceo
or Garcia.
The old General was very proud of the
reputation he gained Of never having lost
battle. His personal bravery had won
derful effect on the raw recruits OF which
the greater part of his forces was made
up during the first part of the last revol'l-
ton 1t is said that no man ever flnched,
no matter how thick the bullets flew, while
Gonezs eve was upon him.
Gen. Gomez was a small man., about D
feet Q inches tall and slenderly built. Dur.
ing the last years of his life he suffered
greatly from wound he received in the
right log He had keen penetrating eyes
and a restless wary look.
Gen. Gomez had the friendliest possible
feeling for the United States He was
sorely disappointed when after he had
scored imp rtant successes against the
Spaniarcls the United States refused to rec
opnize the belligerency q Cuba. But when
this country lent hand Gen. Gomez did all
in his power TO secure the friendliest rela-
tions.
He enjoyed perhaps more than any other
Cuban leader the love and confidence OF the
Cuban people. His last visit to the United
States was in the spring of 1903, when ne
tod aYnOstiOn