The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-06-20
DEATH OF MAXINO GOMEZ
The Great Cuban Patriot and Fight
er Passes Away,
BRAvELY LED in TWO WARS

In First Conflict with Spain He was
Worsted and Obliged to Flee From the
Island = In Final Contest He often
Defeated Forces Ten Times Stronger
Than His Own.
Havana, Cuba General Maxine Co
mez died at o'clock p. m. of the liver
trouble from which he had been suffer-
4 ing for some time and which finally af-
| fected his heart. 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 Pal
ma, the Secretary of Government and
some others were present. The body
was laid in state in the palace on the
lay following his death. Only the
lay before his demise the Senate
passed bill to present 100000 to the
General, and a check for that amount
was delivered next morning by the
Secretary of Finance to a son of the
General.
President Palma arrived at the Cen
erals bedside a few moments before
he died. This was the Presidents first
visit, and the fact that he had not
called before has occasioned some COM
ment.
The admiration of the mass of Gu
bans for General Gomez amounted to
almost idolatry. His death admittedly
is a severe blow to any political inter
est to which he was allied He was
one Of the most radical leaders of the
national party. He had allied himself
| with the liberal fusion movement, but
split came during his sickness, and it
was generally thought he would have
joined Governor Nunez and other dis
senters in unfolding the old national
list organization.
In the latter days of Cuba there has
been no more striking or picturesque
figure than General Maxine Gomez,
who in 1868 devoted his sword to lib
crate his country from Spanish mis-
rule.
Gomez was born in Santo Domingo
in 1886 and, entering the Spanish army,
became an officer. soon attaining dis
tinctiOn. When the Spanish army was
driven from Santo Domingo he went
to Cuba as 4 private citizen. His ex-
periences had convinced him of the
futiiity of the Spanish Government,
distracted as it was at home, in main
tanning it's control of its West Indies
colonies, and when the ten year rebel
lion broke out in Cuba he at once
enlisted as a soldier. In the first en-
gagement he received promotion for
his daring, and in the next year be-
came a lieutenant-colonel, winning vic
tories near Jiguani and Guantanamo.
With General Garcia he captured
Holguin, and was promoted to the
rank of brigadier-gener by the COM
mander-in-chief, Agramonte, as the
bravest and most intelligent officer in
Santiago. He became known as 1.-THE
Terror" and conducted very success
full campaign in Puerta Principe, win
ming several battles and capturing
towns. He broke through the Gordon
of forts with which the Spanish gen
erals hoped to isolate the insurgent
leaders, but he was unable to keep
up the resistance. When Agramonte
died he was made commander-in-chief
of the rebel forces, but was obliged
to fly from the island as the revolution
died out, escaping to Jamaica.
In 1885 he made an attempt to land
in Cuba, but this was failure He
managed subsequently to join DR..
Marti and seconded his efforts to free
Cuba. For several years he lived in
Honduras and in Santo Domingo, until
the standard of revolution was raised
for the last time in Cuba. The con-
stituent assembly which elected a pro-
visional government made him COM
mander-in-chief, and in the autumn of
1895, joining his forces to those of
General Maceo, he started on famous
raid, in which the two generals ira
versed Cuba from end to end.
One of his greatest successes was his
defeat of Marshal Campos, who tried
with 10000 men to check his advance
upon Havana in December, 1895. In
the following May, with only 400 men,
he routed 5000 Spanish under General
Jinrinez CastelIlnos. During his cam
paign he was reported killed at least
thirty times and he was often wound
ed. He lost one of his sons III De-
cember, 1896, in an ambush not far
from Havana.
The old general was very proud of
the reputation he gained of never hav-
ing lost battle. His personal bravery
had wonderful effect on the raw re-
cruits of which the greater part of
his forces was made up during the first
part of the last revolution. 1t is said
that no man ever flinched, no matter
how thick the bullets few, while Go
mez's eye was upon him.
Gen. Gomez was a small man, about
FIVE feet six inches tall, and slenderly
built. During the last years of his
life he suffered greatly from wound
he received in the right leg. He had
keen, penetrating eyes and a restless,
wary look.
Gen. Gomez had the friendliest pos
| sible feeling for the United States. He
was sorely disappointed when after he
had scored important successes against
the Spainards the United States re-
fused to recognize the belligerency of
Cuba. But when this country lent a
hand Gen. Gomez did all in his power
to secure he friendliest relations.