The San Francisco call., 1906-08-23

Rout Government Forces in
the Combat and Occupy
the Town Of San Luis
REVOLT SPREADS
IN THE REPUBLIC
President Palma Attributes
Defeat to Unpreparedness
and Takes Hopeful View

Y " YAyANA, Aug. 22.--An attempt
was nade this evening to as
\ sasginate General Emilio Nu-
neg, Governor of the province
of Havana. A man Ieveled a revolver
at the Governor as he was entering his
home. Another man who was passing
by saw the assassin and cried out,
Governor Nunez turned and,
drawing his revolver, fired at the mis-
creant. The latter dropped his revolver
and uas arrested.
HAVANA, Aug. 22.-The insurgents
in Pinar del Rio captured their first
city there today At 80 this morning
the forces led by aino Guerrero, an ex-,
who was thought to be many miles
eastward, and sundry other insurgent
bands attacked San Luis, which is sit
uated on the railroad about ten miles
west of Pinar del Rio City. A sharp
and decisive engagement followed. DUR
ing which a number of men were killed
or wounded.
The town was defended by less than
100 rural guards. fifty of whom sur
rendered to the insurgents and are
held as prisoners. The insurgent
forces are in possession of the railroad
station and of the town. which is re-
suming its normal conditions BY the
capture of San Luis, which has about
5000 inhabitants, the insurgents have
obtained an important base for future
Operations.
The bands 81 Guerre9a. Pozo and
others. aggregating about 400 men.
concentrated this morning in the vi
cinity of San Luis. Seventy rural
guards under command of Major Lau-
rent were to attack the insurgents
from the east and thirty men under
Lieutenant Azcuy were to attack from
the west Ascuy arrived first and got
into an ill-timed engagement with far
superior detachments. with the result
that he was forced to retreat hastily to
San Luis, pursued by portion of the
enemy. The rural guards took refuge
III their quarters and Guerrera's men
remained in possession of the town.
BATTLE IN THE AFTERNOON.
This afternoon Major Laurent had a
hot fight with the insurgents under
Guerrero and other insurgent COM
msnders. and reports that several were
killed or wounded. He pursued
Guerrero, but, so far as known, did not
retake the town.
One hundred recruits were started
westward this evening on board a
special train, but 1t is not likely that
they will be permitted to reach San
Luis.
A detachment of 100 recruits on their
way to Guines had a slight encounter
today with insurgents, but no one on
either side was hurt.
An attempt is being made with 200
mounted rural guards and regulars to
corner Quentin Bandera, who, with
$50 men, is continuing his lodging
tactics in the western part of the
province of Havana
Three large bands of insurgents are
out in the provinces of Santa Clara.
The insurrection appears to be grow
ing, but the loyalists of the towns
claim that they will be able 20 resist
the movement.
PALMA MINIMIZES RESULT.
It became known later in the day
that practically all the inhabitants OF
the town of Agucate had. with the
Mayor, declared themselves in insur-
rection against the Government
President Palma today said:
Our situation at first was one OF
unpreparedness. as usual in such cases
but there is positively no cause for
alarm. The movement in Santa Clara
province is small, in Matanzas it is
trifing, and the bands in Pinar del
Rio are smaller than reported and
poorly led"
While the foregoing Is typical .oi
the utterances Of Government officials
there are evidences Of threatening in
creases In the numbers of the insur-
rectionists. In the province Of Santa
Clara the dissatisfaction is wide.
spread. and in the province of Havans
a great many people are In sympathy
with the insurgents In some case.
whole communities appear to have
been carried away by the recrudes
cence of insurrectionary times. TIL.