The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-06-02
CUBAN REBELS
CAPTURE TWO
j. 5. CITIZENS
Insurgents Rush the Prisoners,
Wheeler and ColliSter,
to Stronghold in the
Mountains.
RANSOM EXPECTED
BY THE INSURRECTOS
Situation in Affected Prov
inces of Island Growing
Worse; Papers Not Al
lowed to Print News.
BY H. H. STANSBURY.

F citizens, identified only as
\ Wheeler and Collister, have
been captured by Cuban rebels
at Sigua, twenty miles from Santiago,
and taken to the mountain stronghold
of Generals Estenoz and Yvenot, ac-
cording to adviccs received at the
American legation. The information
came by telegraph from Consul Hola-
da at Santigao, who stated that he
was leaving immediately for Slgua to
make personal investigation. No de-
tails are known, but further messages
are expected by Minister Beaupre TO-
night.
Consul Holada verified the reports
of great damage to property in Oriente
by bands OF rebels sent out by Gem
eral Estenoz, the revolutionary leader,
against the Cuban troops under Gen
eral Monteagudo. The rural guard,
which is better drilled body of men
than the Cuban CIRCULARS, is said to
be badly demoralized.
IT has been learned from an unques-
tionable source that twenty men among
the Gomez forces were killed in the
running fight which began Thursday
and continued throughout Friday.
News Suppressed.
Gomez declines to permit the Havana
papers to publish this information, but
has given out number Of bulletins
rh;oh o1Iooo boop1y 1ngvoc Io @b, rohoI-
There is known to be serious apprehen-
sion here that the soldiers under Mon
teagudo will desert and join Estenoz
if the rebels have decisive victory in
any Of their fights. Fifty per cent
of the government forces are negroes.
Commander Mitchell Of the Paducah
stood off Daiquiri last night, but re-
turned to Guantanamo after finding
that a guard sufficient to prevent fur
ther devastation to property interests
had been established by rurales.
The Spanish-American Iron company
at Daiquiri has already suffered ire
mendous losses. Many buildings have
been burned, including the offices in
which the books were kept. All work
has been stopped Several hundred en-
ployees are clamoring for their pay, but
it cannot be computed on account of
the loss Of the time records. The ma.
lority Of these are negroes and they are
threatening TO Join the rebels,
Situation Acute.
While the situation throughout Guam
tanamo valley is in a state Of active
disorder and conditions in all parts Of
the island are constantly growing more
acute, the people among whom Gomez
is distributing 5000 rifles have added to
the disorder by assuming that when
guns were placed in their hands they
had right to kill indiscriminately.
Numerous reports have been received
here Of negroes being killed without
provocation. Notice is being taken by
the authorities Of such lawlessness
Estenoz and Yvenot are now said
TO have approximately 10000 men in
their command. The maximum strength
of the defending army is 5000.
Six hundred volunteers left here to-
day by boat to Join General Montea-
guido. His task of driving the negroes
out of their stronghold is considered
about as hopeless AS an attempt to ex-
terminate monkeys in an African JIM
glc.- This is precisely the same terri
tory in which Spain never succeeded
in entirely extirpating revolution The
negroes are scattered along the main
line of the Guantanamo & Western
railroad between its junction with tine
Cuba railroad at San Luis and
the Guantanamo valley. The Guantan-
amo valley is horseshoe shaped basin
with the naval station between it and
the sea OIL the south aud Sierra Macs"
ira mountains trimming it around on
the other four sides. In the valley it
self there are ten fine sugar mills.
Their fields make the valley one solid
area of cultivation with the city OF
Guantanamo the center The mills are
centers OF as many scattered settle
| ments.
The rebels under Estenoz and I've
(Coutinued ON PaRo Fourteenl