New-York tribune., 1921-06-14
Jose WI. Gomez.
EXT resident OF
Cuba, Dies Here
General Had Been iii of
Pneumonia Some Time;
Wife and Sou at Bedside;
Two Daughters on Way
Headed 1917 Rebellion
Was Disturbing Factor in
Politics OF BsEal,d From
Which He Retired! Recently

General Jose NJ. Gomez, former
President Of Cuba. died yesterday at
l;45 p. m. at the Hotel Plaza, where
he had been i'll for some time with
pneumonia.
Yesterday morning his condition be-
came critical and consultation of
physicians was held. Members of the
generals family were at the bedside
when he died, among them his wife, his
son, Miguc, Mariana, and his daughter,
Narcis7a. DR.. j. R. Alvarez, of New
York, and DR.. Juan Mencias, of Havana,
were in attendance. Two more daugh-
ters, ScAoritas Petronila and Maria
Manuela Gomez, are en- route from
Havana. The two latter, who left
Jacksonville for New York late yes
terday. were advised by telegraph of
their fathers death
Requiem high mass will be held
Thursday morning at st. Patrick S;
Cathedral, Fifth Avenue and Fifty
first Street, according to an announce
ment from the Gomez suite at the hotel
last night. Burial plans will be an
nounced later.
Became Soldier at Seventeen
The most formidable. and persistent
OF the revolutionists with whom the
Republic of Cuba has had to contend
was Jose Miguel Gomez, who once sue
ceeded in attaining the insular presi-
dency over the grave of Tomas Estrada
Palma. He was born, the son OF q
wealthy planter, at Sancti Spirtus on
July 6, 1858, and was graduated a
Bachelor of Arts and Sciences at the
University of Havana in 1875 He then,
at once, Joined the Cuban forces in
the closing months of the Ten Years
War and showed himself an apt and
efficient soldier. He also took an active
part in the later Cuban wars.
General Gomez was nominated by the
Liberals for the Presidency in 1905.
Realizing in advance that he would
sent out word that gross frauds were
about to be perpetrated by the Con-
servatives, by which they purposed to
count in" President Palma. The result
was, of course, the reelection of Presi-
dent Estrada Palma. Immediately
thereafter General Gomez began plot
ting violent revolution.
United States Interferes
A widespread war of incendiarism,
plunder and devastation began; at the
suggestion of the American Consul Gen.
eral an appeal was made to Washington
for aid, and the Secretary Of War, Will
liam H. Taft, and Assistant Secretary of
State Robert Bacon, were sent thither
by President Roosevelt. Meantime the
Cuban government had captured GEN
eral Gomez and his chief aides and had
them in jail. On Mr.. Taft's arrival at
Havana he discussed the situation with
President Estrada Palma and also with
General Gomez, who was brought out
of jail for the purpose. The lament
able outcome was that President Es-
trada Palma resigned and soon after
ward died Of a broken heart; Charles
f. Magoon was made Provisional Gov
ernor of Cuba under American inter-
vention; and General Gomez was set
free to proceed with his ambitious
schemes.
The election of 1908, conducted
under American supervision, resulted
in an overwhe elming victory for the
Liberals, and General Gomez on Jan
uary 2S, 1909. became President of
Cuba with a strong Liberal majority
behind him iii Congress.
DIR. Zayas Defeated
In the campaign of 1912 President
Gomez did not seek reelection, but
fulfilled in form his promise to let Dr..
Zayas be the Liberal candidate. He
gave DIR. Zayas little or no support,
however, and that gentleman was de-
fcated by General Menocal. During
that administration General Gomez was
in retirement, in the enjoyment of his
ample fortune, anc at its end he osten-
sibly withheld himself from politics
and let DR.. Zayas again be the Liberal
But when the close result
of the election was disputed in the
into the contest, and in February, 1917,
committed what is known in Cuban his
tory as "the great treason of Jose
Miguel" He organized and began
revolt throughout the
island, in which he bribed some
officers and troops of the Cuban army
to take part.
President Menocal acted with prompt
ness and vigor, and. declining the prof
fered aid of the United States, soon
the rebellion and Captured
General Gomez and his staff. President
Menocal granted pardon or communication
to them all, with the result that General
Gomez went free and resumed his
political activities. In 1920 he was
again the candidate of the "Miguelista"
faction of the Liberals for the Presi-
dency, while DR.. Zayas was the candi-
date of the remaining Liberals and the
Conservatives. General Gomez re-
sorted to his former devices-of trying
to discredit the election in advance
and ordering his followers to boycott
it and then afterward disputing the re-
suit. Fortunately, the government
under General Menocal acted with in
tegrity, judgment and resolution, and
the United States was authoritatively
represented there in the person of Gen
eral Enoch H. Crowder, so that the
election of DR.. Zayas was sustained
and General Gomez was, though most
unwillingly, constrained to acquiesce
in that result. He then announced that
he was through with politics and with
drew from the public gaze.
Tuberculosis Association
To Dsco,rsc GoVJ.o All