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Outline History of Cuba from May, 1896, to January, 1897: Havana

It is a continuing misfortune that there is extreme difficulty in obtaining from Cuba the true news. We positively do not get it in official form from Havana. The official mind of Spain cares a great deal for form, but not much for the facts as facts. The bulletins of the Spanish officers in Cuba might as well be made out on blanks prepared at Madrid. Even the details of "battles"--the number of insurgents slain, and of Spaniards wounded and of horses captured and hats picked up--are familiar. It is the news that will not pass the censor, unless it is colored red and yellow. The Cuban headquarters--excepting the civil government and the camps-is at Key West. The Havana and Tampa steamers touch there, and each boat, whatever secret dispatches may be carried, has a cargo of rumors--and this possession is not of information, but out of the imagination. There seems, also, to be a literary bureau, whose business it is to work fancies into attractive despatches to telegraph over the world; the primary purpose being not to tell what passes, but to contrive something to help the Cuban cause. No doubt the cause would be the better of more robust truth-telling. The death of Antonio Maceo was denied in a fury-just as was the early fall, in a skirmish, of Jose Marti, the man who organized the rebellion and was one of the first martyrs. When the fall of Maceo could be no more disputed, there was a writer of fiction so hardy as to charge that the famous chieftain had been "lured" by the Spaniards to present himself, under a flag of truce, to treat for peace--a thing so out of character for him that it was incredible. He was a man whose policy was always war to the knife; and we may be sure he did not depart from it at his death. There is, however, a mystery about that tragedy. Dr. Zertucha gives only a show of the truth--surely not all that is true--and then theorizes as to matters of which he has knowledge and evidently avoids. When Maceo was killed he had crossed the trocha, and was at the head of five hundred men in the Province of Havana, and within an hour's rapid ride of the city. Just as he said things were "going well," he fell as if struck by lightning. Young Gomez had an old wound, and being again struck, refused to be helped from the fatal spot until the General was carried away. The Spaniards swept over the ground, but were swiftly driven back-and Maceo was found stripped and Gomez stabbed and his skull cleft. Now the doctor does not account for his own conduct in surrendering; and he wanders; making fair weather for the Spaniards, paying for the distinction with which he is treated by them. His tale that he swore he would serve with Maceo only is not credible, and his declaration that Maceo was in despair and threw away his life, for the reason he had aroused jealousies and was persecuted because he was of mixed blood, and not well supported, and therefore wanted to die--all this cannot be accepted. There is a Key West story that accuses Zertucha of systematically betraying Maceo to the Spaniards, and sending them secret intelligence of the location of hospitals. A letter is attributed to one of Maceo's aides, saying he heard firing near Punta Brava, and Zertucha had ridden off to one side of the road and galloped back crying, "Come with me--come with me--quick, quick!" and Maceo at once put spurs to his horse and, followed by his five aides, rode swiftly after the physician, who plunged into the thick growth on the side of the road.