GEN. WYLER DISCOURAGED

Captain General Valeriano Weyler.

Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, March 19, 1896.

WYLER DISCOURAGED.

Said to Have Intimated That He May Resign.

IMPORTANT BATTLE REPORTED.

Spaniards and Cubans Contend Stubbornly In Pinar del Rio and Leave Many Dead on the Field. Cuban Expedition Safely Landed.

   MADRID, March 19.—General Weyler, the captain general of Cuba, in an interview published here, is quoted as saying that the difficulties he has encountered may compel him to resign.

   The captain general is quoted as being greatly surprised at the charges made against him in the United States, "in view of his great prudence pending the settlement of the question of belligerency."

   General Weyler is also credited with having said that the attitude of congress stops the normal development of the war.

   Continuing, the interview places General Weyler on record as saying that numbers of persons are joining the insurgents from all parts of Cuba and even from the capital, Havana, because they hope they will be recognized as belligerents.

   The Spanish soldiers, the captain general is said to have added, are fighting heroically and it is impossible to ask them to do more.

   In conclusion, General Weyler is said to have stated that he is confident of the eventual success of the Spanish cause, but the "contradictory demands of prudence and extreme measures, combined with the difficulties arising from the question of belligerency and the election, might compel important changes in the best interests of Spain and Cuba."

HOT BATTLE REPORTED.

Spanish and Cubans Come Together In Pinar del Rio.

   HAVANA, March 19.—A hot battle between the forces under Colonel Hernandez and the insurgents under Maceo, Banderas and others, is reported from the neighborhood of Candelaria in Pinar del Rio.

   The insurgent loss is reported to have been 300 killed and wounded. Of the troops, Captain Torroja Guerro was killed and Lieutenant Comas wounded. The official report also says that five soldiers were killed and 56 wounded.

   The details of the battle are rather meagre. Colonel Suarez Ynclan left Las Mangas on Monday. Colonel Hernandez was ordered to march over to Candelaria. The march was made in torrents of rain. The insurgents to the number of 4,000 were awaiting the advance of the troops on a farm. As they came up at a rapid gallop the insurgents opened fire along an extensive line which had been disposed behind the bushes along the road and parallel to it.

   This proved a galling and destructive fire, and the battalion of Tarifa in the vanguard with a section of the cavalry squadron of Victoria and the artillery, found themselves speedily engaged. Firing then opened on both sides and the insurgents ran. The columns in the rear coming into action, the whole line of troops was involved, giving opportunity to the companies of the battalion of Luchana, a section of cavalry with light artillery, to enter the engagement.

   The artillery threw grapeshot over the insurgents, who advanced machete in hand. The movement of the insurgents was thus held in check, but new forces coming to their aid, they fell upon the Spanish columns in a fierce attack. This attack also was checked, says the official report, giving the victory to the Spanish troops and terminating the engagement after two hours' fighting, with a bayonet charge assisted by a concentrated artillery fire, which dislodged the insurgents, who fled in great numbers.

   Captain General Weyler has proposed to the government to promote Colonel Ynclan to be a brigadier general.

   Many columns are now closely pursuing Maceo.

   Maximo Gomez is encamped at the plantation of Morenita, near Guira Mela, in Havana province.

   The insurgents have burned the splendid plantation houses and machinery of San Leon.

   The important village of San Antonio de Las Vegas has been plundered and burned with the exception of 15 houses. Two fields of the plantation of Toledo have also been burned.

   The produce exchange here has adopted a resolution to telegraph to Senator Hale of Maine thanking him for his noble attitude on the subject of Cuban belligerency. Over 100 signatures of prominent merchants have been attached to the telegram.

   Lacret and other insurgent leaders with a following of 500 are encamped on the plantation of Magote, Matanzas.

SAFELY OFF FOR CUBA.

Band of Patriots Transferred to the Steamer Bermuda.

   ATLANTIC CITY. March 19.—Custom House Inspector E. A. Higbie has learned that General Garcia and a band of Cuban patriots left Somers Point harbor early yesterday morning on the steamer Bermuda. He has notified the secretary of war.

   From facts learned it appears that General Garcia secured the steamer Atlantic City, which has been for several months lying at Tuckahoe, out of commission, and transferred his men and arms to the steamer Bermuda, which arrived here Tuesday night. The filibusterers, it is said, journeyed from Philadelphia to Tuckahoe by the South Jersey railroad, from thence by the steamer Atlantic City to Somers Point harbor, meeting the Bermuda and there effecting the transfer.

   Last Monday the owners of the Atlantic City took out of the custom house a set of inspection papers, ostensibly for the purpose of giving the steamer a trial trip for the benefit of parties who had an option upon it for purchase. When she steamed into the harbor Tuesday no especial attention was paid her. It was soon observed, however, that a number of strangers were loitering about the wharf, and their mysterious actions created suspicion. Local captains noticed the Atlantic City suddenly steam toward Little Egg Harbor bay and thence oceanward. Later in the day she returned and went to Tuckahoe. It has since been learned that the local steamer met the Bermuda, which came from New York, and that Garcia and his party were taken aboard.

COLLECTOR HOUCK'S REMOVAL.

Result of an Investigation of the Affairs of His Office.

   ROCHESTER, N. Y., March 19.—The news of the appointment of George P. Decker to be collector of the port of Genesee to succeed Collector George H. Houck, whose term of office has not half expired, created considerable excitement in political circles here. About 14 months ago an agent of the treasury department was sent to Rochester to investigate charges affecting Houck's management of the office. One result of the investigation was the resignation of the deputy collector, a son of Mr. Houck, So far as the public knew, the matter was then dropped, but it is understood that the inquiry was recently resumed and that the president [Cleveland] found cause sufficient to justify Houck's removal. Mr. Decker, who is named as his successor, is a prominent young Democrat of this city and ex-president of the Flower City Democracy, the leading Democratic organization of Rochester.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The Convention.

   The Republican county convention yesterday passed off quietly and harmoniously, the only ripple being caused by the contesting delegations from Cuyler—where a disagreement which every one must have regretted—was referred to a committee which gave it careful and patient investigation and made a unanimous report, which was adopted by the convention. The delegates selected to the state and congressional conventions are representative Republicans and can be trusted to voice the predominant sentiment of the Republicans of the county. The county committee chosen is one which will command general confidence and can be relied on to do effective work.

   A pleasant incident of the convention, and one in the highest degree creditable to both parties concerned, was the withdrawal of Hon. Wilber Holmes as state delegate in favor of Hon. F. P. Saunders. Mr. Holmes, as member from this county, was given a place on the state delegation last year, though the control of the convention was in the hands of persons with whom the Cincinnatus delegation—which represented Mr. Holmes—was not in harmony. It was a graceful and considerate act on his part to yield the place this year to Mr. Saunders.

   Persons claiming to represent Mr. Saunders in this village had, in his absence, without his knowledge or consent, placed him at the head of their caucus ticket, and made him an unconscious sharer in a defeat which his name made much less emphatic than it would otherwise have been. But for his name having been on this caucus ticket, the state delegateship would probably have been conceded to Mr. Saunders from the outset, and when the facts of the case were known, and the time-honored custom in the matter considered, Mr. Holmes voluntarily and cordially yielded the place for which his friends had urged him, thereby honoring himself and illustrating a spirit for which there is a broad field in Cortland county.

   When the expression made by the convention in favor of a fair public notice of all caucuses shall be embodied in law, and fair voting at all caucuses also be provided for, there will be no reason why every county convention should not begin and end in perfect good feeling, and the party in the county grow steadily in power and in the confidence of the people.

BREVITIES.

   —Messrs. Grant Burdick and Jesse  Stillman have purchased the Homer Steam laundry, possession to be given at once.

   —New advertisements to-day are—J.  P. McCann, auction of bankrupt stock, page 6; C. F. Brown, Easter Sunday, page 7.

   —The Alpha C. L. S. C. will meet with Mrs. G. A. Squires, 7 Homer-ave.,

Monday evening, March 23, at 7:30 o'clock.

   —Water Witch Steamer and Hose company is making arrangements to give a private ball in Vesta lodge rooms April 7. Daniels' orchestra will furnish music.

   —The 10 o'clock northbound train on the D., L. & W. was a half hour late this morning owing to the heavy snow on the tracks south of Cortland. The southbound train was on time.

   —Considerable difficulty was experienced on the electric lines this morning on account of the heavy snow. The McGrawville car returned from its first trip at 7 o'clock. By 11 o'clock all were running on time, however.

   —"Tim the Tinker" at the Opera House last night drew a fair-sized audience. The play is a good one and the specialties introduced by various members of the company are good, especially the bell ringing of Mr. Brennan and the singing of the Monarch quartet.