DEFEAT FOR SPANIARDS IN CUBA

1893 map of Cuba.

DEFEAT FOR SPANIARDS.

A Bloody Battle Fought With the Insurgents.

SPANISH TROOPS PUT TO ROUT.

The Latter Claim the Victory, but Admit Being Roughly Handled, Which Is Equivalent to a Disastrous Defeat

—Other Cuban Events.

   HAVANA, May 15.—Meagre details have been received of an attack upon the famous Platero camp of the insurgents by Colonel Enrique Segura's column, which was admittedly severe for the Spaniards. The official report, however, places the loss of the troops at only one lieutenant and four privates killed and one captain and 27 privates wounded, while the reported loss of the insurgents was 59 killed left on the field and estimated 100 wounded carried off.

   Colonel Segura left Yuagajay at the head of his column on May 9 and encountered an insurgent ambush at Santa Cruz. These retreated, however, after only a skirmish.

   Arrived at Seibabo, Colonel Segura perceived insurgent infantry going toward the noted Platero camp. The troops went in pursuit, proceeding cautiously, however, though only slight resistance was offered to their advance.

   They went forward until they came opposite lofty hills and inaccessible heights where the insurgents had built a stronghold with entrenchments and earthworks. Here a bloody engagement occurred.

   The insurgents allowed the column to advance until part had entered a defile close under the heights, the cavalry and baggage train being, however, still in the rear.

   In a moment the heights blazed with a sudden fire of musketry and there were hurled down upon the heads of the troops a deadly shower of dynamite bombs and shells, which exploded in the ranks of the Spaniards. This sudden onslaught was totally unexpected and threw the troops into a temporary panic. It looked like a rout and as though the insurgents would sweep everything before them.

   The artillery was thrown into confusion and was helpless and useless and was placed hors du combat. The mules which were dragging the pieces shied at the noise and fire of the explosives and fell into a ditch. The artillerymen had to lift two of the cannon out of the ditch and into position by main strength before they became available for service at all.

   They were trained upon the rocks and loaded with shells, but there was no enemy visible to fire upon, the only sign of them being a heavy smoke cloud which hung over the rocks and showed where their terrible attack had come from.

   The vanguard of the column also had to face an attack from a line of the enemy perched in entrenchments on the steep hills which faced them, and to add to the damage and confusion, an attack was very soon opened on the left flank of the troops.

   The engagements thus suddenly opened began at 11 o'clock and continued until 1 o'clock. The official report announces that at the end of that time the Spanish troops were in sole possession of the field, the losses incurred being about as above stated.

   The supreme court of war and marine in the case of Lieutenant Gallego, commander of the Garrison Dos de Mayo, which was captured by the insurgents at the Bay of Asendero, near Santiago de Cuba in October last, have revoked the decision of the court-martial adopted at Havana on Oct. 28, and in addition have sentenced all the members of the court-martial who voted for Gallego's acquittal to one month's arrest. This sentence is also extended to the authorities and to the military chief ad interim for the district.

   The Dos de Mayo was in Asenadero bay on October last and sent a boat's crew ashore to go inland for water. These men were captured by the insurgents who notified Lieutenant Gallego that if he did not surrender the Dos de Mayo the captives would be shot.

   Lieutenant Gallego thereupon turned over to the insurgents the arms and 1,000 rounds of ammunition in his possession. He and his crew were then allowed to return to Santiago de Cuba within the guard boat.

   The court-martial which tried him, voted four to three for his acquittal.

Looks Gloomy For Spain.

   LONDON, May 15.—The correspondent of The Standard from Madrid says: Gloomy impressions reign in Havana as to the prospects for military operations, and reinforcements of 30 battalions are deemed indispensable, because the local volunteers do not respond to the call to arms with the coming of the rainy season. Several filibuster expeditions have landed war materials on various parts of the island lately.

Spain Complains of Explosive Bullets.

   MADRID, May 15.—It is stated that the Spanish government has addressed a note to the powers on the subject of the alleged use of explosive bullets, contrary to international usages of warfare, which, it is claimed, the Cubans obtain easily in the United States.

Dupuy de Lome.

THE BERMUDA FAILED

To Land Her Men and Arms at Cuba—Arms Covered by Coal.

   WASHINGTON, May 15.—A cablegram from the Spanish consul at Truxillo, Honduras, to Minister Dupuy DeLome confirms the failure of the Bermuda to land her arms and men in Cuba on her last trip. The consul says on the arrival of the Bermuda in Truxillo the captain declared at the custom house that he had the following men: Twenty-seven in crew, eleven passengers, and one hundred tons of coal. Subsequently he admitted having on board thirty workmen, making a total of sixty-eight men. The authorities found the hold apparently full of coal, which made it impossible for them to search for the alleged arms which, if on board, were covered up by the coal. Without waiting for a permit, the Bermuda left port and landed sixty men thirty miles down the coast, and then proceeded to Puerto Cortes.

SPAIN TO PROTEST.

An Additional 40,000 Troops to be Sent to Cuba In September.

   MADRID, May 15.—At a cabinet council held yesterday the Duke of Tetum, minister of foreign affairs, was authorized to draft a formal remonstrance against the attitude of the United States in regard to Cuba which will be presented to the government at Washington, and it is probable that Senor Dupuy DeLome, Spanish minister to Washington, will also be instructed to protest personally against the policy being pursued by the American government. It was also decided that the government shall send 40,000 troops to Cuba in September.

UNDER INVESTIGATION.

The New Manufacturing City Near Niagara Falls.

   So many inquiries regarding Model City, Niagara county, N. Y., have been received by us that we have had the enterprise personally investigated by a member of our staff that we might be able to give reliable information to inquirers. The following is what we have ascertained.

   The enterprise is specially chartered by the state of New York with a very liberal charter, and has the unquestioned right to take an unlimited amount of water out of Niagara river for power. This right is very valuable, as the available fall is 290 feet. The company is organized as a close corporation with its promoter, Mr. W. T. Love, controlling it. It owns by deed and contracts nearly 30,000 acres of exceedingly beautiful land, to which it proposes to bring this Niagara water and develop 140,000 horse power—an amount sufficient to easily create and sustain a city of half a million people. To do this quickly, the company proposes to give free sites and for forty years, free power to every manufacturer who employs one adult male for each horse power donated. Under this very liberal policy, it is believed that the factory development of the new city will prove something phenomenal, and that a great city will quickly result.

   Your correspondent has personally gone over a mass of the contracts and papers of the company, to his great astonishment finding that hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of property has been ordered by telegraph from all parts of the country from Pasadena, Cal., to the Atlantic. Nearly half a million dollars' worth of these lots has been sold to well-to-do-people of Niagara Falls, where one would least expect to find support for this enterprise, a fact speaking well for the integrity of the management, and an indication of the opinion of responsible parties of the locality.

   The site of the new city is beautiful. For the purpose it could not be surpassed. The great Niagara lies 250 feet above the site, furnishing unlimited water for power, and for lighting and heating a great city, as well as for fire purposes without pumping. Every condition and element of success is here, while the management is able and vigorous, and the integrity of its officials unquestioned. And after thorough investigation we can commend it to the consideration of our readers.

FUNERAL OF MISS COLLINS.

Attended by a Large Number of Friends This Afternoon.

   The funeral of Miss Sara E. Collins was held this afternoon from the residence of her brother, Mr. C. W. Collins, and was attended by a large number of friends of the deceased. A quartet consisting of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Graham, Mrs. Elisabeth M. Greenman and Mr. A. D. Blodgett sang "I Long for the Land of the Blest;" Rev. J. L. Robertson, pastor of the Presbyterian church, read a portion of Scripture, made a few appropriate remarks, offered prayer and the quartet sang "The Holy City."

   The ladies of the local W. C.T. U., together with other members, were in attendance in a body and conducted brief services. Mrs. E. L. Tanner of Blodgett Mills, the county president, read a scripture selection and Mrs. T. P. Benjamin offered prayer, after which the quartet chanted "Let Not Your Hearts be Troubled."

   The bearers were Messrs. H. F. Benton, A. F. Tanner, C. P. Walrad and Lewis Bouton. Mr. Halsey M. Collins was home from Amherst to attend the funeral. The floral tributes were many and beautiful, among them being roses from the county W. C. T. U. and the unions of Cortland and Blodgett Mills.

Award of Damages.

   Messrs. K. Bruce Smith of Cortland, Lyman A. Hibbard of Homer and Peter D. Muller of Truxton, the commissioners having in charge the opening of the new road in Scott, have fixed upon the following amounts of damages for the people through whose farms the new road is to be laid out and have awarded them the several sums: Byron H. Bierce $322; Mrs. Jennie S. Taylor $343; Mr. John Gillette $110; and Mr. Nathan Salisbury $25.

IN AN UP-TO-DATE DRESS.

The Standard Greets its Readers in Handsome New Type.

   The STANDARD appears to-day in a new dress of reading-matter type, which not only greatly improves the appearance of the paper but increases the ease and pleasure of reading. The type in the favorably known Benton self-spacing type, from the American Type Founders Co., and was purchased through their energetic, persuasive and popular representative Mr. J. H. Clapperton. The face and body of the type are slightly smaller than the old type in which most of our reading matter has been set, and somewhat larger than the type heretofore used in our local correspondence. The new type will b e used throughout the paper, doing away with the inconvenience of using two different styles of type of nearly the same size.

   A few weeks since we renewed the nonpareil type need in our advertising, cent-a-word notices, timetables, etc., and with the discarding of worn faces of display type—and the addition of new ones the youth of the STANDARD will be pretty thoroughly renewed. The expense attending these improvements is considerable, but we believe they are worth the cost and that they will be appreciated both by our readers and our advertisers.