The Sun

MONEY READY FOR CUBANS

SOME SOLDIERS SAY THEY WILL REFUSE IT AND KEEP THEIR ARMS.

Agitators Trying to Stir Up Discontent Among the Troops—Gen. Gomez and Gen. Brooke Agree on the Final Arrangements for Distributing the Money.

Special Cable Despatch to The Sun.

HAVANA, May 22.—Having received despatches from Washington permitting him to close the negotiations for the distribution of the $3,000,000 donated by the United States for the payment of the Cuban troops, Governor-General Brooke to-day sent for Gen. Gomez. The latter went to the Salon Trocha, Gen. Brooke's headquarters, at 2 o'clock this afternoon, accompanied by Col. Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, a member of his staff. They remained closeted with Gen. Brooke and Major Kennon until 6 o'clock this evening discussing the order that Gen. Brooke is about to issue.

Only a few changes were made in the plan already agreed upon. As it now reads every line of the order has been agreed to by Gen. Gomez, and this is so stated in the preface to the instructions for the laying down of the arms of the Cuban soldiers. The order says the arms will be turned over to the civil Governors or to the Alcaldes of the municipalities where the soldiers live or where they receive their money. The Alcaldes are charged with the care of the arms until they shall be collected and put in the Cuban arsenals at Santiago and Havana.

No mention is made as to whether this will be before the United States forces leave the island. The order will probably be published on Wednesday without further changes in any particular unless there are unforeseen developments. The present solution of the problem is looked upon as a victory for Gen. Brooke in that President McKinley decided that the course mapped out by him was the wisest to follow.

The delay, however, has been unfortunate. Agitators have used the newspaper despatches concerning Washington's interference to foment discontent among the men. It is not possible to tell how many men will accept the money. The plan is to rush the payment of the Third, Fourth and Fifth Corps as soon as possible. The telegram from the veterans in the province of Santiago stating that they would not accept money had its influence here. The forces of Col. Aceas at Alquezar, Guines and San Nicolas, 500 strong, met yesterday at Alquezar and resolved to disband without touching the American money. They have so notified Gen. Gomez. What they will do with their arms is not known, but it is supposed that they will keep them. Six hundred men under Gen. Mayia Rodriguez are reported to have already buried their arms.

To-night all the Cuban officers who served in Santiago and who are now in Havana met at the Hotel de Inglaterra and resolved to send a telegram congratulating the Santiago veterans on already disbanding without money. It is believed, however, at the Salon Trocha that plenty of men will come forward and get their money.

Gen. Gomez does not care whether the money is accepted by the soldiers or not. He so stated in his manifesto when he told them to give up their arms and go home with or without money.

La Lucha received a telegram to-day stating that the officers and soldiers in the Holguin district had resolved that if Gen. Gomez agreed to accept the $3,000,000 in the name of the army he had forfeited his position as their representative and had exceeded the authority conferred on him by them at the Bayamo convention. Gen. Gomez explained to-night that he did not accept the money. He had only advised the soldiers that they might take it or not as they chose.

Gen. Brooke has ordered that $16,000 be given to the insane asylum, which is in an extremely bad financial position. The inmates are nearly starving.

Secretary of State Capote has received the information concerning the municipalities in Puerto Principe that he was asked for by Gen. Brooke. There are only five municipalities left in the province. Nineteen towns were destroyed during the war. The five municipalities have a debt of $370,107. The population of the whole province is only 72,187.

According to a Spanish merchant here the steamer San Juan, which was captured by the Americans during the blockade, has been turned over to its owners, the Herrera Company.

Marquis Arguelles, Spain's representative here, is suing Col. Bliss to recover the ashes of the old Spanish Generals, who, it was recently discovered, were buried in the building which is now used as a Custom House.