Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1898 — A MARVELOUS MAN. [ARTICLE]

A MARVELOUS MAN.

... i ( T Interesting; Facts About Gomez, thq - Brave Commander of .Cubans, J Maximo Gome*,- the commander-fp chief of the-Cuban forces is a remark-. . able man. He* know* not only how ioj make men love him, but how to make them He-is a -picturesque* figure, w}tb his slouch hat and his loose; blouse,, on. the collar of which hyo gold stars whtcb tell his rank. I He is not caTm and collected anil im-l presslve as ; Washington was. He lsj rather nervous, and not infrequently j petulant, ; . When he Is angry he tajte i bis gray chin whiskers with his fingers and his eyes blaze. When a guflfy. maja stood in the presence of Washington he j felt the very marrow in his bones cougehl before that, cold, ealm; august presence and the eyes of the getrerdl seemed looking at him from some grand height to-eantemplate his littleness. Be,fore Gomez the culprit feels the .fiery eyes of his chief burn into him and t brand him. Gomez is below the average height nd not Impressive, but he has a trange magnetism about him which draws good men to him and makes brave men die for him. When that little dried-up old man Appears among’a group.of officers there i* bo need to ask # who is master. His personality IS compelling and attractive. He was passionately attached to his boy, Francisco., who died with Maced; Fanchito was .the General’s nickname'' for his son, and when the boy insisted on leaving New York and going to take his place in the ranks of Cuba the old’ man would- not say him nay, but Insisted that he go to fight with Maceo, fearing that if “Panchito” were serving In his own command it would make him think in battle for the safety of hla son whom he should have his mind onlyon the affairs of Cuba. His 1b a strong and remarkable character, who has won the love of his followers and the admiration of "bis foes. ' His is the character of a knight who ha* seldom been able to lay off his armor, and through good and evil fortune has kept that armor bright. At 62 years of age his eye is as bright, his form as erect, his capacity for enduring the hardships of a campaign as great .as when he was a young lieutenant, swearing the uniform of Spain, u Gomez belongs to an old Spanish family who settled In Bani, Santo Domingo. In that town'he was born. As a lieutenant he served in the Spanish army during Spain’s last occupation of bis native country; When the revolution of 1863, which finally drove: the Spaniards out of Santo Domingo, broke, out, Gomez decided to no longer fight against his countrymen. He hard seen all the cruelty and futility Of Spanish rule and doffed the ttnlform of Spain forever. He went to Cuba and settled down As. a planter. When the ten years! war broke out he east in Ms* lot- with the Cubans and fought until the restoration of peace. In April, 1895, Chba again called to him and iie'heard the cry. His intention Is never to lay doWn the sword, until ( Cuba is free. from Spanish rate. ' ' ( .