The Portland daily press., 1869-07-15

THE CAREER OF A LEADING CUBAN.
lowing. u, - &C.,
For the past three days there has been
staying in our city Cuban gentleman whose
lstOry,properly written would be more roman
TIC than any novel of the day. He was born
been bitter hater ofSpain. His father was
aSpanish nobleman, but for suspected trea-
son when youth was arrested and condemn.
ca 10 death. He fed, and ultimately came TO
america, residing in New Orleans for several
years. He finally went to Matanzas under an
assumed name, where he married. In 1880.
senior Mendez, for that was his name. was re-
arrested, sent to Spain, aud after time exc
cu:ea. his wife died soon after, leaving the
cnlid, Carlos, in the charge of his unele .
merchant in Havana. At the ACE Of f;ffsscn
young Mendez was sent to Spain to be edu
cated. Here he remained for nearly two
years, continually In trouble with his teachers
ana ieiiow pupils on account Of his political
views. hts career eliminated here ia duel
WITH the son OF a Spanish Cabinet Minister
i Mnom ne ran through the body, killing him
instantly. He escaped almost by miracle.
ana shipped as common sailor on board an
East .ndiaman, then lying temporarily for re-
pairs at Cadiz. Leaving the vessel at Calclt-
ia he obtained a position in Spanish COM
mercial house, but soon firing of that. he en-
listed into the British army, several reoiments
Of which were then stationed in and near
Calcutta. A year later his regiment was sent
to England, and from thence " Canada,-~-
Tired OF the army, he deserted and made
his way over the line into Maine, and in Del
cemDer 1874, he reached the city OF Boston.
FINDING several OF his countrymen, he con-
cluded to remain there. and, assisted by them
ne commenced as a teacher of the French
anu spanish languages in a young ladies'
academy In Pemberton square. Having nm
aitercation one night In front of the fremont
house with Spanish hair dresser he stabbed
Ilnl, ana fearing the consequences fled to
New York. here he was arrested Init svban
beng taken back he sprung from the car Mat
,orm IN the pitchy darkness ola rainy night.
breaking an arm and two ribs, He manaoa,l
" escape, however, and by means of a fishino
schooner got to Nantucket, where he stain mn,
I'll ne recovered from bis injuries. Shar,Iv
aIter tne Cuban excitement broke out. and ri.
lying MEself TO party of filibusters. he at
iass landed on bis native soil, after an absence
p nearly ten years, In a skirmjsb tau
Gays alter, he was taken: prisoner and With
several Others was shot down " ithont core "ssa-
snony with two bullets in his body and
t ~nosler iDseded in his right leg, he vet re-
talnsu sufficient life to crawl ont Of the bean
:, dead where he was cast during the NIGHT.
anu with the aid OF a sympathizer tound re-,
fuge and shelter until his wounds were heal
ed. $500,
six months later we find him again in
this country, but in New Orleans. From
there he vent to California, and in 1858 sail
ed for Japan, was shipwrecked on the pas
sage. and spent a little more than a wear
among the barbarians ola cluster of islands
north of the PHILIPPINES, known as the Bashee
Islands. After bis rescue he returned To
New Orleans, where he remained until 1891 /
at wnich time the war breaking out be went
to New York, raised a company of Cubans
aud FrenchInen, was commissioned as can
tam, and dill good service in the field. rising
70 colonelcy before the close OF the war
he tasted OF the horrors OF Libby and Ander- {
sonsille; was shot twIce-cnce through the
shoulder, and once through the right aim
iost Two fingers by a sabre cut on a cavalry
raiu, besides having been blown up BY the ex-
ploslon OF a mine near Richmond in 1865
Qne can wen imagine that he is 'one OF the 4
de- WI ~
since the commencement of hostilities in
CUBA ne has been exceedingly active in rails
ING men and money, and has actually visited
Oupa twice with VESSELS bearing arms and
volunteers, getting safely away again. He
was with Colonel Ryan on the last expedition
which came to grief the first of the week. He
landed in London on Tuesday night with
neafiy hundred men, who scattered at once
some returning to New York, and the 9th
ers Wnere their fancy LED them. For several
reasons we dc not need to recount, Colonel
Mendez c2me to this city, where he will prob
able remain for the present. sai