Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-28

ing the indictment, which was repeated in
English by an interpreter, and which &C
cused me Of adding and abesaing the CUBAN
insurgents, who were in arms against their
lawful sovereign, the king Of Spain, by de-
livering into the hands of one of the chiefs Of
the insurgents incendiary papers to incite the
people of Cuba to further d-eds OF violence
against the government, and also money to
enable them to carry on desultory war
fare"
To have attempted to disguise anything or
withhold any part OF my share in the unfor-
turate affair knew would be disastrous to
my cause: So told my story Straightforward
from beginning to end, and the consul, saw,
was faithfully TRANSMITTING it.
Several tiuhs, | afterward learned, the
party employed as interpreter construed my
language so as TO make me appear much more
guilty than really was.
The fact tina: had concealed the presence
Of the bag in my cabin from the officers, and
then stealth:ly conveyed it ashore and deiiv-
cred it to the address upon it, was strong,
very strong point against me, and 1t re-
quired all the eloquence Of the consul to
prove that YVES ignorant of the contents of
the bag.
IF the prisoner had been aware what was
within the bag, would he have dared to have
taken it to Is Plaza di POGO in broad day
light, when the plaza is full Of soldiers and
members of tine secret serviceF asked ny
countryman and defender.
This argument bore weight. For some ten
minutes the officers conversed apart, while
the consul did his best to cheer me up.
When everything had been Gzed appar-
emily to their satisfaction IN elderly soldier,
one who seemed to he chief among my judges,
arose and in lengthy speech imposed my
sentence
THE court had found that had been but
an unwilling agent, and therefore was not
wholly responsible, but inasinuch as l had
surreptitioasly conveyed the bag ashore
had thereby violated the customs rule and
was cone Iuentiy found guilty and ordered
to pay fine of 500 in gold, aad to remain
imprisoned within the fort at Matanzas until
the sum was paid"
GA, what a relief l almost tainted on
hearing the sentence the reaction was SO
great
As may be imagined it required bat few
moments for the consul to give his boad for
the amount, and was a free man.
| had no desire to remain longer within
the walls of the grim old fortress, after my
hurried out through sally port which was
opened for our egress, and as We were pass
ing through, much to our surprise, the con
tents OF my pocaets (Which had been taken
from me the previous night, Were returned
to me.
Thus was ende, my first and last tilt with
the biz / ,'o;&tss, which far famed lady may
be saio to bS doubly- blind in the distant
islands OF the Antilles.
l afterward ascertained that the SpaDiards
had failed to secure the person of Senior Con
zalcZ as he he'd lett the city the same day of
my visit, but as had been seen to enter his
house with a bag and leave it without one,
and as he was known to hold stron., revoiu-
tionary principles the authorities thought it
their duty to arrest me, thinking that | was
at least syG!. ;.thizer, and that throu:, b fear
of instant dea;ai 1 would reveal some secrets
OF the lnsur. eats.