The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-07-19

off the great wig that covered his head
and shoulders. He stood revealed now,
a man of about twenty-five, with close
ly-cropped brown hair, ruddy face.
bright, sparkling eyes, and powerful
though slender frame.
"You are right" he said, in clear,
firm voice. ''Concealment is useless
now; 1 am what you say. was with
Lopez in his glorious if unfortunate at
tempt, and l wanted to be near him in
his death. / fought with him at Las
PoZas-and l am proud of it. Do your
worst.
The Captain went back to the plat
form to report this strange occurrence
to the General, and to receive his or
ders. In few moments he returned,
and placing soldier VITA II fixed bay
onet ut each side of the prisoner and
sending Il platoon ahead to open 4 path
through the crowd. he detached IL COM
pany from the nearest battalion, and
gave the order to march.
Slowly the dense throng opened to
the right and left, and the prisoner was
conducted through it. Imprecations
were showered upon him, and some
weapons were shaken at him; but the
bayonets of the guard protected him
from violence. The eager crowd closed
up solidfy behind the soldiers and fol-
lowed them, and many were borne
unwillingly along by the mere presence
and rush. Among these were Louis
Hunter and his uncle. The episode
just described had occurred so near to
them that they had seen and heard ev-
erything, and now they had some diff
Guilty to keep their feet amid the tu-
multi and rush. They were borne along
by the press, and could do nothing
but yield for the present. They were but
little way in the rear of the company,
and the tall form and bare head of the
prisoner were in plain sight.
And now occurred something, which
in its successful daring has perhaps
never been exceeded, the world over,
in the annals of escapes. How it could
have happened, how it was done,
seemed little short of mystery; and
there are elderly men in Havana to-day
who will tell you with bated breath Of
the daring escape of Gel Americana
Filibustero, on the day that Lopez
was garroted, and express their opinion
that he was in league with the devil!
The advance platoon had cleared the
square and proceeded some distance
along one of the principal streets that
| entered it. The Captain, marching
just before the prisoner and his guard,
had reached one of those narrow,
alley-like streets so common in Havana,
which branch off from the principal
thoroughfares. An exclamation and a
scuffle behind him caused him quickly
to turn. Before he could comprehend
what had happened, he was felled
senseless by blow from the butt of a
| musket. A man darted from the street
into the alley. The Lieutenant, per-
ceiving a halt, and seeing the con-
fusion, hurried from the flank 81
the company up to the head,
and found that the prisoner
had escaped. (Which way?' he
cried; and'whtn twenty voices replied:
''Into the alley" he commanded the
soldiers to fire thas way. For two
minutes rafting and useless fusilade
was kept up-useless, except that three
or four persons were wounded, whose
| first knowledge of the trouble came
| from the bullets that struck them. TIC
the CONSERVATION and rage of the Off
GERS it was clear that the prisoner was
out of sight
| The whole affair had occurred SC
suddenly and unexpectedly, as well as
so quickly, that even those who saw
every motion that was made, including
Louis Hunter and his uncle, had
| some difficulty in describing it accu
rately. 1t seemed tolerably clear, how
ever. that, as the prisoner came neal
TO the alley. he had. suddenly. ..trippet