The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-10
BENT ON FREEING CUBA.
The Revolutionists Are Awaiting an
Opportunity to Cross From
Key West
United States Government Off,
ficials Watching to Prevent
the Expedition.
If the Patriots Succeed in Reaching the
Island They Expect to Meet Rein
fOrcemonts There.

forcemonts There.
KEY WEST. Fla. April 9--The revolution
sry expedition against Cubs has not yet
succeeded in getting away. The greatest
excitement prevails among the people,
while the federal officials are anxious but
vigilant. The revolutionary leaders can
not BIO found, the men In the ranks who
have been most active In the movement arc
not to be seen in their usual haunts and
there is general restlessness and mystic
rionsness chatacterizing the entire Cuban
population. What tho exact force OF the
revolutionists is cannot be stated, but they
certainly number between 300 and 400 men.
The purpose of their organization. so long
kept mystery. ts now known to be the
liberating of Cuba from Spanish rule. The
party Ia composed almost entirely OF native
Cubans. That they have made arrange
ments for revolutionary movement among
the people of Cuba Simultaneous with their
ARRIVAL if they shall succeed In getting
away from here and TO the island. is known.
The band about to leave here is not un-
prepared for war They have been re-
ctuited with care for the work in which
they expect to engage, They have been
drilled until they have become fairly we'll
disciplined. have repeating rifles and
abundance of ammunition, and from the
start have shown an eaRerness to under
take the mission for which they enlisted.
While the rec uiting has been going on
here, their leaders, Gen. Martui and Gen.
Aguela, have been keeping out of sight
fNar ,iai,,
about here for the support of the expedi-
tion they went away. 1t was said that Gen.
Martui went to New York to consult with
tho Cuban Junta, which has its headquar-
ters there, and which has charge of all ef-
forts to liberato Cuba. Gen. ARuela went
to Philadelphia. where he purchased
small but fast steamer and equipped her
with rapid-ire guns, field artillery, small
arms and ammunition.
The ,evolutionists have played a waiting
game. When month ago the United
States government heard of their plans and
at once took steps to prevent their being
carried out they appeared to become
frightened. They abandoned the meetings
which they had been holding to arouse a
| patsiotic sentiment among the Cubans here
and allowed the impression to get abroad
that they had abandoned their expedition,
| They had reason for this, for the cruiser
| Atlanta and the corvette kearsarRe weie
cruising about here and had an appearance
OF watchfulness calculated to impress the
revolutionists with the idea that they were
acting under special orders to remain in
this vicinity. They could have had but one
mission hereto prevent the revolutionists
| leaving. Now the Atlanta and the Kear-
sarge have gone away.
While the revolutionsts at first encour-
aged the impression that they had aban-
doned their expedition. they have been
more recently, through their agents, trying
to hoodwink the authorities by circulating
stories, naming a score of different places
from which it might be expected that they
would take their departure when they de-
cided to move. The places named have
often been more than 100 miles from here.
and tho reports have undoubtedly been cir
culated with the hope Of confusing the
watchful United States authorities.
| The plans of the flibusters have never
for 3 moment been abandoned. however.
| The feeling among them against the Span
sh government or the island runs too high.
The Cubans OF Key West are an exceed
ngly patriotic lot. They have an annual
holiday, which they call patriots day, and
which they celebrate with great ent nthusiasm,
The earnings of every Cuban for one day
are on patriots day given to the cause Of
Cuba's liberation. No less patriotic are
the women than the men. There are hum
| UEeuS OI lubthuOcS u SuUou women mere
who have cold their jewels that they might
give to the cause of the liberty OF Cuba,
Nearly all the Americans here, too, are in
full sympathy with the Cuban population
in their struggle for independence. This
has been shown in previous movements
| which they have undertaken.
The last OF these expeditions was also
under the direction of Gen. Aguela. In
March, 1884, with only twenty five men, he
left this port and landed in Cnba, near Car-
denas. He expected to be reinforced there
| by very large band of compatriots living
in Cuba. The plans failed in some manner
and the reinforcements did not arrive.
| Without waiting for his reiuforcements,
but trusting that the people would come to
his support on the march, hs started across
the country toward Havana, burning and
destroying the property of the Spaniards
and urging his own countrymen to join his
ranks. Spanish spy had joined his ranks.
however. under the Ruise of a Cuban pa
triot. He Disappeared and made his way
to Havana, arriving before the little army
of revolutionists. All the Cuban troops
that could be mustered were sent out to
meet the advancing revolutionists and in
the battle that followed they were outnum-
bered and defeated.
So ended the movement of 1884, but the
spirit that prompted and supported ii was
not daunted. On the contrary. the Cubans
here only believed that the movement had
failed because the expedition WAS prema-
TUE and had not the approval of the Cuban
junta. They declared that II Gen. Aauela
had received this approval, and waited an
other month before starting, he could have
been rein forced by 5000 men at Cardenas.
have captured that place and Matanzas,
intrenched himself there, ana day by day
Cuban patriots would have rallied around
him until tho liberty of tho island would
have been assured. This confidence they
have never lost.
That there is great dissatisfaction on tho
island of Cuba, even among the Spaniards.
is shown by the expression of the newspa-
pers printed there. The heavy taxes i'm
posed by the government on the people
have aroused them. The Spanish people,
while not countenanoing revolution. freely
talk of annexation TO the United States al
a means of relief. One Havana paper. La
Union Construotional, has gone 90 far 40
to declare that IL q body of Cuban rev olu-
tionists effect landing on the island they
will bs supported not only by their Cuban
compatriots. but by many Spaniards.
| 1t IL learned to-day that the expedition 10
Cuba led by the party of rsvolutionists ID
all prepared to leave this country and .
sturt may bo made st any hour.
|
Suing u Fellow Chinaman for Libel.
New YoRK. April 9.-It has long been the
| H.. kkuk a s.~,