Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-05-16

Killed-Pushes on and Meets Insurgents,
who Lead Him to General aTasso.
some time ago the New York Herald
published an interview with General
Masso, the Cuban insurgent leader.
Following is the story Of how that in.
tcryiew was obtained:
landed at Puerto del Padre, en- route
for the interior, and put mp at the cool
est house in that place. The half naked
Cubans longing along the streets Of
the village eyed me ~curiously as Ipassed
and not q few regarded me with suspi-
cion. Ihad been put down on the steam
er's books as a sugar drummer, " and
q sugar drummer / remained
My orders were to obtain if possible
from the iusurgent leaders around Hol-
gum their plan Of campaign for the en-
suing summer and an interview as to
the probable reception Of the peace eff
forts of Martinez Campos.
When night had fallen, there came
from the rear Of the house the click Of
a bride bit and the rattle Of buckles.
''There Is Pedro, " said my host, Pc
dro was to be my guide. He was tall,
broad s~houldered, swarthy and silent,
and, better than all else, he looked like
a man Of nerve. BY his side swung a
heavy revolver and a long, wicked look
ing machete, which he had tied to his
leg in such a way that it could not dan
gle abroad and clank. The horses were
the small, sturdy animals peculiar to
Cuba, which are able to undergo n
ameaat Of fatigue that would Kill IL
mule.
1t was 10 o'clock when we started.
My guide took up his march straight
away for the dark hills to the rear of
the house. We did o ride. 1t was too
risky, and all our keenness of eyesight
was required to keep from running INTO
things. Twice I jammed my face into a
cactus thicket, and once my canyas leg
gings had q serious misunderstanding
with the flel.ke edges Of a maguey.
just before daybreak we rode into N
other range of hills, up which we were
forced 10 lead our horses. At the very
top was a sort Of depression, ont of which
gushed a spring Of delightfully."- cold wa
fer. This was Arroyo Blanco, the spot
for which tho guide had been aiming.
After onr hard nights ride it did not
take us long to fab asleep. At intervals
I would awaken, but it was only to turn
over again and slumber more soundly
than ever. / was aroused at 5 o'clock in
the afternoon by I'm exclamation from
Pedro. He was on his knees peering
down the sloping shoulder Of the noun
tain toward the road.
Something is on the move, but I
can't make it OFT just yet" he said.
As he spoke he pointed off beyond the
extreme end of the wagon road, where .
cloudhke wisp Of dust was hanging
above the trees Suddenly into the dis
tant line Of roadway there came a troop
of Spanish cavalry, swinging along at a
brisk walk.
There were about 100 Of them in all,
and in the middle of the line rode four
prisoners, with their hands tied behind
their backs and their feet apparently
bound beneath their horses, which were
led by the soldiers. Without q halt the
troop moved steadily along the strip of
road until they disappeared in the heavy
forests IL the direction from which we
had cofae.
As the u sank we ate q cold supper
and prepared for our departure, BY this
time / had become accustomed 20 the
'.bushw hacking styleof procedure and
began to underyalEe the dangers OF the
sr1r. l. .t-.,. q y.t4T.44- ~-l,.4, Ma, gu--Tgl.
began the descent down the arroyo,
L. his hose, while | trailed slowly
ia his wake, keeping my eye open for
brambles and cactus.
a hundred yards down the road and
another sentry, probably jae5 aroused
from sleep, rushed out from the bushes
behind Us and with a lond Altar be-
gan Il fusillade upon as, The rear SEN
try was still shooting, and from the
constant crack Of the rifles il was evi-
dent that the Spaniards thought that an
attack was being made on the post.
The opening shot of the last sentry
apparently went 90 feet wide of us, for,
above the guick thr.,ia2r Of the horses
hoofs, l heard the shrill Snarl Of the
ball as it ripped against a tree TO my
right. Tie second shot likewise missed,
but at the third crack Of the rife there
came a cry from Pedro: "Dios Mol Es-
toy muertol Estoy muertol'
Looking back as ! ran, / could see that
he was reeling in the saddle and was
apparently holding on TO the horses
name. / pulled up a bit and allowed
him to range alongside, but while doing
so some low limbs very nearly swept
me from the saddle.
Can you hold ON for awhile?' ]
cried, catching his horse by the bride.
Yes" he gasped, ''but the villains
have done for me.
Carrying the bride over the horses
head, 1 continued my wild flight for
half a mile or more, when the guide
groaned heavily. Get of the road to
the west" he said hoarsely. "They
~ill he along here in a few minutes.
and / can't stand this.
d~isnonnted, and leading the horses
struck OFF through the forest ] had not
got more than 100 yards from thc road
before q squad Of Spanish cavalry went