The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-31
Two Large Districts Adjoining Ha.
vana Expected to Join the Insur-
gents at Once.
SEVERE BLOW TO CAMPoS
CAUSE OF THE REBELS BEGINNING
TO LOOK MORE PROMISING.
Hardships Of Fflibustering Party for
Twenty-Four Days ON the Flor
ida Keys.

TAMPA, Fla, July 3o.-The long delayed
Roloff expedition which left Key West
early in June has landed safely in Cuba.
Up to the 17th inst the party was detained
on an obscure Florida key, owing TO inn
proper instructions given steamer which
was to convey them to Cuba. The pro-
visions they had afforded subsistence for
a few days, after which they obtained
food from adjacent keys. A secret mes
senger service was established with Cuban
headquarters at New York via Tampa and
arrangements made for rescuing the ex-
pedition. The hardships while on this
island, exposed to the elements, were great
and twenty-five of the two hundred found
it uncomfortable and deserted, making their
way to Key West and Tampa, where they
were put under the oath of secrecy. Henry
Brooks was identified with the movement
at the beginning. but was prevailed on
by his family to leave Cuba. After going
to Paris he returned to New York. then
came to Tampa disguised as common
soldier. He, with several others, left here
in small schooner, joining the expedition
on the key shortly before the rescue
steamer arrived
After embarking from the key, instead
of sailing direct for the northern shore OF
Las Villas, they steamed westward. round-
ing Cape San Antonio, keeping Cuba far
beneath the horizon until after the south
coast of Santo Esperita. when they made
direct for a coast landing near Las Tunas
de Zaza Saturday night.
Colonel Figueredo says that not only will
the district of Santa Clara at large rise
in arms. but also the province of Matanzas.
next to Havana, because both Rolof and
Sanchez have q large following in these
provinces Besides this the large quanti-
ties of arms and ammunition taken was
what the people there were waiting for.
He calculates that in few days they
will have six thousand men with them.
The landing of this expedition is consid-
ered as serious a blow to Campos as his
defeat at Valenzuela. That the expedition
remained forty days on this key. escaping
the vigilance of the United States patrol.
is due to their excellent organization. The
Cuban leaders were constantly afraid the
expedition would be detected in its perilous
position. The steamer bearing Campos
from valenzuela TO Cienfuegos must have
sighted the flibustering steamer.
A dispatch from New York says: From
advices received at Cuban headquarters.
Thomas Estrada Palma and Conguale De
Quesada, prepared the following statement:
"Tbe Cuban revolutionary party has re-
ceived letters from Cuba announcing the
safe landing of the commands of Maj. Gen
Carlos Rotoff, Brig. Gen. Jose Maria Ridri-
guez. chief of STAFF of General Gomez, and
Brig. Gen. Serafino Sanchez. The expedition
started from Two Keys, In the Bahama ISL
ands. and was taken In small boats to sev.
whole party. Ammunition and arms were IN
some crafts, and then men in others, thus
avoiding any danger from capture.
fl,A nxf,n nf
consisted OF 275 men, almost all veterans OF
the last war. They carried about three
hundred Winchesters and Remington rifles
besides a number of machietes and revol-
vers One boat carried more than five hun
dred pounds of dynamite, two small cannon
and $4,000 rounds OF ammunition
1.-The second expedition. under Rodriguez
consisted of seventy-five picked men, all
veterans, and mostly officers. 1t carried
about $50 repeating rifles, the same number
of machietes and revolvers, and 200. .00(
rounds of ammunition. The two expeditions
landed simultaneously, on Thursday last
on the southern coast of the province OF
Santa Clara"