The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-08-29
JUST BACK FROM CtBA
Experience Of Two st. Louis
Men in the War.
ARE HERE TO SECURE MORE ARMS.

Story Of Adventure Told by the Men. End
ing with Thrilling Escape from the Span.
ish EncircIsd Coast OF the Isiand--Cu.
bans Sure to Win. They Say. Gomez Hsv'
ing Control of all the Island Outside Of
the Citiss.
81. Louis. Aug. 2s.-T. Rosser Roe
mer. at one time captain OF the old
Busch Z0usvss OF this city. and Frank
E Hillegass. also of st. Louis, who
entered the Cuban service last Novem
ber have returned. They are in this
country now for the purpose OF secur-
ing arms for the insurgent army and
brought letters to this effect from Gen
eral Gomez To Delegate Palma at New
York Ross" Roemer. as he Is familiar
ly called. comes home with com
mission as lieutenant colonel of infan-
try. and Hillegass that Of o lieutenant.
To q reporter Colonel Roemer told a
story full OF adventure. ending with a
thrilling sscapade from the Spanish-en-
circled cosat of Cuba. a desperate
voyage 200 miles on the open sea in
sixteen foot boat. finally landing at
Nassau, in the Bahamas. whence they
went to New York on the Ward liner
pounds Roemer has fallen to less than
lb0 as the result of Cuban chills and
fever.
story Told by Colonel Roemer.
I'VE started from Remedies. in Puerto
Principe" said Colonel Roemer, under
the escort OF Colonel Medabal the noted
bandit and the Phil Sheridan Of the Cuban
cause. but were forced back to the Majasa
mountains. wherein is located the head
quarters Of the Cuban civil government
There we obtained letters emitting us to
travel with some Americans TO the central
states, and finally reached the coast and
escaped In n small boat, in company with
George Reno, correspondent OF New
York morning paper. After many priva
tions, living on cocoanuts and bananas.
We finally reached Nassau. whore we were
quarantined for three days, and from Mas
sau by steamer to New York.
"The Cub&ns are sure to win. The
Span sh army has retreated into Puerto
Principe, and their commander has mott
ned General weyler he will not again en-
gag Gomez without . reinforcement OF
1900 men Gomez has absolute control of
all Cuba outside Of the cities, and at the
beginning Of the dry season will march
toward Havana at the same time that
General Maceo crosses The trocha, ana
Joining forces the two will either drivr the
Spanish into the sea or so badly cripple
them them that further prosecution OF the
war will be impossible.
Strength Of the Armies
The total strength of the rebels at
present 10 90, ,0oO; that Of the Spanish l0o-
QUO. 20 be reinforced by 10000 more. al
ready embarked from Spain. The Cuban
soldiers are scattered everywhere, but by
Q thorough system of communication they
can be massed together In On incredibly
short time. shall be glad to return to
Cuba, and am likely to he ordered there
by the Juptn at any moment. Delegate
Palma in New York Is posted as to the
movements here, so that he will always
know exactly where to reach me Col.
Roemer suddenly disappeared from this
city and was not heard from for some
time, when he wrote letter TO friend
here in which he stated that he had joined
the Cubans in their struggle for liberty.