The Atlanta constitution., 1896-06-01
BEARDLESS BOY SHOT
From the Cradle to the Grave The
Spaniards Slaughter.
MET DEATH WITH A SMILE
The Recent Capture of the Competitor
Graphically observation-disclosures In
teresting Cuban News.

Key West, Fla. May 25.-The correspoh-
dent of the Southern Associated Press has
received the following graphic account OF
the captore uf the schooner Competitor by
the steamer Mascotte which arrived rom
Havana Saturday night:
my informant writes that the Competi-
tor reached the coast of Cuba about midday
of April s5th. and came to anchor about q
mile from Berracos, a small village on the
west coast of Cuba, between Muriel and rs
reranza. a bar prevented a nearer APP
proach to the land. Just before coming 20
anC hor. a small fishing boat was seen 10
hoist sail and start down toward Port rs
peTanza, snd as it was afterwards learned,
reported the matter to the authorities 1he
Competitor had three small boats. one o.
which was supplied with a sail, and in this
boat Antonio CristO, with seventeen men,
was sent on shore to reconnoiter. Every
thing looked favorable. and they loaded the
OIL or two boats with the ammunition ana
provisions and started for the shore. VII
Ham Levitt and Charles Barnett wece de-
tailed to bring them back TO the schooner
In the meantime the sailboat had returned
and reported that about three miles TO the
southwark were six hundred troops, and
on the pOrthward two hundred more, and
as there only one pass into the interior
it was necessary % move quick r they
y
boats with the ammunition and provisions
had left the schooner the launch Mansa-
jera hove in sight. Colonel Munson ordered
the balance of his men into the boats and
loaded them with ammunition and started
for the land. benjamin Gurk and another
sailor were detailed 10 return TO the Com
petitor for the rest of the party. About
the same time that Munzon left the schooIt-
er, the two small boats were seen TO start
for ha pafi hprf Ind ha
other, but before they had got very far
from the land the Mansajera opened ire on
the Competitor. THE first shot fell about
one mile wide but at every discharge they
came nearer. until finally they came so
close that the water Spattered over the
schooner.
There were on the vessel at this time Al
fredo Laborde. captain; William Gildea,
mate; Orno Milton. special correspondent OF
The Times-Union; DIR. Elias Bedia. and
Augustn Quesada, of Key West and Teo-
dora Maza. Laborde and the mate tried TO
hoist the American flag, but the halyards
became fastened in the topsail, and then
they fastened it ON the foresail boom.
"MunZon, in his haste TO get away. left
behind several boxes of dynamite. and the
firing was so rapid and the shots coming
. so close. that Laborde. Quesada and Gildea
became alarmed and started to swim
ashore. Milton, Bedia and Maza remained
on board. Munzon and party had by this
time reached the shore and We're landing.
and the Mansajera directed her guns on
them. killing one of the horses which Cristo
and his party had captured. The Mansa-
1era came to anchor at the bar and dis
patched a small boat manned by five sail
ors to capture the men in the water.
"Quesada had already disappeared. hav-
ing undoubtedly been seized by a shark. La
borde states that he saw 2 large shark pass
him and go toward Quesada. Two sailors
rowed the boat, while the others kept up
constant iire first at iaporde and then at
GIldea. They fired forty OF fifty shots at
I.aborde before they overlook him. GilUed
who is an excellent swimmer. was rapidly
lessening the distance between himself and
the land Seeing This the SpaniaIds OPENED
tire on him and finally overlook him about
one hundred yards from shore. They re-
ed to Laborde. who was i'm the act of
sinking for the third time. They took him
in the boat, where ne lay inscnsible for
some time. Munzon, while the Spaniards
were capturing Laborde and Gndea. had
landed Cristo. had secured all the horses
he could lind and loaGed Them with ammu-
milton.
"'rhe two Spanish troops on shore had
been notified and were On the march 10 Cut
them off from the mountain pass. Aunzod
was thereby compelled TO abandon his pro-
visions, thirty thousand rounds of ammuni-
tlon anu doAl tiAA 4iA1ts ana Steti lti
tho pass. His men carried one hundred ard
nfty rifles and forty thousand rounds uf
ammunition. each man was armed with
rifle and revolver and machete of the fin
est make. Benjamin Gurk. Z. Mormon fr0ll
D4utzic, was one ot the PARTY. Levitt ana
Barnett reached shore just after Munzon
had left. ana not knowing the country wan
dered about until they were capture6 bv
Captain Ponzo. Although Levitt and Bar-
nett We're unarmed. Ponzo Vas decorated
with u red cross in recognition of the brave
capture
After taking I.aborde and GHdea the
Spaniards returned To the Competitor ami
called on Milton and Maza TO surrender.
but fearing tredchery compelled thcm TO
jump overheard before they would ap-
proach the side of the schooner The pris-
oners We're then tied with their arms be-
hind them I'm most barharous manner. SO
that in few moments all were suffering
the greatest agony. They we're then ear
ried to the MaHsajera, which lay about one
hundred yards of, and placed on the deck
and after several hours Of intense suffering
they were landed on the deck of Port rs
peranza. where a heavy guard was placed
over them, and after a few hours more of
agony their arms Were lOosened.
ION the morning of the 9th. the day af-
ter the capture, the Contramaestro. with
several aCjutantS, came out To them and
began tying their feet, telling them AT the
same time TO prepare for death Dr. Beda
was tied first aid commanded to hueel
down and hold himself steady, so that the
executioner would make clean cut. The
doctor showed great bravery ana nerve
of steel smiling while the maChetc was be-
ing waved over his mead. This satisfied the
guard and they left. The next day they
Sool- Tabordt4 away from the rest of 10
Irisoners saying they were going to exc
cute him. They took him or board the