Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-09
HIS LIFE TWICE IN DANGER.

man M. w. HOWARD, QOp0l1SC.
HIS LIFE TWICE IN DANGER.
Two Unsuccessful Attempts to Kill
Captain General Weyler.
Private communications from Havana,
Cuba, says the New York Journal, an
nounce that two attempts were made to as
sassinate Captain General Weyler less than
two weeks ago.
That both attempts failed was due to &C.
cident.
The first attempt was made on the even
ing of September 20, when the captain
general ordered cup Of chocolate. A girl
named Mercedes brought him one contain
ing a quantity of dynamite put up in the
shape of an egg. The chocolate merely
covered the top of the bomb. The pro-
gram provided for the girl to dash the cup
on the floor at his feet, in which case, it
was calculated, an explosion would follow.
sufficient not only to blow both Weyler and
the girl into thousand fragments. but also
to wreck the palace. The girl, however,
allowed the cup to fall from her hands in
stead of dashing it down with force, and
there was not sufficient conclusion to cause
an explosion.
There were twenty arrests as a result of
this attempt and a number of suspected
ones fled to Hayti in order to evade prose-
cUtton.
The Second Attempt.
The second attempt was made, the COM
munications say, two nights later, when a
dynamite bomb was placed in the mattress
on which the captain-general slept. At
tached to 1t were two thread-like wires
which communicated with a battery In
disrobing Weyler's foot became entangled
In the wires and this led to the discovery
of the plot.
The news of the attempts was suppressed
as strict censorship is maintained over
the telegraph and mail. The method
adopted to send news to this country is
both unique and original.
dealer in postage stamps in Havana
sent to stamp dealer here a piece of
pasteboard, on which were a dozen or two
Spanish stamps under which were placed
the respective prices per dozen. The dealer
here delivered the stamps to the gentle
men who had ordered them. Before being
sealed at Havana the piece of cardboard
was handed to the censor, who said ii os-
tensibly contained nothing Of an objection
able character, and the card was sent on
it's way.
The Letter.
The stamp dealer here. who is probably
an innocent party in the transaction, at
once turned the card over to the individual
who had ordered 1t. The latter then re-
moved the outer layer of paper, under
which was written the matter wished to
be communicated. A literal translation of
the communication reads:
HABANA Sept % 96
Dear Friend-The events of the last week
have been horrible. The attempt against
the life CT the dog Ell Coyote have been dis
covered. The girl Mercedes did not fulfill
her mission. The cup fell, but the explosive
did not go off. Fortunately the girl did not
know who put the eggs in the cup OF the
suspects more than twenty have been ar
rested. The other attempt was
been placed inside of the mattress of the
cnlefs bed. and were connected with fine
thread-Hke wire, covered with silk The
enos OF the wire We're exposed (for connec-
ton with hattery) and the brute on going
to bed entangled his feet with the ends Of
the wire, and upon endeavoring to disen-
tangle himself discovered the plot.
The signature and some portions of the
communications are suppressed. Where the
hrst asterisks appear in the translation
there Is a reference to the men who had
ned to Hayu, and the latter asterisks des-
1snate a space devoted to relating how
future communications will be sent and in
struct1ons to the sympathizers here.
Nervousness Fails the COnanirator..
Il have no hesitation in giving you this
matter the gentleman who received the
communication said yesterday, because
this means of communication cannot he
made use Of again.
Regarding the girl Mercedes, 1 will say
that she comes from an ignorant. family
who are devout Catholics The family is
loyal to the Spanish cause, and the girl
was chosen as one of the close attendants
on the captain general One night within
the palace gates man was introduced to
the girl as priest. He remained about
the palace for several days, and never
missed an opportunity to work upon the
feelings of the girl He finally informed
her that he feared an attempt would be
made to poison the captain general that
night. The poison, he explained. was tn he
placed in his chocolate, and she had the
opportunity to save his life by dashing the
cup at Weyler's feet when she went to
serve 1t to him. The girl in her ignorance
believed him. She became nervous at the
last moment. and allowed the cup to fail
out OF her hand. The girl was placed under
arrest, but was quickly released"