The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-03
GUARDSMEN FOR CUBA.
Number Pc nnsyl> ania Artillery mel n Join
the Insurgent Army-Expert Gunncrs

| Enlist.
| Philadelphia. April "A private
| cablegram from Puerto Cortez would
seem to show that the Spaniards did
not make as big Il haul as reported. If
the Honduras authorities have really
held the steamship Bermuda. The
cablegram says that but ninety cases of
arms and ammunition were found
aboard the steamer and that the great
er part of her cargo and general CaliX-
to Garcia and the Cubans who went out
on the vessel were landed Oh the coast
of the province of Pinar Del Rio. Cuba.
1t is said that number of the men
who are alleged to have been landed
from the Bermuda We're expert artil-
lerymer. and that they gained their eX-
perience as members of Battery A.
Pennsylvania National Guards. The
story goes that twenty thoroughly COM
petent men We're with the expedition,
and that they We're under command Of
, Sergeant W. Fl. Cox. of Section 8. Bat
| terry 4, who Is considered one of the
best artillery instructors and most eff
ficient handler of batteries in this part
| of the country.
| The service of these men, 1t was as
serted was secured by the Cubans for
the purpose of organizing their own
men into effective battalions and train
| ing them i'm the use of guns procured
! from the United States. Battery A has
more than local reputation. Its proud
boast Is that every man in the COM
pany Is the peer of any American ar
| tillerist, and their services. when Of
fered, were gladly accepted by the local
| managers of tile insurgents interests.
Captain Maurice A. Stafford. who is
| In command nf Battery A, was aaked IL
members of the National Guard had u
| right to take up arms against Spain.
| He said. About all the men In my
command have been asking permission
| to go to Cuba and l have told them to
go If they wanted to. l have. at the
same time notified the company that
any man so going would be considered
, as dropped from the rolls. Sergeant
! Cox went. 1t Is understood. In charge
of other men from the battery, on the
Bermuda. That IL to say, | understand
that they went. but ! do not want to
be considered as having official knowl-
! edge of 1t.
EXPERT GuNNERS DEPART.
"A committee from the Cuban Junta
! requested our services and the matter
was left entirely to the individual deci-
sion OF the men. Everybody wanted to
go at once. A number of young men
who were expert gunners, but who had
been discharged because their hilarious
ness on drill nights interfered with dis
cpline. applied to me for recommends
ton to the Junta, and ] granted 1t.
Whether they have gone or not l don't
know. Probably they have. | can only
say officially that a number of my men
have been missing from roll call and are
not expected to return soOn."
Lieutenant Hollick. who has been a
member Of Battery A for thirty-three
years and who has charge OF the armory
drills in the absence of Captain Stafford
said: At our latest drill, which took
place under my charge this week. the
roll coll showed that twenty men were
unaccounted for. Previous to that
had understood that some fourteen or
fifteen gunners had gone to Cuba. With
American guns directed by American
gunners we all confidently look to the
Cuban artillery to win the day"
A rendezvous for American volunteers
for Cuba. which local militiamen seem
to have regarded as a recruiting office
is on Race street, above Front. There
many men of the First, Second and
Third regiments are said to have APP
piled for service foi Spain. In military
circles II has been accepted as a fact
that members of the state militia of
Pennsylvania. New York. Ohio and I'LL
nois were emigrating to Cuba.