The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-14
FOOLED THE SPANISH
sENORITi CfsNEROS mr. HdydNA
As SENIOR JUANb sOLS.
Neithe, Her Voice Nor Her Appearance
in Male Azure Attracted
suspicion.

NEW YORK. October l3-Miss Cisne-
ros. who recently escaped from "A spanish
prison In cuba. was passenger on mo
Ward Line steamer Seneca which arrived
to-day from Havana.
At Quarantine Miss Cisneros asked 10
be excused from saying anything about
her Imprisonment and escape. as she
had not yet recovered from sea-sickness'
on the passenger list she was registered
as Miss Juana Sofa. She was travelling
under the care Of a gentleman who accom-
panied her from Havana
when the steamer had quarantined me
tow-boat J. Fred Lehman. with s'reral
newspaper reporters and four wo nen'
went alongside the steamer ana altel '"e
health officers inspection was over tneN
went on board and accompanied Miss us
neros 10 this city.
A DARING FEAT
Miss Cisneros' escape and safe arriNai
on the Seneca was one Of the most daring
feats ever attempted and successfully
carried out While she was stu IN prison
her friends secured passport l"r ",'
Juan Sofa. and state-room NO U" W
Seneca was held I'm the same name. "''
was three DAYS before the boat sail'".
on the Saturday when the Seh.', W
70 loovs Havana detectives watched her
,,,,,,,,,,.,.s Win extra caution All day
long thev remained M their post exam
ming tho passports which all passengers
have 10 show before leaving Havana
Tbeir vigilance would probably nave
prevented the departure Of Miss 'lsneIo7
iron, Cuho had II not been for "a little re-
freshmen which was served 10 'h''u ~,
eriords Of Miss Cisneros. who were aboard
"a, seneca The refreshment incluoeo
,.,,o Tho Chief Of Police or havana
! car,o ,board while the refreshment part
Of Tho Mot was In progress ana II Is
| alleged that he too. fen a victim '' '"'
wiles NJ tho Cisneros faciion.
A few minutes before the Seneca WIS
ready 10 null ont from her dock STOUT
Young fellow came running across
wharf He had no baggage and was iasn-
ionablv dressed. lie walked quickly up
the gang plank The detectives stopped
/ him
My name Is Juan Sola,' he said ana
| ne shower HIS passport.
| Everything was satisfactory so the
. senior was allowed 10 go on board u Is
, said If il had not been for the wine the
| strange treble and rather curious figure
| OF Senior Sofa might have excited the sus-
! picions of the Spanish detectives. But
! tho scheme was worked well. Miss Cis-
neros' friends saw her embark and watch
! od the ship pull slowly out from under the
/ frownng Of the Spanish guns CARRYING
| Miss Cisneros 10 safety under the stars
and Stripes
| Miss Cisneros did not court danger any
more than was necessary. and at once
went 10 her cabin The next day when
Moro castle was left far behind. she app
peared on deck transformed into Scnorita
Juan SOla alias Miss Cisneros and dress
| ed In a becoming red gown
THE CAPTAINS STORY.
Captain Stevens. commander Of tho Sem
oca. was angry when he discovered the
deception. and to the reporters said.
/ Since the commencement OF the pres
ent Instruction il has been the custom
] Of the Spanish authorities 90 post a couple
| OF detectives az the head of the gang-way
Of ships lying at Havana We arrived at
| 6 clock on Saturday morning and left
| at IS Z. NJ. during which time the detec-
| tvcs did not leave the head of the gang
| plank. Just before the Seneca sailed. the
! CHIEF Of police. his deputy and his secre-
! tary came aboard. Senorta Cisneros had
| escaped two days previously, and yet they
/ asked no questions and made no search
/ for her, although on the former occasions
| they had searched the Seneca from stem
! TO stern while looking for suspects.
! Captain Stevens said that % the best
! Of his knowledge the only persons who
went aboard at Havana were the Lasti
| family, the Del Rel family. eight China
men and a man whose name appeared
! on The advance passenger list as Juan
/ Sofa and who must have had a passport.
! otherwise he could not have gone aboard.
| When il was discovered that Juan Sofa
was a girl. the Juan was changed to
/ Juana and Miss Cisneros came in under
! that name.
Miss Cisneros was given some articles
Of feminine wearing apparel ON board the
Seneca.
a. g. Stewart an Englishman. who cm-
! barKcd at TampcO and who speaks
| Spanish said that he sat opposite Miss
| Cisneros at the table during the voyage
and that when she saw the Cape Halter
as light she fell upon her knees ON the
deck and prayed deyouty. Mr.. Stewart
! says he found the rescued Cuban a most
! pleasant companion She had her hair
| pinned up In q coil worn under a SOM
| brero when she embarked and looked
like o. wealthy Cuban rancher
Al the landing the party took carriages
10 the Hotel Waldorf and were assigned
20 rooms on the second floor While
| SenOrita Cisneros was fatigued she was
I'm the very best Of spirits and eXultlni
| over her arrival i'm the United States
She does not speak English, but her face
| is very expressive. and she seemed t0 in-
| tuitiveiy understand the questions put 90
her and answered I'm Spanish. The Seno-
rita retired as soon as she reached the
! hotel and refused 10 be seen.
Among her party was Mrs. j. Ellen
| Foster Of Washington president ot the
National Womans Republican Associa-