The herald., 1897-12-26

(Synopsis Of previous chapters-Critten-
don Marriott arrived in Cuba on January
%, 1897. when the people of this country
were ignorant of the true state of affairs
on the island. The American editors were
awake to the Importance of Cuban news
and had despatched their best men to the
seat of war. All these newspaper men had
narrow escapes. several We're killed, one
died in hospital. some were imprisoned.
Marriott vivdly depicts the dangers en-
countered by the stranger in Cuba, the
watchfulness of Spanish spies, and the
ease with which man can be killed and
his death passed over unnoticed. With
this Introduction he proceeds to describe
his own wanderings and adventures.
After a trip to Matanzas, a town two
hours and a half by train from Havana,
Mr.. Marriott returned to find that thick
columns of smoke obscured the city The
Spanish were wantonly destroying the
homes of the peaceful inhabitants. driv-
ing them out and burning everything be-
hind them. Meeting Karl Decker, another
correspondent, Mr.. Marriott makes a trip
to Sagua in a steamboat crowded with
Spanish officers and soldiers. whose mar
tial songs are quenched in the horrors of
sea-sickness.
The last chapter left them in bed at vii
lage called Vega Alta, which was in the pos
session of the Spaniards, but surrounded
by Cuban troops After a fierce battle
the Cubans retire, leaving ruin and death
behind them. the killed being exclusively
pacifcos. as the Spaniards had kept snug
ly within their fortifications while the
firing was going on. Crosby gets through
the Spanish sentries on pass and makes
his way TO the Cuban lines. Marriott re-
turns to Havana, where he is caught TAX
Ing photographs with a camera in which
are concealed letters from Crosby He es-
capes death only through the short-sight-
edness of the Spanish officer, who exam
ined the camera. and who was too intent
on examining the innocent Photograph film
to notice the letters concealed in the box. J
Regard for the safety Of those who
helped me, forbids my explaining too
definitely how 1 sent my letters to Key
West. The following facts are for the
most part we'll known in Havana, or are
of no value to Spanish authorities
There We're two steamers each week
from Havana to Key West and Tampa,
leaving Havana on Wednesdays and
Saturdays. Very few people were al
lowed on these ships outside Of the pas
sengers, and newspaper men were not
comprised in these few. Nevertheless.
we soon worked up a secret method oc
getting our dispatches on board. Here
they We're taken charge Of by a special
agent, who carried them to Key West.
where our papers all had representa-
tives who forwarded them by Wire to
their destination. Each of the seven
correspondents paid $40 each steamer
for this service, SO that our agent was
getting rich rapidly. OF course he took
the chances of arrest and exposure.
just before the steamer reached Key
West, these letters We're all placed in a
tin box on the lower deck When the
ship was alongside the pier, negro boy.
whose duties made him the first to come
aboard, hurried up the gangplank, Sc
cured the letters, and took them out to
the correspondents, who We're waiting on
the dock. Then there would be race to
p the telegraph office to file the dispatches.
The competition in doing this was very
sharp. There was but one wire from
Key West, and often there were 1900
words to be sent over it after o'clock
at night. The man who filed his dis