The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-10-12

SHE ESCAPED BY ROPES TO THE
GROUND UNDER COVER OF
NIGHT.
Havana special to the New York
Journal says:
Evangelina Cosio Cisneros is at lib
erty, and the Journal can place to it's
credit the greatest Journalistic coup of
the age. 1t IS an illustration of the
methods of new journalism, and it will
lind an endorsement in the heart of every
woman VINO has read OF the horrible
suherings of the poor girl who has been
confined for fifteen long months in he.
cojdas prison.
The Journal, finding that all other
methods were unavailiug, decided TO Sc
cure her Liberation through force, and
this, as the specially selected commits
sioner Of the Journal, | haze succeeded in
doing have broken the bars of Re-
coJdas, and have set free the beautiful
cnptive of monster Wevler, restoring her
to her friends and relatives, and doing by
strength, skill and strategy what could
not be accomplished by petition and ur.
gent request of the Pope. Weyler could
blind the queen to the real character of
Evangelina, but he could mot build iail
that could hold against Journal enter.
prise when properly set to work
Tonight all Havana rings with the
story 1t is the one topic Of conversa-
ton; everything else pales into insignifi-
caace. No one remembers that there has
been change of ministry. What mat
ter II Weyler is to 90: Evaugelina Cis-
nelos has escaped from the Jail, thought
by every one to he absolutely impregna.
BILE.
A plot has been Matched right in the
heartof Havana desperate plot, as shown
by the revolver found on the roof of the
house through which the escape was
effected, and. as the result of this plot,
put into effect under the very nose Of the
Spanish guards. Evangelina is free. How
was it done? How could it have been
done:
No one knows where Evnoelina is
now. TO tell the story--of the escape
briefly. l came here three weeks ago,
having been told 'by the editor of the
journal to go to Cuba and rescue from
her prison Miss Cisneros, the niece of the
former president of the Cuban republic,
tenderly reared girl, descended from
one of the hest families in the island. and
herself martyr to the unsatisfied beast
in II Spanish uniform.
arrived ut Cienfuegos late in Septem-
man in Santiago de Cuba to meet ME in
Havana. and then went TO Santa Clara,
where picked up a second man, known
to be gritty. AID then proceeded to Ia-
vana. Here emained in almost abso.
Lutte concealment, so as to avoid the spies
that dog ones steps wherever one may
go, and make impossible any clever work
OF this kind. Both the men who accom-
panied me, Joseph Hernandez and Har-
rison Mallory, pursued the same course
and remained quiet until all plans had
been completed.
We found that the little house, No.
O'Farren street, next door to the prison,
was empty, and gold pieces made it ours
for two months. Having the key, ! en-
tered the house without being noticed on
Wednesday. Hernandez and Mallory
followed about an hour later.
. AS it appeared at this time to he abso-
iutely impossible to get into the Jail our
selves or to get Miss Cisnerns out, it was
considered to have become n case of tun
ter los mancs,' and sturdy attempt
was made to reach the guards or Keepers
with bribes, but nothing was effected
Finally when it appeared that the only
possible way to secure the escape of he
beautiful Cuban would be to dynamite a
part of the building. note was snug
gled into her as last resort, asking if
she could make any suggestions that
could help us.
In answer she sent the following mes
sage in Spanish, OF course
"My plan is the following: To escape
by the roof with the laid of rope de
sce0ding by the front of the house at a
given hour and signal For this require
acids to destroy the bars of the windows
and opium or morphine, so az to set TO
sleep M! companions. The best way to
use 1T is in sweets, aud thus I can also
set to sleep the vigil,nts
Three of you come and stand at the
corner: a lighted cigar will be the signal
of alarm, for which may have to de-
lay, and vi ite handkerchief will be the
agreed signal by which can safely DIES.
cend will only bring with me the nee
essary clothes tied around my waist.
This is my plan. Let me know if it ia
convenient"
In brief, by brides, files, acid, ladders
stretched high between our house and
the prison. we succeeded in effecting the
escape Of Miss Cisneros. Each member
of the party risked his life hundred
times. The girls aerial pathway was di
rectly over the heads of the Spanish SEN
tines.
weyler and PalmeroJa were almost In.
sane with grief when they learned of the
escape. The Journals interpreter and
boatnran have been arrested. They knew
nothing Of the plan and had no part in il.
CHARLES DUVAL.