The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-10-20
THE REPORTER 'SYARN
Escape of Miss Cisneros and
His Close Shave.

Cisio y Cisneros from Casa de Reco-
jidas, Habsna. arrived in this city on
the Spanish line steamship Panama
this afternoon He was met down
the bay By a number of newspaper
men, and said /:
81 was commioned to go to Cuba
and deliver senorita Cosio y Cisneros
from the filthy Recojidas prison. l
started from New York August %,
determined to free the woman, though
| Gid not see my way clear as to the
plan to be adopted After reaching
Habana many plans suggested them
selves to me. but each one proved
impracticablA l tried to bribe the
jailer or alca0e. but he wanted $751;
600 for the job and positive assur-
ances that he and his family could
get to the United States. This was
too rich proposition for me-
MIR. Decker repeated the story..of
the rescue from the Jail as already told
in bis dispatches and then related
what happened after the girl was out
of the prison. He said /:
"When Senorita Cosio y Cisneros
entered our shanty adjoining the Jail
we let her rest a few moments and
then took her to carriage waiting
outside and drove to the house of
friend. The friend was holding a
reception that night, which was
part Of the plot The man who drove
the carriage was one of the conspira-
tors. Senorita Cosio = Cisner was
exhausted from excitement when she
reached the house, but she did not
give away.
"On Thursday morning she was
taken to the home of a friend, where
she remained in secrecy until Satur-
day afternoon.
"To reach the steamer for New
York she was obliged to walk down
Obispo street, the principal thorough.
fare of Habana. at a time when the
street was crowded and yet take her
time and smoke cigar. If she bad
skulked about the back streets she
would Immediately have been sus-
pected. 1t was over-a mile from the
house to the pier. She bad pass
port made out under an assumed
name .All the steamships anchor
out in the stream, Senorita Cosio y
Cisneros walked down from the
house, clad as rancher, and my
companion and I followed behind:
She sauntered along leisurely aud
once in awhile turned about to see if
we were following We motioned
her to go on. She grew more conf
dent as she went along, but we could
see that she was upder strain. She
got on the launch and we waited and
when the launch returned from the
vessel and she was not on it we
knew that the scheme had worked
like charm.
"The day after the Jail break the
town was astir over the escape of
Senorita Cosio y Cisueros A house
to house search was begun aud
would have been kept up had not a
telegram from Minister Dupny de
LONE at Washington informed Weyler
that the girl was on the high seas
aad expected ary day in New York
Then Weyler was mad He threw
the jailer, Jose Quintana. into Jail,
whereupon the jailer told about my
attempting to bribe him This, in
connection with the surmise of de
Lone, placed suspicion on me. |
gave it out that was going to take
a steamer for Mexico. There was
only one steamer leaving Sunday and
that was Spanish steamer. waited
for instructions from New York and
had almost made up my mind to star
Sunday, instructions or no instruct
tios. My Instructions came. hap
PLY.
"My passport was made out in the
name Of Karl Decker In o:der to take
the Panama Sunday night and run the
gauntlet, it was necessary to get my
passport vised and stamped with the
seal of the secretay of the captain
general. l knew that my passport
would never be signed, and | learned
that an ordes for my arrest was de-
termined on and that was to be ar
rested at 5 o'clock Mondany morn
ing I was in bad pickle. I got
glimpse of the writing Of senor Car,
ioval. the secretary of Weyler. and
copied it so that ] had it down fine.
Then forged the wise signature.
determined to go without the seal.
| At the last moment l went to the
wharf and took the launch for the
steamship The inspector looked as
my passport and asked where the
seal was. | assumed nonchalent.
.o1 <O1E him fhQf