The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-15
BLUFFING
..s: SUCCESSFUL.
ReScuer of Miss CiSnerOS
is at New York.
HOW HE ESCAPED POLICE
Forged the Name of an Official IN
Orger TO Get Away.
HOW HE ESCAPED POLICE
DECKER TELLS OF HIS WORK.


reporter who so successfully rescued
Evangelna Cossio Clsneros from the
Havana prison, arrived in this city yes
terday on the Havana line steamer
Panama. The story he tells is mar
yelous. The whole game was one of
bluff.
In an interview Decker said: II
started from New York Aug. 2S, de-
termined TO free the woman though
did not see my way clear as to the plan
TO be adopted. After reaching Havana
many plans suggested themselves 10
nle, but each one proved impracticable.
i tried TO bribe the jailor, or alcalde
as ne is called, and he wanted $4,000
for the job and positive assurance that
he and his family could get TO the
rich a proposition for me.
THE Recojidas prison is located in
the lower or slum quarters of Havana.
Longshoremen and laborers of the low
est class dwell there. i have told the
story Of how the rescue was made,
but there ave a few details of my own
escape untold. The next day after the
escape of Miss Cisneros the whole town
was astir A house TO house search was
begun and would have been kept up
had not telegram from Minister Dupuy
de LONE at Washington Informed
Weyler that the girl was on the high
seas and was expected any day In New
York. Then Weyler was mad. He
threw the jailor, Joseph Quintane, into
jail. Then ne told about my attempt
10 brbe him. This, in connection with
the surmse of De LONE. placed sus-
picion on me. AS Miss Cisneros left
Saturday. | gave 1t out that | was go
Ing to take a steamer for Mexico. There
was only one steamer leaving Sunday
and that was n Spanish steamer. 1
waited for instructions from New York,
and had almost made up my mind 10
start on Sunday, instructions or no in
structions. My instructions came hap
PLY.
My passport was made out in the
name Of Earl Decker. In order 10 take
the Panama Sunday night and run the
gauntlet. ! must get my passport vised
and stamped with the seal Of the sec
rotary Of the captain general. knew
that my passport would never be signed,
and learned that an order for my arrest
was determined on and that l was 10 be
arrested at o'clock Monday morning.
| was In bad pickle. i got glimpse
Of the writing of MIR. Carjoval, the sec
retary OF Weyler. and copied il SO that
| had IL down fine. Then | forged the
wise signature. But the seal. there was
the rub. l determined TO go IL without
the seal. At the last moment / went TO
the wharf and took the launch for the
steamship. The Inspector looked at
my passport aud asked where the seal
was. / assumed a nonchalant air as
best | could, and told him that Car
joval was at the ingleterre hotel and,
having no seal, he signed his name -
a statement saying IL was all right.
The inspector hestated and showed the
signature 10 another inspector, and he
said all right, and ! was safe. | as
sumed an injured innocent air, and that
blum worked so that the attention OF
the chief Of police was not called to IL.
"The Spanish authorities never
thought for a moment that would take
a Spanish steamship. Nearly all the
Americans take the American line.
they did not think TO guard the Panama
and watch for me, They make all ar
rests at o'clock In the morning for
some reason or other. They were sure
would be in town on Monday, and they
were fooled.
II wish TO say that ! had some ap-
prehension about Miss Cisneros carry
ing out her part OF the bluff when she
boarded the steamer but all the way
through she acted with a firmness and
courage that was remarkable. Clad In
the vestmrnts Of ranchcro. she walked
down Obispo street the principal
thoroughfare Of Havana, at n time when
the street was crowded, at the same
time taking IL easy and smoking
cigar. This was another part of the
game OF blufT If she had skuked about
the back streets she would have i'm
mediately been suspected. 1t was over
a mile from the house TO the pier. She
had passport made out under an as
sumed name. All tho steamships anchor
cui in the streant. Miss Cisneros walked
down from the house. and we followed
behind She sauntered along leisurely.
end once in while turned TO see IL
We were following. We motioned her
to so on. She grew more confident as
she went eloug. but we could see that
che was under a great strain. She got
on the launch and we waited, and when
the launch returned from the vessel and
she was not on IL. we knew that the
50 hemc had worked like a charm. that
the game 90 hluf had succeeded"
HORSE WAS KILLED.