The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-11
WENT TO FIGHT FOR CUBA.
THREE YOUNG TEN RETURN AMI
TELL THEIR STORY.
After Enduring Danger, Privation
and Capture, They Return
Home.

PHILADELPHIA, JAN Johannes
Mcguire, accompanied by Jeremiah
Bonds of New York and Charles Allen
of Stamford, Conn, arrived on the
southern express from Key West, Fla,
on Saturday, and they tell tale or
adventure in Cuba. On the 10th of last
September the trio, in company with
William Barry, also of New York,
started for Cuba to join the forces OF
the belligerents and arrived in Havana
on September Dist.
Here they fell in with Jose Ruiz, a
Cuban patriot, who volunteered to
guide the quartet to the retreat of the
Cuban commanders. They headed 10Y
the Pinar del Rio district, and when
near Madrid were surprised by Span
iards and taken prisoners, VINO decided
to kill them. Recognizing the desperate
situation, they decided to FISK their
| lives In a vigorous effort to escape.
| After dark they loosened the ropes that
| bound them, and grabbing rifles and
pacheteS they attempted TO get away,
| but the Spaniards pursued, firing
double volley. Barry fell, shot through
the heart, at the first fire, and Bonds
right arm was perforated by a bullet.
| The surviving men outdl5tanced their
pursuers. They made every effort to
get back and recover Barry's body. but
were unsuccessful.
After a tor,tuous and wearisome jour
ney they arrived in the region of San
| Cristobel. Here they arranged with an
| old man to stop and rest at his house
| for a few days. A daughter betrayed
them, and ON the morning of the second
| day they were awakened by a burly
| Spaniard in a Spanish uniform Allen
drew his revolver and fired. The Span
! lard fell, the bullet having penetrated
his right eye and passed through his
brain, causing almost instant death.
They then took to the roof, and from
there sought refuge in a shed, which
the Spaniard tried to burn. Making a
combined effort they got through the
| line of soldiers who started in pursuit.
| For days the chase was kept up, but
| the quartet managed to keep ahead.
Weary, hungry and suffering intensely
from their wounds they made their
way further into the mountains until
| they came to a deserted cabin. No
| sign of life was within or without. Here
| the four recruits made their home for
| four days, living only on birds they
could shoot and the hard water found
| in an Old well on the premises. On the
| fourth day they were surprised by a
| BODY of Spanish patrolers. Sick and
| weary the men made no resistance and
surrendered. Their hands were tied
| behind their backs and they We're COM
RELIED to march for a distance of over
ten miles, when they were thrown into
prison.
! The reXt day they were forced to
march again until late in the afternoon,
WREN they were put in another prison,
and so they were marched from prison
| to prison until Havana was reached.
Here they We're thrown into prison. On
| December I'D the three Americans
were brought before General Weyler
| They We're told that Ruiz, the young
| Cuban, had committed suicide by shoot
| ing himself with a revolver which he
| had Snatched from one of the guards
| They diScredit the suicide story and are
| convinced that the young Cuban was
murdered. They were offered their lib
erty if they would sign a paper swear
! ing allegiance to the Queen of Spain
and promising ON cath to do all they
| could against the Cuban cause in the
United States. This they agreed to and
| the three We're released.