Evening journal., 1897-10-15
HOW IT WAS DONE.
Rescuer's Story Of the Flight
Of Miss Cisneros.
SAYS THE SPANIARDS WERE BLUFFED
His Own Escape Was an Interesting One
as He Got Out of the City of
Havana by Means of
Forged Passport.

one or the reScQerS or ENanBellna COSlo
y Cisneros, arrived in this city on the
Spanish line steamship Panama late
yesterday afternoon. A boat filled
with reporters and ladies was out to
meet him.
AS soon as the Panama came to
stop of quarantine the health office
tug Charles S. Allen. made alongside
and the tug d. S. Atwood made fast
to the Allen. Long before the health
officer boarded the vessel Carl Decker
was seen amldships. He was attired IN
a light cheviot coat and waistcoat and
had on dark striped trousers and wore
low cut tan shoes. On his head was a
light golf cap. He was smoking an i'm
mense cigar, and as soon as he made
out who were on the tug he took off
his golf cap and yelled. The salutation
was returned by those on the tug.
At the time of the rescue of Miss
Cisneros Decker wore a false beard
that he had taken to Cuba with him.
After having finished luncheon.
which was a decided change from the
bill of fare on purely Spanish steam
ship, where Chile concarne and tortilles
predominate, Decker stood in the CEN
ter Of the cabin of the tug Atwood and
announced that he was ready to an
swer questions. The queries came so
thick and fast thai Decker was nearly
overwhelmed. The substance Of his
story is as follows:
1T was a great big bluff. The Span
ish cannot comprehend an American
bluff. and this time 1t was go. Not
withstanding the self complacency
which the average paisano has concern
ing his craft and subtlety, he can he
bluffed out of his boots. Maybe they
will begin to understand an American
bluff after this, but I doubt whether
they will ever get to that stage where
a good stiff bluff will fail to work.
Il was commissioned to go TO Cuba
TO deliver Senorita Cisneros from the
filthy Recojldas prison. 1 started from
New York Aug. 2S. determined to free
the woman, though I did not see my
way clear as to the plan to be adopted.
After reaching Havana many plans
suggested themselves to me, but each
one proved to be impracticable.
tried to bribe the jailer, or alcalde, as
he is called, and he wanted $4,000 for
the job and positive assurance that he
and his family could get to the United
States. This was rather too rich a
proposition for me.
"At one corner Of the Recojidas was a
one-story cement shanty, and this
struck me as being a good base Of op-
Grafton. 1 kept jollying the jailer, be-
cause / was afraid that he would report
me as having offered him a bribe.
have told the story Of how the rescue
was made, but there are a few details
untold. There were five Of us in the
scheme TO rescue the girl. I will not
=
living in Havana, and do not wish to
make them any trouble. Two of the
rescuers are native born Americans, and
the remainder are naturalized Amer
leans.
"Tha plan decided on was a simple
one. As Miss Cisneros was confined in
the second story superstructure we de-
termined to cut the bars and release
her. A note was written to Miss Cis-
neros in English and given to a woman
who called on one Of the other prison
ers. As none of the inmates Of the
prison could read English and very few
could read Spanish even, IL was safe
proposition. The note informed Miss
Cisneros that she should be prepared
on Tuesday night of the 9Th inst 10 bS
ready. We went into the cabin and
played cards for matches three day.
before we attempted our plan. AS the
military police are constantly on tho
outlook we could not play cards FOL
money. No gambling is allowed. i
was our luck to have a very brigh
moon on Tuesday night as well as th'
glare of an old fashioned street LAM
that was fastened onto the house oppo
site ours. However, no one from the
street could see us while we were OF
the roof on account Of the narrownes
of the street and the shadows of th'
building. Around the Recojidas is ;
tall wall on which is sprinkled broker
glass. We went on the roof Of ou
shanty through a hatchway, drew NJ
the ladder and placed it diagonalll
across to the roof of the first story o
the Recojidas. In this way we avoided
the wall with the broken glass top. w
were in our stocking feet. The sawinl
of the bar made a horrible noise, ant
the people in the shanty next door T.
us began to stir about and we desist
ed We spoke encouragingly to Mis-
Cisneros and told her to wait unit
the next night. Wednesday we got tn
implement. and that night we succeed
ed in breaking the bars.
I'VE made Miss Cisneros take off he
SnOtb. Out OiJttlGu " AAiln dA III D
When she came to the ladder, she hesi
tated at first, and then firmly settin
her mouth she walked across. Th
rungs of the ladder were fiat so it wa
much easier to walk on them. AS 500
as she was on the roof of our shant
we took her down the hatchway an
waited a few moments and then too
her to a carriage, a sort Of victoria
common in Havana, and drove to tn
house of a friend. The friend wa
holding a reception that night, whic
was part Of the bluff. The man VIII
drove the carriage was one Of the con
spirators. From the time she issue
from her cell to the time she was "a
ken 10 the home Of friend she show
ed none Of the feminine apprehensio
so apt to be found In women in emel
gencies. When she looked at the fra
ladder. she uttered something In Span
ish which meant, I have gone so IA
anc will dare anything. She was eN
hausted from excitement when sh
reached the bourne Of secrecy and safe
ty, but she did not give way.
"It was Thursday morning that Mi.
Clsneros was taken to the home Of
4