The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-10-20


aIen-An Interesting story
Charles Duval. the Cuban CORES
pondent for the New York Journal
describes in s special letter from Ia
vana the escape of Miss EvsneeliDs
Cjsneros, the Cuban girl. who was
freed from Spanish durgeon by the
Journsl breaking the bsrs OF R'coJ3
das prison.
Il came here three weeks sgo. bav
ing been told bv the editor OF the
Journal to 90 to Cuba srd rescue from
her prison Miss CiSneroS. the NIECE OF
the former president Of the Cuban re
public, a tenGerly reared girl, descen
ded from one of the best families N
the island. and herself martyr to the
unsa'i<fed desire OF 8 beast IN Spanish
uniform.
II arrived at Ceinfuegos late in Sep
tenbsr, teleerapbed to known and
tried man in Santiago de Cuba to meet
me in Havana, ard then went to Ssn
ta Clsra, where I picked up second
man, known to be as gritty as Sahsra,
and then proceeded to Havana. Here
remained in almost absolute conceal
ment, so as to avoid the spies that dog
ones steps wherever one msy 60 ano
make impossible snd clever work OF
this kind Both men who sccorpa-
MED me, Joseph hernandon and Rar
rison Mallory, pursued The same
course, and remained quiet until al
plans had been completed.
1.-The feet thst Miss Cisueros was
incommunicado made the attempt
seem at first beyond the possibility CT
success, but We finally, through Her,
nan6on, who was born on the island
and speaks Spanish like native, sue
cee6ed in sending. note to her
through an old nesress, who called
upon one Of her friends in the prison.
"a centen got this note through
two hands to Miss Cisueros, and three
centens later got to ber s package Of
drugge6 swests. Having established
communication with her, We began
work without losing day.
''The Casa de Rscojidas is located in
the lowest quarters of Havana, acd
is surrounded by 8 hu6dle of squalid
butts occupied by negroes and China
men and reeking to heaven by day
and by night. 4 single alley, perhaps
twenty feet in length, ziszsgs around
two sides OF the building, opening off
in front Of the main entrance.
''Compostells street runs along the
resr of the building north and south,
and from this leads off westwar6ly to
Sigua street, by which dignifed name
is known the alley running along the
south side of Recojidas. Turning at
right angles to the north, the alley
tipsily forgets its name and loses rec
ord on the map OF Havana. At the
north end OF the building and just in
front OF the big door of the prison the
filthy lane right aDgles again, becomes
O,Farrin street and strikes straight
forward, as though anxious to leave
the Jail as soon as possible. It ends al
Egioo street, opposite the Havans ar
senal.
"a dozen times in half as many
hours passed through this crooked
alley trying to find the solution Of a
problem that would not be solved.
Recoj!das was apparently inaccessible; !;
its huge, thick walls lowered far in
the air, topped by high, thick para
pet. The only windows to be seen
from the alley were about thirty-fve
feet from the ground, and were pro-
tscted SIS are all windows IN Cuba by
massive iron bars.
although not known to any of US
at that time, as it was invisible from
the street, there was window open-
ing from the second story on zotes,
or fat roof, over lower rooms in the
front OF the building. Through this
window the escape Of Miss Cisneros
was finally effected, but it was not
until a week after our survey that any
suggestion looking to the use of this
window was made.
''For the first week We scanned and
rescanned the outer walls, suggesting
q dozan plans, all equally worthless.
A daylight attempt was consi@ cred,
and plans were made to get Miss Cis
neros to the barred door opening into
small court just off the main en-
trance.
Don Jose, the alcade, was then to
be lured outside the door. lured furth
er, into state of temporary uncon.
sciousness, aid our end accomplished
By wild dash for liberty. This
scheme would probably have worked
but for the fact that Miss Cisneros
was inccmmunicado, and was not psr.
mitted to receive visitors, or even to
come into the sala de justicia on the
inner side Of the door.
1.-The fact that the Havana arsenal,
always under strong guaro, stretch
ed its long front across the end OF
O'Farrill street on the other side Of
Eeido street, and that the barracks of
8 com pany of the Orden Publicos was
located just back Of the Recojidas on
ComposIela street. made this plan de-
ci6edly uncertain as to results. It
was abandoned.
LAS it appeared at this time abso-
lutely impossible to either get into the
jail ourselves Or to get Miss Cisneros
OUL, IL WSS COIStOCICO W ASNC SSSOUO
q case of 'untar lossmanas, and a
sturdy attempt was made to reach
some of the guards or keepers with
bribes, but nothing was effected Fin
ally, when it appeared as if the only
possible way to secure the escape Of
The beautiful Cuban would be to dy-
Mantle part Of the building, note
was smuggled in to her as last re
sort, asking if she could make any
suggestion that could relp US.
In answer she sent the following
message, in Spanish Of course:
"sMy plan IS the following: To es-
cape by the roof with the aid OF a
rope, descending by the front OF the
house at a given hour and signal. For
this require acid to destroy the bars
Of the windows and opium or NOR
phine so as to set to sleep my compan-
IONS The best way TO use it is in