The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1897-01-14
LUCKY TO GET HOME
WARLn<E AMERICANS SENT BACK
FROM CUBA.
stories of Insurgents Tell of Awful
Murders by the Allies of
Meyier.

Philadelphia, Jan. 1O--James Mcguire of
this city. jeremiah Bonds of New York
and Charles Allen of Stamford, Conn,
have Just reached this city after a thrill
ing experience in Cuba, in the course of
which William Barry of New York. who
had accompanied them. was shot and
killed by Spapiards.
on September 10 last the trio mention
ed. in company with Barry. started for
Cuba to join the forces of the insurgents,
and arrived September 2l. Here they fell
in with Josef Ruiz. Cuban patriot, who
volunteered to guide the quartet TO the
retreat occupied by the Cuban command
ers- They headed for Pinar del Rio dis
trict and when near Marie were sur
prised by a body of about so Spanlards.
They were taken prisoners. searched, and
finding papers confirming suspicious on
Ruiz. held consultation and decided to
kill all the prisoners. The conversation
was carried on in Spanish. but Ruiz in
terpreted their remarks for his American
friends Recognizing the desperate stu
alton in which they had placed them
selves. the quintette decided to risk their
lives in "a vigorous effort to escape rather
than wait and be shot. Mcguire rolled
over to Ruiz and the young Cuban used
his teeth with such success that he soon
had Maguires hands cut loose. Mcguire
then took a knife and liberated his COM
panions. 1t was dark. but the moon shed
light sufficient to illuminate the ground
for some distance. With rush the five
men ran to the spot where they noticed
some machetes and guns. They armed
themselves each with a machete. revolv-
er and belts full of ammunition. AS they
attempted to get away the Spaniards
pursued them, firing a deadly volley after
them. Barry fell shot through the heart.
at the first fire and Bonds right arm was
perforated by a ball.
The surviving four succeeded III out
dstancng their pursuers. Ihey made
every effort TO get back and recover
Barry's body, however but were unsue-
cessful, and were compelled to make
their way further into the mountainous
regions of Pinar del Rio. and after Il
tortuous and wearisome journey they ar
rived in the region of San Cristobal.
Again Captured.
A few days afterward they We're cap
tured by band of Spanish patrollers.
Their hands were tied behind their backs
and they were compelled to march for a
distance of over 10 miles. when they were
thrown into prison. The next day they
were forced to march again until late in
| the afternoon, when they We're put in an
other prison and so they We're marched
| from prison to prison until Havana was
reached Here they were thrown into a
well-guarded prison. where they were
separated.
On December 23 the three Americans
We're brought before some commanding
officer whose name they did not learn
but II is presumed that it was General
| Weyler. They were told that Ruiz, the
young Cuban. had committed suicide by
shooting himself with revolver, which
| he had snatched from one of the guards
| The three friends said nothing. but dis
credited the suicide story and were firmly
convinced the young Cuban had beer
| murdered.
| The trio of Americans We're offered theil
| liberty and passage home if they signed
n paper swearing allegiance to the queer
of Spain and promising ON oath to do al
| they could against the Cuban cause in tn,
| United States. This they agreed to dc
| and were released.