Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-11-06

would at times approach one or anoth-
er of them and say privately that he
had but that moment thought of some
nook of the hold, or some Granny
among the cases of cargo below, where
it was possible for fugitive to conceal
himself. The two would then 60 quiet
ly to overhaul this supposed hiding
place.
In this way the purser succeeded in
making them believe that no one was
more eager to discover the exile than
himself; indeed, the captain and first
officers of the steamer openly rebuked
him for his apparent partisanship, re-
marking that he had better let the
Mexicans do their own dirty work.
To this rebuke he replied that chance
to gain $4,000 did not come to him
every day.
His motive for all this elaborate act
ing arose from the danger of the situa-
ton. Sharp eyes were watching the
movements of every member of the
crew, and particularly of the officers.
He dared not be seen to take so much
as a morsel of food to his stateroom,
lest suspicion should be excited and
the wardrobe there should be search
ed, nor did be dare trust the stewards.
At table he could occasionally slip a
biscuit or other bit of food into his
pocket. It was on these chance bits
that General Diaz subsisted for nearly
week.
At night, after the soldiers were
asleep and had ceased to walk and
lounge about the deck, the purser
locked his stateroom door, drew the
curtain and blind of the window, fast
ened the window securely on the in
side, unlocked the wardrobe and made
/ up bunk on his lounge. Here for
three hours each night he allowed his
guest to sleep, while he watched and
listened for the slightest sign of spy
outside.
These intervals of rest were abso-
lutely necessary even for the strongest
man, pent up in standing position all
day long, in 30 narrow and 80 confined
space as the little wardrobe. In.
deed, the physical endurance display
ed by DiaZ was amazing.
When the steamer reached Vera
Cruz and the regiment had disem-
barked, both purser and refugee
breathed little more freely. Local
officers came on board, however, and
began another search. With these
Sands freely hobnobbed under pre-
tence of assisting them.
At last these emissaries became con-
vinced that the exile whom they sought
was not on board, and 80 took their
departure.
| Meantime, on one pretext and an
other, Sands had collected and brought
to his stateroom the garb of stoker,
in which grimy apparel General Diaz
arrayed himself, pending his final
effort to reach the shore.
| The steamer was moored to buoy
out in the harbor, and her cargo was
taken ashore in lighters. They waited
until the last lighter load was ready
to put off from the vessels side; the
purser, in checking off the various
cases and boxes, purposely delayed it
till nightfall.
The lightermen, before casting of,
we're then invited to come on board
through the cargo port and take bite
of bread, meat and beer with the crew
that had been getting the load out to
them. This lunch was ordered by the
purser so as to have the Mexican steve
dores out of the way for few min.
utes and give General Diaz opportunity
to conceal himself among the cases
piled on the lighter.
The moment for making this final
attempt to escape had now come, and
Purser Sands, after seeing that his
stratagem was we'll contrived, went
hastily up to his stateroom.
Everything is now ready, general" !"
said he. "It is the best can do.
They will hardly unload the heavy
cases of the cargo from the lighter to-
night. If you lie low and watch your
chance, you can slip ashore during the
night and reach the house Of some of
your friends in the city,"
"Can you give me paper and pen for
moment?" General Diaz asked. 81
wish to write a word before leaving
you, Senor Sands"
"Certainly," said the purser. "But
it will be well to make haste" He
opened his writing-desk.
General Diaz hastily wrote few
lines, then rose and grasped the pur-
ser's hand.
~ have not words to express the
thanks which I owe you," he said.
"Accept this order, please, as slight
testimonial of my gratitude"
In some surprise the purser glanced
at the paper. 1t was an order on Cen
eral Daz's private bankers in the City
of Mexico for $4,000.
A flush of something like indigna-
tion overspread the purser's face as he
handed the order back. "You have
quite misunderstood me, General
Diaz," he said.
"But it is only fair" the general re-
piled, hesitating to take the paper.
"You could have claimed that sum at
any moment for the last 10 days"