The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-05

confirmed by a letter to Mrs Harris
from the office Of the United States
consul at Havana. A previous letter
to Mrs. Harris from the consuls office
informed her that Captain General
Weyler had reported to that office the
fact that Newton had been taken pris-
oner in an engagement and then re-
leased. This notification reached the
Office Of the consul Aug. s. With this
meager information Mrs. Harris has
had to be content until the letter of
Wednesday, which was from the be-
trOthed of her son. The young lady's
name is Luy a. Pierra. and she is evil
IDENTIFY a lady of refinement and edu
cation. Her family is evidently one of
much influence, otherwise the things
she accomplished for her unfortunate
lover could not have been brought
about.
1t should be borne in mind that Mrs.
Harris had not heard directly from her
son for over q year.
The letter by Miss Pierra indicates
that Newton was sick of fever and at
the house of friend when he was at
tackled. He evidently resisted arrest,
and received a blow on the head from
a machete which was the primary
cause Of his death. The Spanish sol
diers then burned the house. On learn
ing OF his misfortune, the young lady,
WIN n6f ldl1eI, went OuI 1lplll nd
Vana to the scene of the battle and Sc
cured the release Of Newton, whom
they brought up to their home, where
he died.
Following are extracts from the let
ter:
March 81, 1S95-He started to the
front and remained there until the 18th
of August 1897, when he was made a
prisoner by a Spanish column, he being
cd do Ear-
in Havana province. He belonged to
the Fourth squadron of a regiment un-
der command of BaldOmero Acosta,
having reached the rank of captain.
ON account of the concentration de-
cree of the Spanish government, COM
munication became difficult, so that he
was heard from only once until his
capture. He was suffering from fever,
which forced him to be separated from
his regiment. and he was made pris-
oner through the denunciation of the
servant of an American who had been
caught. This occurred on the morning
of the eth of August, while in bed. He
was wounded with a machete in the
head
As soon as l heard of his arrest
went to the American consul to ask for
protection for George, as they had pro-
teeted other Americans; but, l must
say, nothing was accomplished except
promises which had no effect.
An that was done in his favor was
done by me until | obtained his liberty.
AS soon as we brought him here CHa-
vana) q doctor was called and a surgi-
cal operation was performed on his
wounded head, hoping that he could
the sooner recover. But he was at
tackled by bronchitis, which, although
not severe in appearance, was the
cause of his death.
q q &.
1T happened at o'clock a. M, the
18th of September.
The letter then describes the funeras
services.
Five doctors visited him. all agree
ing that the result would be fatal. and
SO it happened al 5 a. m. on the 29th of
September. He died surrounded by all
my family, leaving me in desperation
The letter then touchingly describes
the funeral services.
II will finish, letting you know that
nothing was spared to save him He
died in my fathers arms"
His first words after / saw him,
after an absence of is months, were for
his mother. He deeply regretted that
Your portrait, which he priced SO much,
was burned in the fire when the house
In which he was sick and captured was
burned"
Young Newton's boyhood was spent
on Spanish soil, his mother having re-
sided u years in Cuba. The boy always
had a liking for military affairs and
was sent to Spain, where he received a
military education e the national
school He was a master of six Ian
guages and after his mothers removal
fe this country he represented a big
merchant firm in Cuba His mother
had news a year or two ago that he
was doing military duty, but the boy
had not apprised her that he was with
the Cuban army.
The young man was about q years of
age and the only child of Mrs. Newton
now Mrs. C. r. Harris.
This lady can speak of Spanish atroci-
lies from personal observation during
her residence there and this knowledge
adds bitterness TO her grief.
THE pictures here reproduced of Mr.
Newton and Miss Pierra are from a
photograph taken just before the de-
parture from Havana Of Newton for
the front II was sent to Mrs Harris
by the young lady. The despair of the
young lady is fully appreciated by Mrs.
Harris. who knows the Cuban customs
50 we'll In Cuba among the higher
classes engagements are not considered
broken even by death and this young
lady will remain true to her dead SOL
der lover until the end of time.
Mayor-Elect Boyle Receives.