Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-08-05
DESIRE FOR REVENGE.
Natives In Ponce Acted Like Sayages
Toward Spanish Volunteers


Natives In Ponce Acted Like savages
Toward spanish Volunteers.
Ponce, Aug. 1-General Miles will
move upon san Juan when he is salts
fed of the strength of the attacking
force. Proof of that will be afforded
In a few days. Meanwhile the soldiers
landed are taking life easy here and on
the hi"hWay to the Mecca of all hopes,
The commander of the Spanish forces
In the vicinity is not aggressive. owing
to tho realization of the hopeless1 r IS of
his situation. Furthermore, his
strength is depleted daily by the de-
sertions of the volunteers.
General Garcia, who is in Immediate
command of the Spanish regulars-not
believed to number more than 5OO-Uas
deserted by most of the Spanish volun-
teers in his command during Thursday
night, and they began Struggling back
to the city with the dawn. They i'm
mediately presented themselves to the
provost marshal and surrendered their
arms.
The appearance of the volunteers
aroused in the breast of the natives
who had suffered at their hands in the
who We're released when we took the
city a desire for revenge, and they be-
gan to ferret out all the Spaniards in the
city who had ever been in the volunteer
service, and drag them to the plaza.
Bloodhounds could not have been more
savage. Most of the Spaniards in hid
ing upon being discovered were hauled
in triumph by hootlng, jeering mobs to
g no
provost marshaIs Office in the municipal
building. Some of the natives even
began looting the residences Of the
Spaniards. They mstook liberty for
license and were crazed with a thirst
Tor vengeance. General Wilson, how
aver, soon taught them that revenge
could not be wreaked under the pro-
lection of Our flag, and peremptorily
ordered that the arrest of Spanish sus-
poets should cease. Such volunteers
as presented themselves, however were
received and released after their arms
and names had been taken. Many of them
had been forced into the service of Spain
to escape persecution.
Without seeing or hearing anything
of the enemy the advance guard of Cen
eral Henry's division which landed at
Y,
taking en- route the cities of Yauco, Tai
laboa, Sabana, Grande and Penuclas.
Attempts by the Spanish to blow up
bridges and otherwise destroy the rail
road between Yauco and Ponce failed.
only a few fiat cars being burned. Our
troops fired up the locomotives, and are
now operating the road from end to
end, carrying supplies, messages and
he
welcomed in an address made by the
alcade.
American gold is at a premium of 100
percent. YESTERDAY prices were cheap;
today they are enormous. The news
paper correspondents have difficulty in
obtaining horses even at 5000 in gold.
The natives imagine that the pockets of
the Americans can emit a ceaseless
flow of eagles and double eagles. There
is a plenty of provisions in the city, ex-
cept rice. one of the staples, which is
quoted at a very high figure for this
country.
Our army will not Jack for fresh meat
in the march across the island. The
broad savannahs which lie between the
undulating hills swarm with cattle, at
reasonable prices and of excellent quail
ty. General Garetson's brigade is
massed at Yauco, the terminus of the
railway, Is miles off, and will probably
remain there until the army is ready to
move; but it is thought that the artillery
will be brought here Immediately The
railroad is in good order. but much of
the rolling stock has been destroyed.
General Stone yesterday found several
engines wrecked. The machinery had
been dismembered by Spanish sympa-
thizers at the roundhouse and hidden.
General Stone gave them two hours to
get the engines into working order
under penalty of imprisonment and in
less than that time the engines had
steam up and were ready to move