Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-04-20
ESCAPED
BY STEALTH.
How Consul Brice Got Away
From Mantanzas.
A. q. Brice. American Consul at Man.
tanzas Speaks of His Escape From
Caba.

Consul Brice was forced to flee for
his life. Intense anti-Americau feel
ing had been aroused by his distribu-
ton of the Kansas City Stars ship
meut of food from the West and Brice
had been warned repeatedly by the
governor of the province and by others
that his life was in danger.
The party left under the cover of
night but, before going, Mr.. Brice ar
ranged to have the British consul at
tempt to continue the distribution of
food to the reconcentrados. He also
arranged with bakers at Matanzas to
exchange flour in The Stars shipment
for bread to be given the reconcentra-
dos. A good share of the supplies had
been given out before he left.
NOTIFIED BY LEE APRIL S.
Consul Brice said to a reporter to-
day: son April 1 was notified by
General Lee, who sent special mes
senger with the dispatch, to be ready
to leave Matanzas at a moments no.
tice and that when 1 received the
signal agreed upon 1 was to lose no
time in getting away, and to be sure
that did not go by way of Havana.
He also instructed me to notify the
consuls at Sagua, Cienfuegos and San
tiago de Cuba to be ready to leave the
country on short notice.
FEELING OVER THE UTsTEIN's CARGO.
"The feeling against the Americans
has been most bitter of late, and just
at the time l received General Lees
message it was particularly so on ac-
count of the Kansas City Stars ship
ment of provisions that had arrived
on the steamer Utstein. The captain
of the steamer was the most scared
man ever saw. Two representatives
of The Star accompanied him and
when they attempted to walk through
the streets they were nearly mobbed.
''The Spaniards jeered aud spat at
them and with the utmost difficulty
were restrained from doing them
bodily harm. They came to me and 1
told them they would better stay on
the steamer and get out of the harbor
as soon as possible. They hurried the
unloading of the nearly seven hun
dred tons of supplies the steamer had
brought and sailed on Monday
| PROVISIONS GIVEN OUT
81 began at once to distribute the
supplies among the starving recon-
centrados and had already issued
tickets to 5000 which, with their fami-
lies, represented about $1,000 people,
although the number of destitute was
estimated at 81 900 in the city alone.
There are about 50, 900 starving in the
province.
Il kept on handing out the provi-
sions as fast as could, although i
had received notice that the volunteers
were going to kill me and drag me
through the streets, and the governor,
Francisco de Armas, sent a message
twice to my Office warning me to de-
oASe iiOHl ASSuAuS Guy 1uI lhCi SuPpliCs
and lock up and go home. did no,
follow his instructions, but kept al
my work.
Last Thursday evening, about
O'Clock, after had finished my work
and was sitting at home alone, 1 re-
ceived telegram from General Lee
which read as follows: 'Brice: Funds
for American citizens exhausted
(Signed) LEE"
That was the signal agreed upon
and when l received the message
knew 1 must act quickly. 1 was Holy
Thursday and there were no vehicle.
20 be had on the streets.
OUT OF MATANZAs BY NIGHT.
81 hurried out afoot and, after
awhile, found Mr.. Brinckerhoff ant
Mr.. Delgado and notified them of the
news. We got together and talked the
matter over and, after some discussion
we decided that the only way We
could get out of the city alive was tc
go by stealth. Mr.. Brinkerhoff and
myself went to the governors palacs
to get General de Armas to sign oul
passports, and when we told him W,
were going to leave he asked how w,
were going to do it.
81 told him of our plans and to show
what control the governor had owe
the city and what protection he couls
guarantee anyone, he answered
That's right. Slip out as quietly a
you can.' We then began to pack III
what effects we could gather togethe
hurridly and made our final arrange
! ments.
Luckily the Jarlsberg happened t
be IN port taking on a cargo of sugar
and at the time I received Genera
, Lees final warning she had gotte
her clearance papers and was all read
to leave. / sent word out to the car
tain to wait for us, as it was our onl
. chance of getting away. At 10 o'cloc
E we left the city one by one and wer
a two miles up the Yumuri river, whei
e we loaded our baggage on a sma
= boat and getting in ourselves floate
down tine river and out into tke bay.