The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-02-12
A CUBAN BROADER

Visits Hartford in Search of HIS Wife
His Life on the Island-Joined Go
mez After the Loss of His Planta-
tion-Return to This Country and
Interview with Estrada Palma.
William Ewing, a brigadier of the
Cuban army, was in town last night
and came to the office Of the Post with
a story of the experiences of an
American in the island during three
years Of the struggles of the insur-
gents. A few months ago. when with
the Cuban forces in the field, he was
threatened with yellow fever, and,
upon the advice of the surgeons gene
raj. he Immediately swallowed twelve
grains of Quinine, twenty grains of
bromide of potassium and one pint of
caster oil. The incident explains his
departure from Cuba one dark Deem
Der night on a blockade runner, COM
manded by the famous Captain
O'Brien, and his presence in this city.
He happens to be hunting for his wife
and family, whom he first sought at
his place in Gilead, Neb., but who now,
he believes, are in Hartford or some
Connecticut town visiting friends.
plantation in the province of Matan-
zas for about three years when the
present insurrection broke out. His
wife and only child, daughter, lived
with him, and on neighboring place
dwelt his brother-in-law, George w.
Drake, with his wife, and four children.
Things began to happen. One day a
party of horsemen rode up from the
hills, whom General Ewing at first
took to be banditti. They asked which
side, Cuban or Spanish, the planter
would espouse in a war against Spain.
1--WE are Americans answered the
prompted by her father, land we will
defend our own with our lives"
VISIT FROM GOMEZ.
1t then appeared that the party con-
sisted of General Maxine Gomez, Cen
eral Garcia and Antonio Maceo with
some twenty followers, who were on a
tour of observation, sounding the SEN
timent of doubtful parties in the pro-
vince. The uprising which broke out
in Santiago de Cuba soon afterward
was not felt in the least by the Ewings
in Matanzas for several months.
Maceos six hundred horsemen one
day swept past and around the planta-
ton on his famous raid across the is
land without putting the American su-
gar cane and buildings to the torch
and that meant to the Spaniards a
great deal. Weyler came and the
| Spaniards grew more and more suller
toward the Ewings. 1t was time to gel
| out with the women and children, fol
| there was danger from the Spanish sol
| diers. Inasmuch as the latter coulc
not be trusted, owing to their hatred OF
| Americans, it was decided by Ewing
| and Drake to secure Cuban escort tc
the coast and send the families to the
United States on a blockade runner
| General Garcia furnished the escort
Ewing went with the women and chill
dren to the southeastern coast, saw
| them safely embarked, and returned
at the end of ten days. to the Matanzas
plantations, where Drake had re.
manned to guard the property.
when 1 rode into the little valley
narrates the general, Il could scarcely
recognize it. There were no buildings
standing, all the sugar cane was
burned, ruin and desolation were al
| around. A mans body lay in the ho
sun, riddled with bullets, near thu
black embers of the house, and thai
was George. The Spaniards, learning
| of the departure of our mamilies under
| Cuban escort at once attacked th'
| place. Georges revolver, which ont
| hand still clutched, had every cham