The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-09
, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1898.


Il prisoner. He also asked that the
American Army should not advance.
beyond Ponce within forty eight
hours
Commander DAVIS, who was really
not anxious to receive the surrender
before tho b"ttl"ship Massachusetts
arrived with Captain Higgiuson, IL
ranking officer on board, accepted
these conditions and tho Spanish sol
dirrs then fled to tho hills. They
lett behind them So riiius and H.,
OOO rounds e Ammunition.
Lieutenant Hainrs, commanding
tho marincs of tho Dixie, went ashore
and hoiston the Americun flag over
the custom house at tho Port of
Ponce amid the cheers Of tho peo.
pie. After this Lieutenant Murdoch
and surgeon Heiskoll entered chr
rlage and drove to the city, three
miles distant, whore they received a
tremendous ovation.
Tho streets were lined with men,
women and children, white and
black. Some Of the women dandlrd
naked babies, and other children in
the neighborhood of five years Of ago
Were running about without stitch
of clothing on them. Everybody
WAS dancing up and down d yell.
ing:
"Viva los Amorlcunos."
"Fiva Porto Rico libre."
The windows ,of tho houses were
all filled with people, and greut
crowds were gathered on the roofs.
The stores were nll opon, and when
ever the officers stopped people
gathered around them. Upon these
occasions red shirted firemen, who
were numerous, cleared the way to
the stores, so that officers could 90
in if they chose. Tho storckeepers
offered their whole stock to tho OIL
GERS, and declared that they would
t"ko no pay for anything.
In the Plaza Of Justice the people
tore down the wooden giltled crown
and woul | have trampled upon it if
the officers had not interfered and
saved it as souvenir.
General Wilson was the first army
officer to land. Tho tiremen lined
up to receive him ns the local band
played "The Star Spanglrd Banner,"
and everybody took of hats and
cheered. The custom house was
taken fer the headquarters. The
troops landed during the day were
tho Second and Third Wisconsin and
tho Sixth Pennsylvania regiments.
Despite the arrival of the troops
tho celebration in the town went on.
The Porto ficans and tho foreigners
kept open houses. Women and men
alike wore all dressed in thoir finest
attire.
The owners Of the newspapers of
Ponce called upon General Wilson
and asked him if their papers were
to he stopped. General Wilson told
them to go ahead and print the
news.
Shortly afterward General Wilson
received Il telephone call from the
prison. The call WAS from the mayor
OF the city, who wanted to get out.
He had sung "Yankee Doodle" the
afternoon before, and had been
slapped into Jail and loft there. Gen
eral Wilson ordered his instant re-
lease. He also learned that there
were many other political prisoners
in Jail and ordered them released, too.
The only prisoners who were kept in
Jail were those imprisoned on GRIM.
inal charges
As the day wore on the fun grew
faster Every American who ap.
pearod on tho street was cheered.
No Spaniards could be found. The
people in tho shops and hotels, as
we'll rs the proprietors of those
places. stoutly denied that they were
Sp"niards. A number of womon
were asked by reporters why they
spoke Spanish if they were not
Spaniards. Tbey replied that they