The evening times., 1898-08-24
Porto Ricans on a Reyengeful
Raid Against Spaniards.
MAN-HUNTING OPERATIONS
Released Prisopers SURPRISED That
Americans Would Not Permit
Them to Puninh Their FOrmcr
Masters-A Captive Hauled by =
ROpr-Relics Of IAFbarism.

American sentiment was strongest before
the occupation. The day Gen. Wilson en-
tered on the heels of the flying garrison
will be marked in Its history with red
letter. A general jubilation was begun
| which continued four days. H
At first this sudden transfer of political
sons subsequently appeared. A military
| provost guard was established to preserve
| order in the city. but 1t was promptly
| given out that the civil government was
| to be undisturbed for the time being. For
twenty-four hours. while the first burst
| of enthusiasm lasted. all went well. The
chief danger of disturbance was from
not permitted to enter the city except In
small numbers. and excellent work by
Capt. Allison, the provost marshal kept
| down any tendency toward disturbance.
| On the second or third day. however.
| Porto Rico's misconception Of liberty be-
| gan to crop out.
One of the first acts Of Gen. Wilson was
| to release political prisoners.
On getting out of prison these men
| first thought of embracing their rela-
| tives and then of revenge. Imbued with
arrest maltreat and abuse any Span
| ish resident. they organized bands from
among their relatives and friends. Dur
| ing the two or three days Immediately
| following the occupation Of Ponce scores
| of unfortunate Spaniards who had retir-
ed to their homes and remained there
quietly when the soldiers of their coun-
try left were roughly taken away from
their families by vengeful Porto Ricans
and drn er..d
sued by a bowling rabble before Gen.
Wilson or the provost marshal. There
the captors would triumphantly pro-
duce the prisoners with evident expecta-
ton that II not Immediately shot the
Spaniards would at least be committed
TO prison for life.
When. after learning the circum-
stances, Gen. Wilson ordered the release
of the Spaniards and strictly enjoined
that such arrests should cease under
severe penalty. the Porto Rican patriot
first felt the poignant arrow of doubt
pierce his ideal of liberty. Revengefui
Porto Ricans were ordered to go to their
homes. and were informed that Ameri-
can liberty protected the Spaniard un-
der its dominion as long as he obeyed
the law of the land.
Although speedily and easily checked
in Ponce. these abuses extended into
Before the American troops landed
Spain's military force on the island was
augmented by about. 5000 volunteers
armed with inferior rifles. The great
majority OF these men served unwilling
ly. and were eager TO lay down their
arms at the first opportunity. Although
hundreds remained in Ponce and sur
rendered at once. many more. uncertain
as to the treatment they would receive.
cd ms shs
towns. They were forced to accompany
the Spanish garrison, on its retirement
and deserted at the first chance. In this
way II happened that hundreds of these
volunteers were hiding among the sugar
plantations and unused mills and build
ings when the Sixteenth Pennsylvania
pushed forward 20 Juana iDiaz.
While 1 was talking TO Col. Hulings in
the afternoon of the day Juana Diaz was
occupied group of Porto Rican horse
men approached in a eloudrof dust. When
they got near enough we could see that
one OF then: had rope attached 10 his
saddle. AT the other end Of the rope his
head securely fastened in a slip moose
was a man. or the wreck of one His
feet were bleeding, his clothing torn. and
when his captor's horse stopped he fell
to the ground exhausted. The moose had
been drawn SO tightly about his throat
that speech was impossible. He could
only groan and roll his eyes imploringly
toward the group of Americans.
We gazed In astonishment, while the
Porto Ricans talked excitedly in Span
ish. An interpreter explained that the
prisoner was a Spanish volunteer who
had been caught while attempting to
hide in an old sugar house four miles be-
yond Juana Diaz. His hands had been
ted and a rope placed about his neck.
and he had been forced TO keep pace. with
the horses. which were kept at a fast
canter all the way to town.
Their explanation being given. the
Porto Ricans sat on their perspiring ami
mas expecting to be highly commended.
Instead they were ordered to release the
prisoner. who was paroled. as all who
surrendered had been. and protected on
MS return TO his home. near Ponce. His
captors were ordered not to molest any
Spanish residents and to deal humanely
with volunteers who fell into their hands.
Thus was dealt another severe blow at
the Porto Rican idea of liberty. Others
more severe are coming daily.
When Coamo was taken its police were
permitted to exercise their customary au-
thority. As some of the policemen were
very obnoxious personally by reason of
arbitrary acts during the Spanish occu-
patton, a delegation of natives waited
upon Gen. Wilson to urge their imme-
date removal. and were much dsgrup-
tied when informed that such minor
matters must await general reconstruc-
ton.
Yesterday. was a feast day. and 1t was
a half holiday in Ponce. Some few ma
tives celebrated by getting drunk. in
which condition they acted much as the
people of Northern countries do. A pow
erful colored man obstructed the street
in front of the Hotel Inglaterra and ere
ated considerable disturbance. Finally.
after a crowd numbering several hun
dred had been attracted by the mans
actions. a native policeman approached
and attempted to arrest him. The man
resented the policeman's interference and
prepared to resist. Across the street at
that point was stretched a rope. and sus-
pended from IT was bright new Ameri-
can flag. When the policeman attempted
to drag the colored man along the latter
fell upon his knees. and shouting "Viva
Americanos!" appealed to the flag for
protection.
This caught the crowd, which. as gener-
ally happens. was against the policeman
and cheers rent the air. Another police
man appeared, but the colored man re-
sisting vigorously, continued to demand
American protection. He had she crowd
with him. and for ,m0ment . riot was
imminent. Fortunately the police knew
their business and did it. The colored
man was taken away to durance vile,
vainly calling upon the name of liberty.
A striking feature hof the scene. and
which makes it worth recording. was that
the native portion of the crowd evident
ly expected the Americans to compel the
police to release their prisoner. and was
greatly disappointed becasse- nobody in
terfered, igu 3 E.1s
Complaints continue to, be made by