, 1898-10-10
THEIR LAST STAND
sPANIARDs ON THE VERGE OF A
BATTLE WITH COLONEL
RAYS FORCES.
Americans Were Over-Matched and
Might Have Been Seriously Worst
eu-Evacuation Forces Tried to
Take Away the Lantern From the
Cape Cruz Lighthouse.

Manzanilo, Oct. 9.-The Spanish
troops expect to leave Manzanillo to-
day. General Parron, the Spanish COM
mander, will turn the city over to the
mayor, who will make the official
transfer to Colonel Ray, representing
the United States, on Monday.
A collision between the Spanish gar
rison and Colonel Rays troops Friday
was, it appears, even nearer than seem
ed to be the case. General Parron's or
de-s from Havana were to resist the
Americans to the utmost. Additional
rounds had been issued to the troops
and volunteers would have probably
brought the Spanish forces up to 1900,
as against fewer than 300 Americans.
Colonel Ray would certainly have obey
ed his original Instructions when the
hour for closing the cable arrived, and
there would have been only the slight
est chance Of avoiding a fierce engage
ment, with the odds largely against the
Americans, both in number and in
arms. The S%paniards were armed with
Mausers, while the Americans have
Springfelds.
Echoes of yesterdays excitement
have not died away. Though General
Parron. on the surface, is courteousness
and dignity personified, he created a
great scene at the palace after the Incl
dent, striking terror to the hearts of his
su~bordinates. He cursed in flowing
Castilian. completely forgot his dig
nifty. and with oaths of a longshoreman
vowed that the honor Of the Spanish
army had suffered a blow. The Span
lard to blame for it, he declared. must
die. and that quickly.
In his fury he sent for the military
commander, but it was found that this
officer had left with the Spanish troops
on the Josefita the night before. Then
he sent for the adjutant general, and
asked him why the Americans should
have been let through the city gates.
i lie iCply Wdo . uloSidll4Cl vi dACAoL
ity, and a suggestion hat the inquiry
should he put to the officer who was In
charge of the guard. Then 1t was dis
covered that the officer had been with
drawn several days before, leaving a
sergeant in command
When the sergeant arrived, he de-
clared that General Parron's orders
were to permit the Americans to pass.
THAT was the mules. "shrieked Parron.
mot the soldiers. Away with him to
the guard house"
The luckless sergeant has been court
martialed. At first 1t was reported that
he was to be shot tomorrow at day
break. Thereupon-H Do"aiuson
o,.v rev.. Mr.. Zimmerman, a pri-
vate citizen, called upon General Par
ron to entreat him to do what he could
for the unfortunate man. General Par
ron replied that he was grateful for the
sympathetic feeling displayed by the
Americans in the welfare Of a Spanish
soldier. and promised that II there was
a conviction he would infict the min
imum penalty-probably only a few
days pay. AS the Spanish rank and
file receive no pay anyway, this would
be no very great infection.
The Spaniards had intended taking
away the lantren Of the Cape Cruz light
house, with the appurtenances. claim
ing the whole as movable property,
but Colonel Ray objected. and the
Spaniards, after being shown a copy Of
the evacuation agreement, abandoned
their intention.