Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-09-17
FLEES IN THE NIGHT.
Porto Rican Lady Tells Rosey of
Her Escape From Span
ish Soldiers.
HE TALKS WITH HER AT UTUADo.
Dons-How Francisco. storekeeper.
Was Assaulted Because He Said He Was
American-Harry smythe Describes
the Trip Through the Island.

| American-Harry Smythe Describes
the Trip Through the Island.
Stories of the experiences of Rock
have been repeatedly told. but
each letter seems to bring something
of additional interest. Louis Rosen-
field. The ARGUS correspondent.
sent the following. before leaving.
gained from an Interview:
Utuado, Porto Rico, Aug. 29.-Just
a little story to let you know that |
am always looking out for anything
of interest to your paper and its
readers. This is how it happened:
Yesterday l was invited put to din
ner by a gentleman who runs n store
next door to the hospital, and while
we were at dinner a man came and
said he spoke English, and wanted to
know where he could find news
paper reporter. OF course l told him
| was one(?) After dinner he took
me to n room where his sister was,
and said she had something to say to
me- She said the natives in the
small town of GALES think that
it would be good idea to send all
the Spanish people home, as they
/
young lady left her home in the mid
die of the night for fear of the Span
ish soldiers. On the 18th of August
| 500 natives were three miles outside
of the city, and they sent four men
to the Spanish captain. asking him to
surrender, but he said he would not
until the United States troops arrived.
So the natives sent four men to see
4 I,,e L.. g
Aug. II the Spanish left the city and
| hearing of this in the morning, went
into the city and at once placed an
American flag where they had just
taken down the Spanish colors. This
made some of the Spanish citizens
captain, telling him what had hap
Spanish soldiers came back into the
tives returned the firing, which
having only IL guns during this time.
Their families ran to the woods,
where they are now half starved and
without clothes. The Spanish loss
was about seven. while the natives
lost 46 killed and wounded. Then
the natives came to all the towns
around this place. there was one
cruel incident she told me. An old
man was walking down the street
with two small children III his arms,
when one was shot and himself badly
wounded; also the other child had its
arms broken. The Spaniards con-
tinued down the street q should say
it looks more like our alley), and
went into n store run by young
man by the name of Francisco, who |
told them he was an American. They |
jumped onto him, pulling out all OF |
his teeth and splitting his tongue and |
cutting his face and body. This. she |
said, was the most inhuman thing |
she had ever seen. Francisco still |
lives, and all he asks for is Justice. |
have met some very fine people
here. Every woman smokes cigar
cts and many chew tobacco. l am
writing this in. a large store, where L
have made a good friend, Il Mr..
Mayol. who is teaching me to speak
Spanish. The people Mere are so
much different from our people that
l won't know how to act when get
home. Regards to all, RosEY.
Describes Porto Rican Campaign.
Private Harry Smythe describes the
part Company A took in the Porto
Rico campaign, in letter to his folks,
formerly of Rock Island, now living in
He says:
Ponce, Porto Rico, Aug. 31.-Dear
Father: / received your letter of the
Bird and mothers of the 9th, in which
she reminds me of my 18th birthday,
which | have cause to remember as
long as live, as you will see further
along. l will proceed to tell you the
of our company and my
self as we 90 through the island of
Porto Rico. We landed at Guanica, a
small town on the southern coast of
the island, after the. Gloucester had
gone into the harbor and put few
shells into the town and drove the
Spaniards out, SO as to give us plenty
Of chance to land. i never saw n
more beautiful spot in my life than the
few hundred acres around this little
village. When the boat on which we
we're landed from entered the harbor
all the BOYS gasped with delight The
irst thing that met their gaze was the
lat, even ground, all covered with fine /
grass. then the natives small houses,
half concealed among the trees, being
IF different color, finished off with
he mountains and the blue sky as a
back ground. Some of the boys said
hey would not mind staying there all
he time, but | guess ii was from
being on the boat so long which made
hem feel that way; any way, they
loon changed their minds, as YOU viii
zee further on. Well. our company
lad no more than got landed than we
we're hustled out on postguard-
That night the men on the central part
If the firing line. Companies g and II
If our regiment, did a good deal OF
iring. and the next morning detail /
# Massachusetts men. together with