The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-05-13
CUBAN EXPEDITION.
A Company Of United States Troops
Leaves Tampa for Cuba.
BIG TRANSPORTS BEING FITTED UP.
Several Spanish Vessels Captured on Ha-
vann and Taken to Key west-Reports
of En- counters with the Enemy's
Warships Unoonfirmed.

TAMPA, Fla, May 10.-The steamer
Gussie, one of the Mallory line boats,
chartered by the government for use
as transport, will sail for Cuba to-
day, loaded with arms, ammunition
and supplies furnished by the United
States government for the use of the
Cuban insurgents. A company of 100
United States troops from the First
regiment of infantry will accompany
the expedition and aid in guarding the
landing of the valuable cargo, and will,
if necessary, penetrate into the interior
far enough to place the supplies
in the hands of the insurgents. The
expedition will be in charge of Capt.
w. Ii. Dorst, Gen. Miles aide, who has
just returned from Cuba The Gussie
has on board between 5000 and 1000
Springfield rifles, about 200, 600 rounds
of ammunition and several hundred
boxes of provisions, consisting prin-
cipally of canned meats and bareback.
The utmost secrecy is maintained re-
garding the point of landing, but
in view of Capt. Dorsts recent
landing near Havana, where he
communicated with the insur-
gent leader, Gen. Delgado, it is
believed that the expedition will be
headed for point not far from IIa-
vana The Gussie had mounted on her
forward deck yesterday one-pounder
rapid-fire gun. 1t is understood, how
ever, that she will be met at some point
not far from Key West by a gunboat
from the blockading squadron and es-
corted to the designated landing place.
IL is intimated that the Whitney will
follow the Gussie to Cuba as soon as
her arms, ammunition and supplies can
be loaded. Before week has passed
it is believed that the insurgent lead
ers will have been furnished with
arms enough for at least $4,000 men
and, with base of supplies estab-
lished on the coast, a vigorous cam
paign against the Spanish forces will be
inaugurated. Maj Gen. James f.
Wade is now in command of the army
of invasion, by his right as senior Off
GER, displacing Maj Gen. w. r. Shat
ter, heretofore in command. Orders
to this effect were received from Wash
ington last night Large amounts OF
powder and projectiles for the block
aiding squadron are now arriving here.
Hundreds of carpenters are at work
fitting up the big transports. 1t is be-
lieved now that all of the boats here
will be in readiness for loading by
Wednesday night The engineer corps
yesterday were drilled to the use OF
the big canvas pontoons, which are a
part of their equipment. In the capa-
cious hold of the Alamo are stored
enough of these pontoons to form a
bridge several hundred feet in length.
They will be carried with the expedi.
ton.
KEY WEST RUMoRs.
KEY WEST, Fla, May 10. The Span
ish fishing smack Santiago Apostal
was captured by the gunboat May
flower off Havana and brought in by q
prize crew yesterday afternoon. She
was bound from Yucatan for Havana
with n cargo of fish and a crew of ten
men. She was rounded up with one
blank shot This was the only Incl.
dent of the day, which was largely
devoted to the circulation of alarming
rumors of the sinking of American
ships off the Cuban coast Upto night
fall nothing approaching definite
evidence of the 0lockading feet had
reached here. The story nourishinp
at that hour was that heavy firing haC
been heard off Havana. This was
brought in by small boats, and was a,
much in need of verification as the
others. Naval men here, however, in
Al
batteries on the north coast will seiz,
every chance to fire on American ships
and would not be surprised TO hear a.
any moment of n battle at or off Ha
vana. Intelligence of Rear Admira
SIMPSONS squadron was alsC
eagerly looked for. 1t is be
lieved that it has already reached
its destination and that news
of an engagement should soon arrive
Three separate reports of engagement
of United States warships reached
here last night, but thus far details
are wanting. One rumor is that tn,
cruiser Montgomery has captured tw,
prizes off Cape Haytien, after a sharl
battle with two Spanish gunboats anC
put in to St. Nicholas slightly dam
aged. Another says that the tut
osceola, of the mosquito feet, was free
upon near Havana, and the third i
that three Spanish gunboats fred upol
the United States torpedo boat Wins
low at Cardenas but were repulsed by
the Winslow after one had been dis
abled.
The Vicksburg last night brought il
fishing smack the Fernandilo takel
off Havana. Both ships are lying on
and swing to the regulations. No de
tails can be ascertained. The Spanisl
schooner Severe was captured by tn
gunboat Dolphin while trying to max
her way into Havana harbor early yes
terday morning.
Oklahoma Editorial Association.