The times., 1898-10-30
H II ~ ~ Street,

the bull fight, by means of the ferry ply
ing between Havana and Regia. / have
been asked many times what thought OF
the circular. At the time l thought Il of
no Importance whatever. and | have not
changed my opinion. II could only have
been the screaming appeal of some bi-
goted and impotent patriot. When a
would-be conspirator finds it necessary
thus to go out into the public streets and
beg anonymously for assistance. he DEM
onstrates that he is without friends. Cir
culars of that kind are not at all uncom-
mon in Havana. Gen. Lee received them
frequently. In his case, the date was
generally set for his destruction. He gave
himself no concern over them, but let 1t
be known generally that anyone attempt
ing to injure him bodily would be treated
very summarily by himself. His poise in
matters of that kind made murderous
bulletins positively humorous.
Six bulls were killed during the day.
Our party arrived as the first one was
being hauled away dead After the fifth
bull had been dispatched, it was decided,
as a considerate measure in favor of Gen.
Parade, that we should leave the build
ing and return TO Havana early, so as to
avoid the crowd. We. therefore, left very
quietly, just before the sixth bull entered
the ring. We tried to reach the ferry
promptly, SO that we might return to
Havana on a steamer having but few pas
sengers. Three members of our party
were successful in this attempt, but Gen.
Lee, Lieut.. Holman, and l failed On
our arrival a steamer had just left the
landing. We then hailed small pas
senger boat, and were pulled to the
Maine While Gen. Lee and l were con-
versing on the quarterback of the
Maine ferry boat dasne across the bay,
carrying back to Havana large num-
ber of people from the audience. There
was no demonstration of any kind. The
| passengers We're, doubtless, those who
had left early, hoping like ourselves, to
avoid the crowd.
The next ferry boat was densely
/ crowded Among the passengers were a
number of officers of the Spanish army
and of the volunteers. IS the ferryboat
passed the Maine there were derisive cai's
and whistles Apparently not more than
/; fifty people participated in that demon
stration. II was not general, and might
have occurred anywhere. i have never
| believed that the Spanish officers or SOL
| diers took part. 1t is but fair to say that
this was the only demonstration of any
kind made against the Maine or her Of
| ficers. either collectively or individually,
so far as was made known to me, dur
ing our visit. Adverse feeling toward us
was shown by the apathetic bearing OF
soldiers when they saluted, or of trades
men when they supplied our needs.
After the Maine had been sunk, and
when the Montgomery and the Fern were
| in Havana, Spanish passenger boatmen
| exhibited bad temper by Withholding OF
| delaying answers to our halls at night
The failure of the Spanish authorities to
compel the boatmen to answer our halls
impressed me as being very closely akin
| to active unfriendliness. 1t was at the
time when the vizcaya and the Oquendo
were in Havana, using picket boats and
occasionally search-lights at night. appar-
emily TO safeguard themselves. Halls
were made sharply and answered prompt
| ly between the Spanish men-of-war and
the boats constantly plying about the har-
Dor at night 1t must have been plain on
board the Spanish men-of-war that the
boatmen were trifiing with us. This was
| after the Vizcaya had visited New York
Before reciting the details Immediate
| ly connected with the destruction of the
Maine. it may be said that l did not ex-
| pect she would be blown up. either from
| interior or exterior causes, although pre-
| cautions were taken in both directions
Nevertheless I believed that she could
be blown up from the outside, provided a
sufficient number of persons of evil dis