The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-03-10
MORE EVIDENCE OF TREACHERY.
A Discovery That Throws Another
Dark Shadow OF Suspicion Over
DdI n Ola
Spain.

Dark Shadow OF Suspicion Over
Spain.
Evidence has iust been brought to
light in this city Of the existence in
1854 Of a tunnel extending from Moro
Castle in Havana harbor.
The evidence consists Of a photo
graph Of the entrance to the tunnel
and the relation Of detailed Informal
ton Oh the subject by Mrs. Lucy e..
Hunter a. it was told to her by her
late husband, DR.. George l. Hunter,
who himself penetrated the passage
for several miles and had the picture
Of the entrance made.
Mrs. Hunter has lived in this city
for several years, and her home is at
22O San Pedro avenue. DIR. Hunter
was devoted to scientific pursuits
and the requirement Of knowledge.
and "a he possessed considerable
wealth he spent much Of his time III
travel and study.
In 1854, before his marriage, he
went to Cuba and remained in Ha
vana several months. He contracted
yellow fever there and his stay was
prolonged by his sickness.
While in Havana DR.. Hunter be
came acquainted with many promi-
nent citizens and army officers, and
formed close friendship with sever
al officers connected with Moro
Castle. They extended him many
cOurtcSicS. and finally became 50 in
innate with him as to impart to him
the secret OF the tunnel beneath
the waters Of Havana larbor and al
lowed him to explore it.
DR.. Hunter followed the tunnel for
several miles. and found that it
branched out into all extensive and
intricate series OF sub-pas sageS, coy
erng a large area Of the bed of the
bay. At some points the top OF the
passage was 50 close to the notion OF
the bay that he could hear the waters
booming above him.
The entrance to the tunnel was a
large cave extending partly under FL
Moro and partly out beneath the bay.
DR.. Hunter secured Il photograph Of
the entrance which had been taken
from inside the tunnel. Stalactites
! hanging from the top of the cave are
shown in the picture. According to
label on the photograph it was
made by the firm of Friedrich Y Co.,
who were probably the official pho
tographcrs.
When he married. DR.. Hunter told
his wife all he had learned of this
| remarkable submarine passage and
when he died he left his Photographic
| ic proof of its existence in her pos
session.
1t will be remembered that shortly
after the battleship Maine was blown
up the statement was made that the
| Spaniards had submarine passages
under Havana harbor. The Spanish
authoritie, promptly denied this, and
stated that if tunnel had ever eX-
| listed beneath the harbor the entrance
to it had long since been closed up
and all traces of it lost. 1t was on
account Of this denial that Mrs.
Hunter gave out the important infor-
nation She possesses on the point.
The information divulged by Mrs.
| Hunter is of momentous importance
at this time, when the international
situation over the destruction Of the
Maine is so critical. Greater strength
! than ever is given to the suspicion
that Spanish treacherv brought about
the disaster 1t is hardly possible
that the large cave giving access to
the tunnel could have become oblit-
Grated in forty -four years as claimed
by the Spanish authorities, and if the
| extensive sub-passagcs remained I'M
| impaired most any vessel in the har-
| Dor could have been blown up.
| \ far more serious consideration
involved is that none but Spanish au-
| thoritieS could have had access to the
tunnel. and if the Maine was deliber-
atcly blown up the terrible response
| bilitv can be laid only upon the
| Spanish government, and not upon
wanton miscreants.
The above is taken from the San
Antonio Texas) Daily Express of
| March 18th.
The lady referred to (MrS. Lucy Y.
Hunter) is sister Of Mrs. j. F.
| Harris. of Henderson, and the mother
of Miss Lucy Hunter, who made
| frequent visits here before her mar
r.iuri