The morning news., 1898-12-30
ONE OF RAYS MEN HOME.
Sergt. c. f. stapIer of Company A
a Passenger on the OLDHAM.

n
a Passenger on the OLDHAM.
A member of Rays regiment, the Third
United States Volunteers, Sergt Clifford
f. Stapler of Company A, was among the
passengers yesterday aboard the Obdam
from Havana. sergt Stapler's home is near
Valdosta, and he win Feave for that place
to-day to spend his furlough.
Sergt. Stapler was fortunate in getting
off from his command and from the du-
ties that are making demands upon the
boys time. There are a lot of them who
would like nothing better than an oppor-
tunity TO return home, but the need for
their services IS too pressing 20 admit of
more than few being allowed away at
the same time.
The sergeant had a long water route Of
1t. He left BaTacoa, where his own and
two other companies of the regiment have
been stationed for some months, on Dec.
13, thinking this would give him ample
time TO make his way to Valdosta and
spend Christmas with his folks at home.
In this, however, he was very much mis-
taken The trip required a longer time
than he had anticipated.
Five prisoners were aboard the vessel
on which the sergeant and a comrade
left Baracoa. These were Cubaus in charge
OF the two soldiers. Two of the men were
under sentence of death for murder, a Gu
ban court martial having imposed the SEN
tence. The others had been convicted of
robberies. All were being taken to San
tiago for confinement.
Ia his trip as far as Santiago the ser
geant saw fine chance for getting far
ther so he put in his application for
furlough. He was given one for sixty
days, so that he viii have a long visit
TO his family. From Santiago he went to
Havana aboard the cruiser Cincinnati
Several of the Savannah men who are
in Rays regiment are friends of Sergt
Stapler. He knows Sergt. Howard Hin.
kins very wei, and a little bit of gossip
that was told him here amused him great
ly. He laughed at the idea of Sergt Hin
kins having been married and said the re-
port was fake. Even if he had married
the sergeant said. his bride would not have
been a wealthy Cuban girl. as that kind
is not to be found around sagua de Tan
amo, the town at which Sergt. Hipkins'
company is posted.
The better class of Cubans around Ba-
racoa are nearly an in favor of annexa-
ton to the United States as the best means
of settling the political troubles in which
they find themselves. They say they do
not believe the Cubans themselves viii be
able to maintain government without all
manner of turbulence and fighting. II is
which the Cuban soldiery was drawn. the
sergeant says, that sticks to the idea of
CUBA hbre."
Guantanamo ds the headquarters of the
regiment. Col. Ray is there with five com
panies of the command. Lieut. Col Wyily
is at Baracoa in command OF the COM
panies there. part of the regiment is
also at Siboney the point near which the
American troops landed for the Santiago
campaign.
Seret. Staper reports the health of the
men as now far better than what it was
during the summer. Then, he says. there
was good deal of sickness, nearly an
the companies having their men prostrat-
ed by the nalarial fever that seems 10
gel such grasp on the soldiers. For
some time, the sergeant says, Il was inn
possible for the companies TO got more
than fifteen Of their men out for roll calls.
| Most OF the men have had enough of their
/ Cuban experience and want TO get back
| home.