The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-23
CASTRO TELLS OF CARDENAS.
SPANISH Loss OF LIFE SAID TO
HAVE BEEN HEAVY.

senior Castro I'm the Bay at the Time
of BOmbhrdment Trying to Rcuch
American Vessels and Get Trnns-
VOrtatiOn to the United Stntcs-Car-
denns in the Midst of Famine.
Horse Flesh Selling at rs Cents "a
POund-Insuraen Subsisting on
Peppery Wood and Palm Buds.
'Quiet Day at Key West:" Copyright,
1898, by the Associated Press.
Key West Fla, May %, $50 y. m.-The
tranquility of tropical Sunday has been
undisturbed by definite news from any
quarter
There are only one or two ships in the
harbor, and they are coalmg with all
haste to get away to join their fellows IN
an action which all are convinced as only
a matter of days, perhaps hours. Specua-
tion is still concentrated on the where
abouts of Admiral Cerveras squadron, the
general opinion favorng some point on
the southern coast As both sides of the
island are now patrolled by United States
warships, the naval authorities win not
admit the possibility of Cervera's escape,
without the most desperate conflict in the
history of naval warfare.
Reports from Admiral Simpsons squad
ron say that all is quiet off the northern
coast of Cuba.
Nothing from Commodore Schley Is ex-
pected before Monday or Tuesday.
A rumor reached here that four Ameri-
can warships, while bombardng Santiago
de Cuba, had been driven off by the Span
credited. Where it came from is a mys-
terry.
Senor Ernesto Castro a well known law
yer, and president OF the revolutionary
junta of Cardenas, arrived here to-day on
the United States gunboat Annapolis. Dur
ing the recent bombardment at Cardenas
Senor Castro was in the bay IN a small
boat, trying TO reach the American ves-
sells and get transportation TO the United
States on an important mission. He was
compelled to return to the shore, where
he saw and heard of the results of the
bombardment
The Spanish gunboats that lured the
United States torpedo boat Winslow into
the death trap were the Antonio Lopez
Lealtad and Ligera. During the fight the
two former retreated behind the wharves,
and the Ligera behind the key. It was the
Antonio Lopez that opened fire on the
Winslow and decoyed her into the chan
mel. The Spanish troops formed on the
public square not daring to so to the
wharves; all the Spanish flags were low
cred, as they furnished targets, and all
fed to Jovelanos.
Senior Castro says an American shell ex-
ploded in the very entrance to the Span
ish Casino, shattering the building and
setting II on fire. A building which had
been used as a military headquarters ana
infantry barracks, and which was the
largest structure in the town, was utterly
destroyed. Other buildings were wrecked.
Some shots went so far as the Triente
sugar plantation, two miles in the interior.
The Spanish loss of life Senor Castro be-
lieves to have been very heavy. It was 80
reported.
After the bombardment ceased the mill
tary commander pressed all able-bodied
men into the work of carrying sand TO
build new batteries, and the next day / 200
men were brought from Matanzas and
Havana to continue the work
Senor Castro, after passing four days
on the Piedras key, signalled the United
States gunboat Wilmington and was tak-
en- off. He says famine prevails every
where in Cuba. In Cardenas rice Is 1
cents a pound. condensed milk sells al
81 50 per can, and horse flesh brings Is
cents a pound. There Is no beef or bread
The insurgents are in dire distress. For
merly provisions were smuggled from the
cities, but that relief is now impossible,
since the cities themselves are starving.
The insurgents are trying to subsist on
peppery wood and palm buds.
Senor Castro tasted meat to-day for the
first time in five weeks.