Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-26
PARIS PEACE WORK.
THE AWFUL PANIC AT CANEY.
The Inhabitants Thought the Ameri-
cans Ogres.

Das. F. ]. Archibald. in Lesles Weekly)
The scenes and actions in Caney after
the battle are in a measure explained by
the impression that. following the taking
OF the town, the invading force would loot,
commit murder, and rapine. Immediately
after occupation of the hill upon which
the fort is situated by our forces, the
fTenzied inhabitants began rushing up the
hill TO make peace with the victors. /
went down into the town with a SER
geant and eight men, with Instructions
from Captain Allen. of the cavalry, 10
turn out all the Spanish soldiers | could
find and break up their arms and send the
soldiers up TO the Tort. General orders
had been issued forbidding any one eX-
cept this small guard 10 enter the town.
as there was thought 10 be a great
amount of fever, and also because it was
still occupied by the defeated Spanlards
under arms. AS we went down the trail
across the river we met a procession such
as | never expect TO see again. Hysterical
women, paralyZed with the fright of the
whole long day; children of all sizes
screaming with terror and clutchlng their
mothers skirts for protection from men
who had killed their fathers or brothers,
as far as they knew, without cause. Some
little ones, with eyes wide open in mute
wonderment of ii all; men OF all classes;
soldiers who walked dehantly with no
excuse. while others declared they were
forced into the Spanish ranks.
One poor, frightened woman of about 50
years was carrying another, evidently her
mother-a woman who must have been 50
or more. She was in her night-clothes,
having just been taken helpless from her
bed. The younger woman was carrying,
or really dragging her, by holding her on
her back, having the arms over her shout
ders The older woman was much the
taller. and her bare feet dragged upon
the jagged rocks in the path. while she
moaned and cried incoherently. These
people were not of the poorer class, but
evidently well-to-do. | stopped a couple
OF the Spanish soldiers and had the wo-
man carried 10 their houses, and assured
them that no harm would come to them.
one young woman rushed frantically up
to me, as | came into the town. and
thrust jewel-boX into my hands, and as
she did so lifted the lid and showed me
that the contents was really valuable, beg
ging all the while that | spare her life.
When l closed the box and handed II back
to her. saying that | did not want IT, she
looked at me in an inquiring way TO see
if she could make ii out. She did not UNI
derstand that sort OF soldering, and she
fully expected 10 purchase her safety. II
all would have been immensely funny mad
il not been so extremely pitiful. one wo-
man came up very mysteriously, and, az
ter looking about her most carefully, pro-
duced a looking sheath-knife
from under the folds OF her skirts, telling
me that it belonged to a Spanish soldier
who had concealed himself in her house,
to which she led us.
l started up a side street, over some
trenches filed with Spanish dead when
a beautiful young woman came rushing
down, moaning. and now and then NUT
tering a frenzied prayer as she clasped
a little crucifiX. Her long black hair was
falling loosely about her shoulders, and
she presented a pitiful picture Of despair
tried 10 comfort her thinking that like |
the rest she was merely hyeterical, but
little by little ] made out her story. and !
1t was sad indeed. Her husband. Span
ish soldier, had been killed while defend |
ing her honor from a drunken officer |
and she begged me 10 go with her and !
so | followed. i found a pretty room, but |
in great disorder, showing a terrible !
struggle, the table overturned and the /
clothes pulled off the bed: on the floor, |
clutching a corner Of a blanket. was the |
dead body of a Spanish soldier, who. |
from the dirt and CRIME. had been in the |
trenches during the day. At his head was |
a single candle burning. placed there by |
his devoted wife. and on his breast lay |
a cruci1x. The moment We entered the |
room the woman dropped at the side Of |
the body, moaning and praying. 1t was
pitful.