Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-27
Three Mysterious Men Attack Ar
tillery Sergeant at Key West.
THEY HAD A BOX OF DYNAMITE
Supposed to Have Intended to
Blow Up the Battery.
NJ A d i EIR APE

KEY WEST, Fla, May PA sergeant of
artillery on duty at a mortar battery near
Fort Taylor was fired upon early this
morning by three unknown men, whom he
says he knows to be Spaniards. The fire
was promptly returned, but the men es-
capped.
The affair, which is involved in a good
deal OF mystery, began yesterday after
noon. when three swarthy men made an
attempt to enter the gate Of the reserva-
ton. but were summarily turned off by the
sentry. No further attention was given to
the incident until last night. when between
10 and IL o'clock the sergeant Of the artil-
lery guard. near the mortar battery. no.
hced three men few yards ahead of him
Almost simultaneously with the discovery
they opened fire upon him with pistols.
Ihree bullets whizzed harmlessly past the
sergeant, but a fourth lodged in the fieshy
part OF his left arm, just above the elbow.
The sergeant dropped his raised rife and
before he could raise II again the men
turned and fled out OF range He sent sew
erai shots after them and then went for
the quart
Returned at Midnight.
A sharp lookout was kept for the
strangers, and, soon after midnight, a sus-
picious noise was heard outside the gate
near which the mortar battery is located
An investigation resulted In the discovery
Of a carriage in the street just outside the
gate The sergeant gave orders to fire and
volley was sent at the vehicle. mo-
ment later, 1t appears. three men were seen
running up the street and the fire of the
soldiers was directed upon them, but with
out effect, the suspects escaping apparently
unharmed
The sergeant declares that on the occa-
sion Of the last visit OF the strangers one
OF the latter carried a suspicious looking
package about three feet long.
The sergeant, who was the principal in
the adventure with the three strangers is
Charles w. Richards, Battery B, 1st Artil-
lery.
LOitered About All Day.
Sergeant Richards says that on three diff
ferent occasions during the day he saw
the men lettering about various entrances.
and at one of these they fingered for near
ly two hours. At 9:45 last night Richards,
when walking over to Fort Taylor, across
the reservation, heard sounds coming from
the mortar battery, close 10 the roadway.
Getting his rifle ready, he crept stealthily
up to the pit, and when close by heard
voices say: Jim. get the package"
The sergeant then entered the pit and
confronted a stranger who was coming
out with three-foot package in his hands.
Richards aimed his rifle at the man and
ordered Hands up but without an in
stant's hesitation the stranger blazed away
with a revolver, which he apparently had
drawn and ready. Two shots few past the
soldier. and he dropped to his knees as q
third bullet ploughed through the flesh of
his left arm above the elbow.
After the three shots the mysterious as
sailant of the sergeant turned ana fed at
top speed toward the road. Richards firing
one shot after the fugitive and missing
him. He saw the man leap into a carriage
just outside the gate, in which were al
ready seated two other men. and the trio
drove furiously away.
Was Taken Unayyarek.
The suddenness of the attack caught
Richards unawares. and the men were out
of range before he could bring his rifle to
bear upon them effectively.
Shortly after midnight Sergeant Rich
ards, with several artilleryrnen. returned to
the mortar pit, to see If all was right there.
As they drew near a figure darted out and
sped to the road. Richards recognized this
figure as the who had shot at him,
and ordered Private Gates to fire. But, the
suspect was again too agile and the one
shot fired went wild.
I'VE chased him some distance" said
Richards, but he got away. At the road
We found a long cuban cigarette, dropped
by him and still burning. He was about
six feet tall had a heavy black mustache
and wore a yellow coat. / am satisfied
that all three men were Spaniards, and
that the package contained dynamite with
which they intended to destroy the bat
terry"
Richards, whose wound is Of trifiing ma
ture, was emphatic in his assertion and
added: There are other details which I
am not permitted to reveal"