The evening times., 1898-06-18
The OATH OF JUAN MANUEL
A Cuban Boy, Will .Ayenge His
Fathers Death.
FIGHTING WITH THE IMMuNES
His Parent Lost His Life While
Serving Under General Gomez n
Score of Years AsO-"SO Help Me
God, Will be True and Faith
full. In the Name of My Father"

front Win captain oSmun I.itTope . iii
munes. who left Baltimore this morning
for the camp at Fredericksburg. and who
form part of the regiment with which the
District immunes are connected. is Juan
Manuel. a Cuban with a romantic history.
Manuel is the only genuine immune in
the private ranks He is under the re-
quired weight but successfully passed
the medical examination yesterday after
noon and was mustered in. AS he took
the oath in the Office at Broadway Insti-
tute, Baltimore. he added: so help me
God, l viii be true and faithful In the
name of my father"
Manuel is the young Cuban who re-
Gently failed to secure naturalizatio ton pa
pers. on account of his application being
filed after war had been declared. He
was born in Havana just twenty-six
years ago. His father was Lieut.. Manu-
el, under Gomez. and fought under that
leader during the ten years war with
Spain. His mother was of Spanish birth.
but with Cuban sympathies. The child
now the American soldier. was born dur
ing the fiercest part of the war. His
father had gone to the front. and had
gained distinction for bravery on several
occasions.
When young Manuel was five years Of
age his father was shot. and killed du-
ring an engagement under Gomez in Pi-
mar del Rio province. At the same time
the Spaniards swept down upon his home
and devastated and contiscated the family
estate. Lieut. Manuel had a number Of
slaves. about ten of whom escaped by
flying 10 British waters. Three faithful
servants. however. took charge of the
boy and fled with him into Jamaica. af-
ter the death of his mother, which WAS
superinduced by the shock of her hus-
bands death. AT Jan aics the young Gu
ban was taken in charge by an English
family. by whom he was reared. When
he was about seven years OF age his
guardians died and separated. and he was
left alone in the world. He became
rolling stone. In the heart of Central
America he contracted chagres fever.
Thirteen years ago he landed in Bait
more and became an inmate of the Boys
Home. on North Calvert Street where
by tsudious application and very soon
he won distinction scholar. There
he learned the cigarmaking trade and up
10 the time of his enlistment yesterday
was employed at Becker's cigar store,
West Baltimore Street. He lived at WaV-
erly.
Manuel's own story of how he cherished
the idea Of revenge in his heart is as
follows: Somehow / can look into the
past and see my poor father lying on the
battlefield, victim TO the cruelty of a
cruel people, martyr to a noble and
just cause. | have always cherished in
my heart n desire for revenge, and when
Maceo broke the silence of years a little
more than three years ago. at once no.
tined the Cuban Junta that | was ready
10 embark. They evidently feared to
write, however for I racefH-ad ~,
to my letter. For three long years have
tried to get to Cuba and engage in the
struggle for liberty. My father died in
the cause and thought | had a right 10
follow him. I tried repeatedly to get
win hllbusterins parties. but unsuccess-
iuliy Then | wrote to New York beg
sing to be allowed to die in the cause
in any way possible, but received no en-
enlargement When the call for troops
was made | tried to get naturalization
papers. so that | could join the American
soldiers. but my application was reject
ed' because | filed it two days after war
was declared
Next. l wrote to New York to get in
formation about the Cuban troops being
organized for Tampa. and was told to re-
port for duty. I went to New York bur
found ! was too late, the troops having
left the day before. This was an awful
disappointment, but determined TO Try
again. ana returned to Baltimore. When
Capt Latrobe called for immunes l saw
my opportunity, and begged him to take
me with him. | was under weight. and
could not have passed ordinarily, but he
saw the material in me. maybe. and here
| am. ready to go to the front and die
there. if it will please my dead father"
Young Manuel has been in America so
long that he has almost forgotten his
own language. but speaks the purest and
choicest English fluently. He is small,
but well proportioned and exceptionally
handsome. small mustache adorns his
upper lip. His complexion is dark. but
clear and fresh. In speaking ne talks
directly to the person he addresses. and
looks one steadily in the eye. Capt. La
trobe said he is the pure material of a
soldier. and expects to find him in the
thickest of the fight wherever he is sent