The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-14
NICASIO MIRABAL, BANDIT.
Talk With the NOst Romantic Character In the Cuban
Army

culiar way in which he toyed with the
butt of his revolver was quite enough.
The money was handed over. followed
by many maledictions. but not until Mi
rabal and his companions were out of
hearing.
HIS ROMANTIC MARRIAGE.
His favorite way of raising revenue
was to kidnap the owner of some veal
thy estate and hold him prisoner for
ransom Thousands of dollars were
raised in this way, most of which were
used to pave the way for the present
revolution. But there came a time
when life found another charm for the
bold and gentlemanly bandit Chance
one day brought him face to face with
very beautiful young lady. She was
visiting the suburbs of Santa Clara,
but lived in Puerto Principe. 1t was
Mirabars fate. Neither adventure nor
gold longer had any charm for him.
lie could think only of two beautiful
eyes in Camaguey, and hither ne fol-
lowed them, but not a NicaSio Mira
bal. A handsome and quietly dressed
man suddenly appeared in the city of
Puerto Principe and there took up his
residence doing business under the
name of Rafael Roche. Every one re-
spected and esteemed him as one OF
the most prosperous merchants of Ca
maguey. Soon after he carried off his
bride. the young lady with beautiful
eyes, to his charming little villa in the
edge of the city. and there they lived,
happily and peacefully, for over three
years. To her alone he told the story
of his past, but she loved him and it
did not matter.
Placards were at different times
posted all over the province describing
''Mirabal, the outlaw" and Offering a
heavy reward for his capture, dead or
alive. Rafael Roche used to read these
reports of his escapades with great in
terest and made occasional suggestions
for the possible capture of the bandit.
With all the officials he was hand
and glove,'' and held several prominent
positions of trust most satisfactorily.
When the captain general, Salamanca,
paid toward Puerto Principe an Official
visit. AIirabal Cor Roche) was selected
to lead the escort for a hundred men
who went to welcome the chief digni-
tary of the island
But the old saying, Murder will out"
came true in his case, as it has in many
others. Some secret service agent from
Santa Clara one day recognized Roche
as the famous outlaw, and communi-
Gated the fact to the guardia civillia.
Forty of them surrounded mis- house
that night. MirabaI was alone with his
wife, dreaming of anything but danger.
But his wife was always apprehensive
for his safety. She il was who first
discovered the 40 dark riders who were
cautiously approaching the house. They
did not come boldly up. for they knew
from experience that he would fight it
out to the death, and that some of them
would never again see the morning.
NARROW ESCAPE FROM CAPTURE.
MirabaPs horse was tied near the
front door, and they felt sure that he
would make rush for it; but he didn't
From one of the front windows he
opened fire on the guardia civillia, while
his wife cleared the way for an escape
by the rear Then the brave little
woman took his place, and blazed away
at the enemy in front, while her hus-
band rushed out of the back door, TAX
ing the guards by surprise, and sue
cessfully fighting his way through
them gained the open and leaped on
the back of a riderIess horse, which
bore him to the woods and safety.
Once more he was, by virtue of neces-
sity, an outlaw, and remained such I'M
til the beginning of the present revolu-
ton, when he Immediately took the
field for the freedom and independence
of Cuba. When the first detachment of
young men from Camaguey sprang to
arms they found waiting for them 1O6
rifles and a barrel of ammunition,
which Mirabal had collected When
General Gomez, in June of '95, entered
Camaguey, short of ammunition, Mira
bal took his little party of tried vet
Grams and captured the fortified town
of Alta Gracia, Is miles from Porte
Principe, turning over all the much
needed stores to the army of liberty
One incident only has occurred to mar
Mirabals military career The Spanish
government, realizing MirabaTs Won
derful bravery and knowledge of the
country, sent him an offer of 500, 900 in /
gold and the rank of major if he would
abandon the Cuban cause and join the
forces of Spain. This fact was made !
known to Gomez, who caused his ar
rest and trial on the charge of contem-
plated desertion to the enemy But
Mirabal proved his innocence SO con-
clusively that he was not only acuuit- /
ted, but made a colonel on Gomez /
staff, which rank he now holds.