Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-07-09

ment we received an announcement that
filled us with terror. 1t was that although
q sort of mock trial WAS given To the pris-
oncrs, net one WIS being acquitted but
were being adjudgcd guilty in haste and
executed without mercy.
I've Rad been compelled to see them
shot in all manners Sometimes the order
was to place the Tuzzles of the guns in
their mouths, and their brains were thus
blown out Other times they were lined
back against tho walls, and after hollow
mockcry Of religion had been gone through
with they wero riddlcd. You have seen
the pictures OF NaSmilian's execution.
That was the way most OF them went, and
they died bravcly, but like dumb beasts
led to slaughter.
But the worst sighS and the enc that
terrified us most was the death inflicted
upon General Lopez. lie was garrotcd II
was one oil those slow processes in which
the garrotcr, who can dispatch q ,aan by q
turn Of the screw, rrolongs the agony Tor
hours. 1t Was terrible It makes ny
blood freeze when recall the scene His
last words were, y die FOR my Cuba. ;
After passing through this thratcr of hur-
rors can appreciate to a slight degree nj
least the horror of Spanish rule, vanity
and cruelty.
1T was the morning before our trial.
Tho turnkey of our division was o very
old SpaDisrd, and often tried to engage
him in Il conversation in different Ian,
guages, but he would shake his head
| asked him if there was German consul
in Havana, bat he only repeated. Consul
Il oT,I sg,,s III.
tie German llood in my veins, and though
1t Is covered with the AmeTicrn il scrN ed
me well in hat incident. Then said 10
him, 'EmttTs.dor Prussia. ana he nod
ticd his head. Erery morning ut about g
O'Clock he would bring Us loaf of dark
| bread. 1t locked - If it were made ont
of oats and we found cat ch:f in it. He
usually opened our cell door and handed
Us Jug Of water and threw us in our
loaf
But this morning he brought orr bread
wrapped i'll paper. | told Wcathgrs they
were getting stylish in serving bread with
paper on il. BY that tine Wcathors had
| torn off "a piece Of tho bread and pat il in
his mouth. lie ripped out u big oath and
| said. Yes, the s"oundrclS want 10 feed us
on nails now. | told him he YVES getting
crazy. Why, look here. hc said, and he
handed Tc Il piece OF wood about an inch
and half long went to tie kpyholc in
| the door, which was tho only lght we
had, and j. and behold. l held u piece of
| lead pencil in my hand 1t then began to
dawn or nc what that PAPER meant that
was wrapped around the bread took it
| and tore of piece and wrote II note to
hn f-tN. -fs,t
what il was now, but you can well sur.
mise the rurport. Tho turnkey returned
that Afternoon, and I wanted to give the
note to him, but he wouldn't take il Ny
heart SINK, and J never felt 80 foflorn
tried TO press it on him. but 10 no avail
and at last in au agony Of mind I'M
thinkingly crumplcd and threv. 1t into his
basket and then sank down on the straw
and cried like IA child
That evening at the usual time for the
turnkey heard a strange noise in the
gangway, which was laid with stone flag
ging. 1t sounded like metal a..iking the
rock. Directly the key turned in the cell
door, and it opened Before lie in the
dusk l could make out the form of our
turnkey, but with him stood a tall gentle
man, covered with n black cloak that
reached almost 10 the floor ! saw the tip
OF scabhard showing ont: hence the noise
1 had heard. 1t was the Prussian consul
! l realized that my note had reached the
| right point, and there is ore Spaniard in
this world, II he is still alive. that / owe
my life to. After asking questions where
| was born, when came over and how l
got there he said: / will do the best l can
| for you, but it will be a difficult case.
These Spaniards are bloodthirs.y people :
He then turned TO my partner and
asked him where he came from. Being a
Tcnnessecan, be could not understand tic
German. The consul understood the case
at a glance, but he whispered to me that
it would be well for US TO pretend to be
brothers and for me to do the talking. He
succcctled in having our trials postponed,
and we were finally acquitted
Fragrant Fog"
| On tho vvcSfarr ronSt af Franco tf,ero f-