The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-12

Captain towlcS, Sigral tho Bache
that the United States fleet is ready
to clear out Of Uabana, and please
follow the Bachc OUT
These were the words of Consul
General Lee at 5:l5 yesterday after
noon rs he stood on tho poop Of tho
Fern with Il group of correspondents
around HIM. 1t was cvidont to all
that General Leo intended to be tho
last to leave, and murmur Of ap-
Plausc went around i'll support Of
his intention. The Evelyn had al
ready passed MORO Castle when tho
Olivctte anchor. Tho Bachc was
close behind and tho Fern was tho
last of the line. The wharves and
boats on both sides of tho narrow
entrance to the harbor were crowded
with Spaniar,ls, who hissrd and jecr.
cd rs each boat passed out.
AS tho Form rounded to, heading
for tho open sen, she passed. near tho
Maine wreck. Tho group on deck
had been laughing and talking, OK
pressing their satisfaction at leaving
Habana. With ono accord each man
doifed his hat in salute to the brave
dead, while silcnco fell on all for tho
space Of several minutes. General
Ice, being on board tho Fern, made
that boat target for rcdoublcd
Kisses, groans, catcalls and whistles
from tho crowds on shore.
"Gct out, Yankees, sw;ne,' was
among the mildcst expressions used,
This seemed to strike every one on
board rs ludlcrous. Nico Consul
Springer, who hnd bcrn in tho is
Land 30 years, waved his hand to a
particularly abusive group, saying in
tones loud enough for all to hear,
"Wait, wait, my friends we shall all
bo back SOON" There was ono prot
ty incident. On tho Cabanas shore
q British steamer was unloading ut
her wharf. As tho Fern passed, tho
Union Jack was dipped, while tho
English crow gave IL hearty cheer.
1t is needless to say that tho compli.
mont was returned with all possible
gnsto.
Habana seemed duzod yesterday
when tho people found thut General
Lee was really going and that all
tho Americans wero going with him.
Not to SEQ the United States flag
floating from tho staff at Casa Nuevo,
struck many residents as little less
than calamity. Tho correspond
ents were besicgcd with eager uucs-
tions as to the intentions Of tho
Americans and whom they expected
Il bomhardment was likely to com
mence. Tho government officials
seemed as much ut Il loss us all the
rest. Il Spanish officer of high rank
besought correspondent to tell him
if he had any news not made public
and affecting the future Of tho city.
The fact that Mr.. Go]lun, tho
British consul, called with Con. Lee
on Capt. Gen. Blanco also puzzled
many, some believing that this meant
an English alliance had boen settled.
The truth is that tho Hubana news
papors have been under such close
surveillance for months, have been
made to publish SO many untruths
and have printed SO many tales of
tho United States backing down at
the demand Of Germany, Italy. Aus
tria and Russia, that the residents
take no stock whatever in anything
published. Consequently whom they
saw the Americans leaving, despite
the statement of the papers that they
had no intention Of going, the peo.
pie believed crisis was at hand.
Under instructions of Gcu. Lee,
who went on board the Fern imme-
diately after his farewell call on Capt.
Con. Blanco, tho consular people and
the correspondents went quietly on
board in twos and thrces. No ono
was molested or insulted, but the
people stared curiously as tho news
paper men, to whose presence all
had grown accustomed, rode down
to the dock with thoir grips, canes
and other hand baggage, showing
their Intention to depart. In fact
Habana was kinder than tho ocean
outside; all arrived at Key West to.