Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-05-28
ALL QUIET At KEY WEST.
No News Of Horrent War to Disturb
the Stiffness of the Peace
full Sabbath.
NEWS FROM ADMIRAL SIMPSONS FLEET.
Graphic Description of the Bombardment
OF Santiago de Cuba by Senor Ernesto
Castro, Who was an Eyewitness of tho
Engagement-The Decoying of the
Wipslow,

KEY WEST, Fla, May a3.-The tran
qulllity of tropical Sunday was un-
disturbed by definite news from any
quarter, A few naval uniforms an the
street were the only signs of the proxi.
nifty of this languid town to the thea
ter of war.
Speculation is still concentrated on
the whereabouts of Admiral Cervera's
squadron, the general opinion favoring
some point on the southern coast. AS
both sides of the island are now pa
trolled by United States war ships, the
naval authorities will not admit the
possibility of Cervera's escape without
the most desperate conflict in the his
tory of naval warfare.
Reports from Admiral Simpsons
squadron say that all is quiet off the
northern coast of Cuba. Nothing from
Commodore Schley is expected before
Monday or Tuesday.
Senor Ernesto Castro, a wcll-known
lawer, and president of the revolution.
airy junta at Cardenas, arrived here
yesterday on the United States gun
boat Annapolis. During the rec ent
bombardment at Cardenas Senor Castro
was in the bay in small boat, trying
to reach the American vessels and get
transportation to the United States on
an important mission. He was com
PEELED to return to shore, where he
saw and heard of the results OF the
bombardment.
The Spanish gunboats that lured the
United States torpedo boat Wlnsow
| into the death-trap were the Antonio
Lopez, Lealtad and Ligera. During
the fighting the two former retreated
| behind the wharves and the Ligera be.
hind the key. 1t was the Antonio Lo-
PEI that opened fire on the Winslow
and decoyed her into the channel. The
Spanish troops formed on the public
square, not daring to go to the wharves;
all the Spanish flags were lowered, as
they furnished targets, and the fami.
lies all fled to ,Jovcllanos.
Senof Castro says an American shell
|
exploded in the very entrance to the
Spanish casino, shattering the build
| ing and setting it on fire. The casino
| which had been used as a military
headquarters and infantry barracks, ,ano
which was the largest structure in the
town, was utterly destroyed Other
| buildings were wrecked. Some of the
shots went so far rs the Triente sugar
plantation, two miles in the interior.
The Spanish loss of life Senor Castro
believes to have been very heavy. II
was so reported. After the bombard-
ment ceased the military commander
pressed all able bodied men into tn,
work of carrying sand to build new
batteries, and the next day 1,20o meu
were brought from Matanzas and lIa
vana TO continue the work.
Senior Castro, after passing four days
on the Piedras key, signalled the
United States gunboat Wilmington
and was taken off. He says famin,
prevails everywhere in Cuba. In Car
denas rice is % cents a pound, con
dcnscd milk sells at Sl.50 per can ant
horseflesh brings Is cents a pound
There is no beef or bread.
The insurgents are in dire distress
Formerly provisions were smugglct
from the cities. but that relief is nov
impos ,ible, since the cities themselves
are starving. The insurgents are try
ing to subsist on pcppery wood ant
palm buds. Senor Castro tasted mca
yesterday for the first time in tiv,
weeks