Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-05-02
SPANISH STORY OF 1T.
the BOmbardment of Matanzas-
CienfueEO's BOmbardment

CfenfuegO's BOmbardment.
Havana. May 1.-The French and Aus
trian consuls here have protested against
the bombardment of Matanzas by the
American fleet as violation of interna-
tional law, in that no previous notification
of the intention to lombard the place had
been given.
The following version of the lombard
ment was received late last night:
At midday, on the 18th, three American
cruisers opened fire at short distance on
the Morilla battery and the Matanzas
forts. The battery replied. and the cruisers
retreated to some distance The fleet fired
thirty-two shots and the battery fourteen.
but all We're without result. The feet
fired over forty shots at the Sabanilla bat
terry and the city, but none exploded. and
the only casualty reported was the killing
of mule. Some of the shots from the
American vessels fell in the outskirts of
the city. One projectile landed in Saba
nilia station and several more around the
new sugar refinery. Others fell in the har-
bor near the brigantine Figilante and an
other dropped in the water close to pri-
vate house on San Juan street. Pueblo
Nuevo The Sabanilla battery fired only
four shots before the fleet got out Of
range. The bombardment lasted an hour.
One Of the ships, vessel with three
smokestacks, was damaged in the rig
gfng.
The receipt of the news produced an
outburst Of enthusiasm. many houses were
decorated and professions. headed by
bands Of music, marched through the
streets to national and Cuban airs. Crowds
gathered in the upper part of the city
and cries Of Viva Espana' were heard
on all sides. At night there was a mill
tary tattoo at the park.
palace on the same day (April 20. a de-
tachment of Spanish troops overlook at
Mogote, Matanzas province, a force of
insurgents composing several small bands,
under command Of the leader, Betancourt,
| and engaged them in battle. The Span
| tards captured the positions Of the insur-
gents, who retired, leaving twenty of their
number dead on the field. A quantity of
arms and other effects were taken Among
| the killed were the insurgent leaders Ceja
and Bamora
AT o'clock in the morning of the 18th
fleet of three American vessels, accord
Ing to palace reports, approached Cienfue-
gos and at midday began firing The pro-
jectiles fell inside the harbor, three miles
from the wharves. AT midnight the ves-
sells bombarded Fort Jalua, situated mid
| way of the harbor. The forts did not re-
ply to the fre Of the ships, which did not
In the least damage it. Subsequently,
three gunboats proceeded to the mouth Of
the harbor and fired at the fleet, which re-
treated. The battery Jaso Cabello was aft
erwards fired upon by the Americans, and
their fire was returned. No lives were
lost on the Spanish side. nor was any per-
son wounded in Cienfuegos This news
also was received with great enthusiasm
and rejoicing, and the idea of the fleets at
tempting to lombard Cienfuegos is ridi-
culed, as the town was beyond the range
Of the ships guns. It Is asserted that the
only idea Of the Americans in firing was
to try to frighten the people in the towns.