Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-07-14
TRIED TO TAKE HIS LIFE.

! A'hIo tA.ternpts 70 klll Himself Upon
Learning of Cervera's Defeat.
| kEY WEST, FLA, July l3-Accord
! ln9 TO advices from Havana received,
| mere today Governor General Rlanco
attempted to commit suicide when h,
learned beyond doubt that Admiral
| ted.
| Long before the Spanish admiral.s
gallant dash out of Santiago harbor al,
havana had been boasting of his abil.
Wy 70 nut'Hit the Americas, and when
misleading dispatches gave the impress
SION that he had eluded the American
Ne"t the demonstrations of joys in the
| Cuban cHpital partook of the nature
Of Il festival.
| When the true story of the defeat
"ame it was discredited until definite
Information from Madrid no longer
left room for hope. Gloom settled upon
The city. ali gaties were stopped. and
very public aud many private build-
inSs We're hung with crepe and other
black iraperies. Blanco was In his
] 'aiace when the intelligence reached
him and he became almost frenzed
| He was cioseted with his staff and
General Arolas. of the Spanish forces
| discussing the news when he made the
attempt on his life. After a struggle
he was subdued and disarmed. but
the shock was so severe that he was
Frustrated and compelled to keep to
his bed for several days. When he
arose his first order was to prohibit
any food supplies leaving Havana for
interior towns. where the distress is
| most poignant, and where many are
starving daily. This other valuable in
formation was brought by Jose Pau.
line BIanco. who Indignantly repudi-
! ated a suggestion Of kinshlp with the
| governor general. He says he is loyal
cuban and escaped to avoid the neces-
sity of lighting against his cause. as
| very male In the island who is abb.
| ht.ur is hpipyr fpr
Spanish service. He obtained a fisher
| mans permit to go outside Moro, and
az . o'clock Monday morning put off
IN small boat. The United States
sunb"at Bancroft was stationed SIN
miles out and he rowed to her. The
| Bancroft transferred him to another
vessel ana he was brought here where
the local jnnta Will care for him. Th.
sailors Of two American ships made up
a liberal money subscription for him
and gave him some new clothing.
Rlanco says the living conditions In
Havana are constantly growing worse,
the greatest distress necessarily falling
on the Cubans. because nearly all of
the food is seized for the troops. or
those there are about 10000 in the city.
consisting Of volunteers modified
troops. militia. and regulars. Their
rat'onS are largely rice and beans with
out even bacon Jerkcd beef Rlanco
says sells for 30 cents Il pound. bread
n a.
meat 10 cents. corn meal % cents and
rice 80 cents. Sharks food is eagerly
sought after and the day before Blan-
co left the city one shark caught in
Havana harbnr sold for 1880
Those OF the recOncentraioS who have
sufficient influence with the dispensing
authorities sometimes contrive to get
one Wrctchcd meal day. but others
St;irVe ana 1t is no common thing, says
Blanco. to see persons drop dead in the
l hn Ia,
starvation is rapidly sappng their 10y
atty and large numbers of men are
handing together awaiting the first
American attack on Havana as q sig
nal for revolt. The grocery and pro-
vision stores are empty. and the only
articles on the Havana wharves are
about 1000 barrels of cement. wet and
useless. Only liquor is to be had cheap
ly.
Work on the defenses continues with
tircless vigor. Two lines of cables
bearing torpedoes have been strung
across the harbor from the city side
to Moro Castle and the same has been
done in the bay of Mariel, where it
troops We're to be landed. Sand bat
terry No. 2, east OF Havana. has lately
mounted 6-inch guns in the extreme
east ern side of the battery commanding
the coast line and few days ago sent
two shots at the Mayfower. which had
been cruising along the shore, suppos-
edly out of range. New masked batter
les are also being also built along the
shore
Hlanco further reported that three
weeks ago the Spanish steamers Mon
tcvdu and Santo Domingo crept out
Of he harbor at midnight With all
lights out and safely got through the
blockade The Spanish ships now in
the harhor, he saws. are the gunboats
Condo Ncnadito. Marnuise de la Snsen-
ia. Nneva l:spana. Philippians and Ma
"ez Pinzon several OF which arc unfit
for service The guns have been re-
moved from the cruiser Alfonso MI
and used for shore bateeries. and the
cruiser has hecn converted Into q hos
nital ship. There are also in the harbor
y number Of smaller warShipS of The
"atnrn az converted yachts. including
the F'Iecho. A"uiia MagallanoS and two
others. Al Of these vessels except the
Alfonso MI are always ready to move
IN short notice. The merchant steam
nrs J'ss.f' Adnla and Maria Herrera are
also in the harbor.