The age-herald., 1898-05-23
STILL NJ NEWS
 OF THE FLEETS TranquiIityof a Tropical Sunday Prevails at Key West. WHEREABOUTS OF GENERA Believed To Be Now at Same Point on
 South Coast. RUMOR OF A SPANISH VICTORY Generally Discredited and Where It
 Came from Is Mystery. HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE AT CARDENAs senor Cuesto Castro, a We'll Knowh Insur- gent, Gives an Account of the Engage ment-The Patriots Starving and
 Trying to Live on Herbs.
HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE AT cARpENAs

Key West Fla, May 22-6:30 p. m.-The tranquility of a typical Sunday has been undisturbed by definite news from any quarter A few naval uniforms on the streets are the only signs of the proximity of this languid town to the theater of war. There are only one or two ships in the harbor, and they are coaling with all haste to get away to join the other fellows in ac- tion, which all are convinced is only mat ter. of days, perhaps hours.
 Speculatida- is still concentrated on the whereabouts of Admiral Cerveras squad ron, the general opinion favoring some point on the south coast. As both sides of the island are now patrolled by United States warshps, the naval authortes VII not admit the possibility of Cervera's es- cape without the most desperate conflict in the history of naval warfare.
 ALL IS QUIET.
 Reports from Admiral Sampson's squad ron say that all is quiet off the northern coast of Cuba.
 Nothing of Commodore Schley is expected before Monday or Tuesday A rumor reach ed here that four American warships, while bombarding Santiago de Cuba, had ben driven off by the Spanish fleet, but the story is generally discredited. Where it came from is a mystery.
 Senor Ernesto Castro a,well known law yer and president of the revolutionary junta of Capdenas, arrived here today on the gunboat Annapolis. During the recent bombardment at Cardenas, Senor Castro was in the bay in small boat trying to reach the American vessels and the trans- portation to the United States on an impor- tant mission. He was compelled to return to the shore, where he saw and heard of the results of the bombardment.
 FIGHT AT CARDENAS.
 The Spanish gunboats that lured the United States torpedo boat Winslow into the death trap were the Antonio Lopez, Lealtad and Ligera- During the fight the two former retreated behind the wharves and the Ligeria behind the key. It was : the Antonio Lopez that opened fire on the Winslow and decoyed her into the chan mel. 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 families all fled to Javellanoes. Senor Castro says an American shell exploded in the very entrance or the SpaHlsn caSlno, Snatler- ing the building and setting 1t on fire. The casino, which had been used as military headquarters and infantry barracks, and which was the largest structure in the town, was utterly destroyed. Other build ings were wrecked. Some of the shots went so far as the Triente sugar planta- ton, two miles in the interior. The Span- ish loss of life. senor Castro believes to have been very heavy. It was so reported.
 He says famine prevails everywhere in Cuba, in Cardenas rice is 65 cents per pound; condensed milk sells at $50 per can, and horse flesh brings 75 cents pound. There is no beef or bread.
 The insurgents are in dire distress For merly provisions were smuggied from the city, but that is now impossible, since the cities themselves are starving. The insur- gents are trying to subsist on peppery wood and palm buds. Senor Castro tasted meat today for the first time in five weeks.