Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-06-18

TIAGo DE CUBA, juno 17.-Per Asso
ciated Press Dispatch boat Wanda
via Kingston. A hot brush between
Spanish troops and accommodating
party in steam cutters, occurred al
daylight this morning, in small cove
west of Moro Castle. The Massachu'
setts' steam cutter, in charge of Lieu
tenant Harlow entered the cove to take
soundings and reconnoitre. When
well inside the inlet detachment OF
Spanish infantry opened fire upon the
cutter from blockhouse.
THE FIRE VIGOROUSLY RETURNED
by the Marines in the Massachusetts
boat, and also by the Marines in the
New York's cutter, in charge of Naval
Cadet Powell, which had followed in
The New Yorks cutter was hit ten
times. A marine in the cutter Massa-
chusetts had the stock of his rifle shat
tered, but by great good luck no one
was hit. The Texas opened fire with
her six Founders on the hillside and
the Vixon steamed right into the cove
and peppered the blockhouse with
rapid fire guns Eventually the Span
iards retreated to the woods and the
two steam cutters withdrew.
THE YANKEE CHAsEs A GUNBOAT,
The Yankee arrived here yesterday.
Captain Brownson reported that on
Monday last, while off Cienfuegos, a
Spanish gunboat came out to meet the
Yankee, evidently mistaking her for a
merchant vessel. The Spaniard, how
ever, saw her mistake,
TURNED TAIL AND OPENED FIRE.
which was hotly returned by the
Yankee. The latter charged the gun
boat until the Spaniard took refuge In
the harbor whose forts opened fire on
the American vessel Thereupon the
Yankee engaged the eastern and west
ern batteries, but seeing no chance of
catching the gunboat the Y ankee
withdrew. During the engagement a
Spanish shell burst over the Yankee
and falling fragment struck lands
man named Kennedy, formerly an in
surance clerk in New York City. in
flicting severe flesh wound on the
right shoulder. He is expected to re>
cover. The Spanish gunboat chased
NY bDC L dBhCO Wdo dOOuU OOO t0uo iohO
200 feet long. The Naval reserves who
man the Yankee fought well.
RESUME OF THE WEEKS WORK.
Off Santiago de Cuba. June l7.-Per
Associated Dispatch Boat Wanda, via
Kingston, Jamaica, June 19-The past
weeks campaign in Eastern Cuba has
resulted in the practical demolition of
he nf ca IN
anticipation of the arrival Of troops
and the occupation of the fine harbor
of Guantanamo, in which today are
anchored such MAGNIFICENT ships as the
Oregon and st. Paul, together with the
Marblehead, Dolphin Snwanee and
eleven other auxiliary gun boats col
liers and press dispatch boats, in an
average depth of seventeen fathoms of
water. Military resistance to definite
occupation has practically ceased since
the bombardment Wednesday. An 5
INTERCEPTED OFFICIAL REPORT
of the Spanish military commandant
indicates that his military resources are
exhausted. His soldiers are now on
half rations. There are supplies only
for remainder of June The COM
mandant has already seized all private
drugs and supplies in order that they
might be used by the soldiers. That a
close Gordon is maintained by the
Cubans about Guantanamo. is illus
trated by the fact that official Spanish
communication sent in duplicate by
land and water, have been intercepted
and both Spanish
MFssENGERs FAVE REEN SHOT
by the Cubans while attempting tt
pass the lines. For the past thre,
nights there has been comparativ,
quiet in the camp which the marines
hold in the crest of the hill near Guam.
tanamo Ray, over which the American
flag floats. At dusk volunteers from
the warships go ashore and camp nea
the hill. Cubans 20 far out in th
chapparal to prevent the Spanish iron
stealing march on the camp. Gen
eral Perez, commanding the Easter
Division of the Insurgent army, calle'
on Captain McCalla, of the Marblehest
yesterday, and reported that he ha
5000 men of whom 1900 would
RE INFoRCE THE MARINES
in few days. Many bands OF Insur
gents are gathered along the coas
westward to Santiago de Cuba.
The warships have done no firin
since Wednesdays bombardmsnt of th
Notifications Of the inner harbor an
the town of Caimanera. Since the Hal
row escape of the Marblehead an
Texas from destruction by torpedoe
In the channel. greater precaotion
have been observed.
BOTH SHIPS STRUCK CONTACT MINI
without exploding them. Each mir