The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-18

more OF colored men. on foot, one might
say on barefoot, carrying on thcir
shoulders d full length black coffin!
Doubtless they belonged TO 10 certain
secret organization OF Cuba, composed
entirely OF negroes, whose deceased
members are always buried according
TO the rules or the order, carried 10 the
,Braycson the shoulders of their COM
radcs and inferred with mysterious
rites. Several "sweIp, funerals dashed
merriiy by, & each with its gorgeous
hearse. deckod WITH lplumes, and GID.
Ing. the horses canopied with cloth OF
gold, and driver sitting nloftin scarlet
coat, knee breechoS, and cooked hat
almost a fac-simile OF one OF our con-
tinental soldiers, an shown in the old
portraits. Anon Il was the, white
hearse with snowy plumes OF some
child OF wealthS-horseB covered with
white ncttlng and silver trapplngs; but
always tho driyer In his gaudy costume
of scarlet and yellow, followed by a
truin OF carriages filled with men. Oc-
casionally the dead cart rumbled by on
q smart dog. trot--n closed black box,
not unlike the bakers wagon, with
nothing to indicate Its gruesome pur.
pose, but the caballstlc red letters
painted on tho rear. e Il 3i -
The cemetery OF Christopher Column
bus was established about twenty years
ago, BY removing the bones from an an
Client graveyard nearby. It is an I'M
posing place. with thousands OF sky
piercing monuments, enclosed within
massive stone walls, topped with an
iron railing. The lofty gates at the on
trance are closed and locked at night
fall: but more than once have arrived
after tho closing hour and found that
dollar would ,unbnrt the gates and keep
the, custodian waiting an indefinite
time. A wido driveway, between, rows
of pine and Indian laurel trees, runs
from the entrance straight through to
the dead-h0use against the farther wall,
intersected midway by another avenue
OF equal width and crossed at right an
giles by narrow pathways. Exactly In
the center stands o handsome CIRCULAR
chapel, and at one aide, VerV1 large
space IS covered with marble slabs, laid
fiat on the ground above the bones OF
thousands OF unclaimed dead from the
older cemetery. Among the most nota-
BILE monuments Is that of the Bomberos,
(flremen)-a magnificent work Of art,
erected In memory Of fourteen gallant
men who lost their lives In saving 9TH
ers.f AS In most SPANISH American
countries, the Bomberos OF Cuba are a
rather swell organization, composed OF
young men In the best society. They
are not remarkably efficient In subdu-
Ing confagratlons-generally taking
things lelsurcly and riding to the scene
OF disaster In their carriages-but when
lives are In danger their valor Is I'M
questioned. ~
a Striking Monument. :
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES purest
white marble, in the form of q temple.
from whose open door the angel Of inno-
cencc, beautiful life-size statue. Is fly
Ing. 1t commentaries tragedy es-
sentially Spanish In It's character. Be-
meath the temple lie the bones of seven
young medical students, between the
ages Of fifteen and eighteen--sons OF
well-to-do Cuban families. Formerly
the Cuban medical college stood near
the cemetery and the students used fire.
qucntly to walk and study under the
shade OF its trees. One day 1t was dis
covered that the tomb of some noted
..
ing marked with n lead pencil. There
upon great was the indignation Of the
Spanish government and satisfaction
for outraged "honor" was demanded.
II was taken for granted that the mis-
chief was wrought by the medical stu
dents, although there was no way OF
proving who were the culprits; so the
whole, school was put into prison, and
81 ! n OF Is, la N
ample OF seven. Lots were cast, and the
seven thus designated were led out and
shot. The grIef-strIcken parents, whose
sons were thus cut Off In the morning
of life, for an offense they had probably
not committed, received universal
sympathy-even from Spaniards after
their honor" had been indicated. The
boys were buried In one grave and over
them the government caused this costly
monument to be erected with its appro.
pirate symbol of the angel OF innocence
flying out OF It'll A, parallel example of
the generosity OF Spain's paternal gov
eminent was the gorgeous funeral Of
the murdered men OF the Maine, paid
for with Spanish gold.
The graves OF our sailors lie in the
newest and least populous portion OF
the cemetery, equi-distant from the arls-
tocratic section OF splendid monuments
and the crowded corner OF the potter's
field. It looks very bare and desolatc,
compared 10 our northern cemeteries or
the care which each grave would re-
celve could the boys have been buried at
home. The large space OF reddish
yellow, gravelly earth Is not marked off
into regular mounds, no blade OF grass
grows on It, and there is no attempt at
decoration beyond a few faded flowers
left by American visitors and. the white
wooden cross set UP over poor Holzer,
the last man who died in Snn Anibrosia.
Perhaps fine monument'may he,erect:
cd here when peace Is restored; but how
much better, II seems to me, would It be
to devote the money which pile of
chiselled marble would cost toward TAX,
Ing home the remains, after the time re-
CURED by Cuban law has expired, and
turning them over to their friends.
Could the men themselves have n voice
In the matter: they would not wish TO
rest among their murderers.
Oh, the Pity of It.
I have In mind at this moment one of
those who died In the hospital after sew
eral days Of intense suffering, George
Koebler, Of Brooklyn; a bright young
fellow with true blue eyes, who looked
up with such an expression OF pride and
love on his face when he said ito my
wife," in replying to my question II It
was his sweetheart to whom had been
writing. At his dlctatlon had written
words OF love and cheer to Maggie"
and the assurance that he would soon be
with her. Poor boy! He seemed too
young TO be marrled-and much too