The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-05-19
FORTS ATTACKED.
Rr. Adm. Sampson Opens Fire on, ths
Dsfenses At San Juan de Porto Rico.
chs News Of the Fall Of the City il Ex-
pected-The United states Auxiliary
Cruiser Yale Captures the span.
ish Steamer Rita.

here that tho Notifications at San
Juan de Porto Rico have been bonn
barded by nine American warships
Private messages say the shells are
falling all over the city.
St. Louis, from Guadaloupe, is enter
ing the harbor as this dispatch is sent
and the Yale is in the offing.
Two American warships have been
signaled to the westward
The Americans lost two killed and
seven wounded. The Spanish loss 10
unknown.
MORO fred but three shots from her
heavy guns Morro crumbled under
the American fire.
There were but seven shots fred
from the big guns of the American
squadron. These left MORO fort
crum bled ruin. Her guns were mute,
her gunners killed or in fight
Then began the attack on the land
batteries and the Notifications about
the government buildings and the pal
ace. Here the cruisers did effective
service, and soon the post Office and
the palace of the governor were tum-
bled about the ears of the officials, the
guns dismounted or Abandoned; wreck,
ruin and death everywhere. The
Spaniards pluckily served their guns
as long as there was any hope, but
their fire was slow and wild.
At last report San Juan itself had
not surrendered, though it was COM
pletely at Adm. SIMPSONS mercy. 1t
had been deserted by the merchants
and noncombatants The foreign con-
suls had followed the refugees into the
country, and the troops were reported
panic stricken. The volunteers had
fed.
This is the story told in Fort de
France, just opposite the besieged
city. Every one here believes that the
city has been captured and that Samp.
son has won an almost bloodless VIC
tory, his nine ships escaping un.
scathed.
PORT AU PRINCE. May 13.-The Amer
lean feet, under RI. Adm. Sampson,
bonn barded San Juan de Porto Rico
Thursday. The following are the de-
tails of the bombardmen thus far re-
ceived:
The bonn mbardment began Thursday
morning. Rr. Adm. Sampson, with
nine war ships, arrived before San
Juan, just before sunrise. Al signal
the battle ship Iowa fired the first shot,
which took effect. Then the battle
ship Indiana opened fire; in few min
utes MORO fort was reduced to a heap
of ruins.
The fort made little effort to re-
spond and was silenced almost imme.
diately.
The Spanish steamer Rita was cap
tured by the United States auxiliary
cruiser Yale, which took her crew on
board.
Thousands of the population and the
foreign consuls sought refuge in the
interior of the islands.
The information telegraphed is from
reliable correspondent at Port Au
Prince, who received his advices from
foreign Office sources. His advices are
believed to have reached him direct
from Porto Rico, via Santiago to Kings.
ton. and thence to Port Au Prince.
LONDON, May 13.-The bombardment
of San Juan de Porto Rico is held
here to indicate that Rr. Adm. Samp.
son has pretty accurate knowledge
of the whereabouts of the Spanish
squadron, at any rate that it is too far
distant to interfere with his proceed
ings No definite news however, is yet
obtainable as to the locality of Adm.
Cerveras feet, although it is believed
to be at the Canaries waiting to join
the Cadiz ships at some predetermined
rendezvous.
The news is fully expected Thurs
day of the fall Of San Juan and that
Adm. Sampson has sufficient force
handy to land and hold the place. II
so, his feat will be regarded as almost
as dashing as Dewey's. 1t is supposed
that the news that the bombardment
has begun was dispatched by some one
who had command Of the wires at San
Juan or permission to send message.
The Spanish reports recently have
said that the San Juan forts had been
much strengthened, but looking to the
state Of affairs at Manila, little credit
is given to this report, and it is judged
that Adm. Sampson's task will not be
very difficult.
The Cardenas and Ciefuegos fights
are not regarded as very serious, ex-
cept as showing that an invasion o1
Cuba will not be q walkover, although
If San Juan has fallen, it will be utter
ly impossible for the Spaniards to dc
much to prevent the invasion.
HAVANA, May 18.-Governor General
Blanco received q cable message Thurs.
day from the captain general of Por
to Rico, which says that Thursday
morning an American feet Of II yes.
sells opened fire upon the forts. which
answered vigorously. The dispatch
says that at the time 1t was sent, q.
M, no personal losses had been sus
tained and little material damsgt
done.
Child was Drowned.
AsHTABULA, O., May ls.-Albert
Msginsop, aged four years, fell, into I
barrel Of water and was drowned Wed