The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18
BANDITS OF MODERN WAYS.
CCBiNS THO USED THE M.fTLS AND
ITOIDED BLOODSHED.

TOLEDO. o.. June 17-One of the recently
returned volunteer officers, who had excep.
tonal opportunities for observing life back
in the interior Of Cuba and lit other cities than
Havana. SAYS that the bandits are among the
few Cuban craftsmen who do not seem to be
hopelesslv afflicted with incidence
"Cne Sunday night IN Cienfuegos." he said,
while the Sixth Ohio Band was educating the
masses as to Sousa. raG. time two-steps and
other American musical joys. ] noticed n ne
cuar procession coming along one side OF tho
plaza. First came a big Sergeant OF United
States infantry. with a pistol in one hand.
holding tight to his side with the other n bulky
haversark. Behind him marched two men in
dirty linen clothing. with the right wrist Of
one bound tight to the left forearm Of the other.
Right after them came two prvates with their
krag. j Srger sen rifles at'the mort The party
turned Into the palace. and strolled over to
find out what had happened. There | found
Gen. Bates and his stan Iubant. 1t seems
that few days before n raymnster in tho
Spanish Army had come down from Havana
to nay off some Of the Spanish soldiers. who
were then being embarked at Cenfuegos for
Spain. The two men who were tied together
were Spanish soldiers, and had stolen $1,000
OF the Paymaster's money and made their as
cape to Havana. They had been acting as
paymasters' clerks which gave them eXcep-
tional opportunities to secure the money.
The Spanish General commanding reported
the case 70 Gen Bates hut said at the time that
he had no hopes that the Americans would be
sharp enough TO find the thieves Yet within
five days the men were captured. and In the
| haversack was the gold. less trfing amount
| which had been consumed In travelling ex-
| penses.
Returning to the plaza. / met an Amer.
can BY the name o! MURRAY, who has lived In
| Cuba for hrty-odd years. and asked him
| what the Spanish Government would do with
soldiers who were both deserters and thieves.
LAS the money was captured with the
| thieves. said Mr.. MURRAY slowly. 1t is hard TO
say Just what will happen. Now. Ii the SOL
| Hers had not had the money in their possess
| sion. It would have been plain sailing with
| Them. With $1,000 in gold sailed away they
! could have made a very good bargain with
| their Spanish captors; got their freedom,
probably. for about half OF what they stole.
| In that case, nothing would ever have been re-
ported to Spain. As mat srs stand now. the
| loss OF the money has doubtless been reported
| TO Spain and don't suppose that any part OF
| it will find its way back into the Paymaster's
J chest. So. You see. the presence OF the
1 thieves at this juncture. when all hands
the eve OF leaving for Srain. Is an embarrass-
ment TO the men who have got the gold back.
| You see. down in this country people who
have been robbed usually keep their own
| counsel Things stolen are gone forever. and
under the Spanish regime the man who sut-
| fered theft was careful not to lot the police
| know it. otherwise he would be required to
put up the amount needcd to prosecute tho
! thieves. l. the thieves we're ever captured.
| There was only the slightest probability OF
the police capturing ANYBODY, and the costs
for, prosecution were simply part OF the OIL
ever reached the courts tho loser was no bet
ter Off thnn il the money had stayed IN the
! hands of bandits
~, 'P Band Inquired. Did you say ban-
NV boy was the reply. there never was
| time when the bandit industry in CUBA was
not worked to the limit; even during the last
muchabout them lust now for private grief.
have, been ecIipsed by national wrongs. And
people were not apt to do much talking. any
bandits work in thorough ly modern way;
sui as s'' tte blood as posstble They DON'T
mind shooting a man down II he Is known TO
town but n rule they conduct their BUSH
ness by, correspondence, 4 man of means 10
mated Thsn letter is written to him adj
yisinG him that he is assessed SO many pesos.
allowed ard I'd t..e mannsT in which the money
IS 10 be delivered The letter throughout
brsntheS the snr5 int an early remittance Is
If that man has lived long in Cuba he will
probably know enough atout the way bandits
and it is more than likely that he will send his
agent TO IL" place designated. and on III" ap-
pointed minute, too. with all or yearly all the
money asked. lie knows that il he docs not
pay any attention TO the letter it is only a
such case the affair takes on different as
net Thc tt!ends or family Of the CAPTIVE are
il this is not forthcoming at, tho appointed
time ghastIy uementoes, of the absent ons
is t" send the first Joint OF the CAPTURED mans
first finger Of ihe lett hand; rot enouEa t?
aim To arouse considerable interest in tho pro:
ceedinES. Sometimes the captive is allowed
10 send an HecompapyinG letter. and he
usually calls his friends attention to the fact
that it 10 condition and not theory which 10
then confronting him.
these sound like fairly, tales but il was not
very, many wears age, that Captain General
in his ease, and believe the bandits got ST..
that the Hon. John sherman was TO have been
capturst when he was IN Cuba some ,ri. YEAR, r.
America but know that it was true. He was
to have been Kidnapped while going. to. 'isit
sltion did not make the Intended visit. HAY.
ing recently surrendered tho portfolio OF the
minded Cuhans supposed he would be swim
ming in wealth. Their own experience with
Ministers q Finance very naturally led up to
When i was manager Of the soledad sugar
estates case occurred thnt MADE AGE m9 .ninK
from financial point Of view. A sub man;
aEer on nearby estate started on several
DAYS journey. ard was supposed to have some
ready money with him. shortly after passing
our place he was shot down by a bandit. Sole
dad was then beng guarded by de-
tachment OF the Gnarlia Civil. and. a sentry
hearing the shot ran out Of the gate With his
ground. and the bandit having dismopnted
from his own horse, was gong through the
dead mans rockets The guard at once shot
at the bandit ami missed him.: The thief
sprang on his horse and started on AT gallon.
Instantly the guard dropped on one knee. took
steady aim and dropped the bandit from
his horse. dead We went together to tho BAN
dt and took from him the travellers poe ket:
book containing about $500 and pouch OF
silver. which had alsO belonged to the ban:
dts victim. Altogether the money amounted
to nearly $500.
" Being somewhat now 10 the customs OF
the country and knowing the dead man, was
about to send q messenger to his house to
! break the sad news to the widow and to return
hiA rrpperiY I was warned. however. that
the matter would have to he considered Judi-
cnlly and the money held hv the authorities
until the in iestigatiOn was concluded. SOL
der hurried Of to summon the proper parties
| he m