The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-05-06
FOR CUBA LiBRE
Stirring Adventures Of a Man
Now in Hawaii.
SOME DlSACREEABLE DUTY
1t Happened That he Held Horses
for ASsaSs,nS at Work
Fate Of a Comrade.
PASSPORT No. 1888"

| CONTINUED from the Advertiser of
April 25th, 1899
Three days after my release from the
palace prison, I sent a request to Gen.
Weyler, asking the privilege of passing
through, or rather, within the Spanish
lines as far as Artemisa, in Pinar del
Rio Province Artemisa was at that
time the base of the Spanish field sup
Iplies, and was also field headquarters
on the trocha running across that part
| of the island. Much to my surprise, an
orderly called at my hotel that after
| noon and delivered a headquarters pass
which granted me the privilege asked
| for, limited by an iron-clad agreement,
| to extend no further than the trocha.
| By this means / intended to make the
effort to escape the vigilance of the
| Spanish authorities at Artemisa, and
| thereby join the insurgent troops then
| Rio.
l at once communicated my success
to the Rendezvous and later was
apprised of the intended departure of
two of the Cuban spies, or agents, set
for the following afternoon. The next
day, at p. m, found me in the saddle
accompanied by NJ as guide At
Jesus del Monte we were Joined by the
two agents, and without parley set out
upon our journey. Just beyond the
outskirts of the city proper, 1 was told
of plan to be executed that might
the assassination of two Spanish Of
ficers, Maj. V, who had introduced
me to Gen. Weyler, and a captain of
infantry, the latter being VIGOROUSLY
cruel in his treatment of prisoners of
both sexes. They were to dine at the
villa of wealthy Spaniard about three
hours ride from Havana and it was the
agents intention to either ambuscade
the officers, or shoot them as they sal
at the dinner table. Shortly after
O'Clock we came to the driveway lead
ing up to the mansion. Half way UP
this drive way We halted, the agents
dismounted, leaving their horses in
charge Of Nj and myself, and
cautiously moved toward the house;
we watched them anxiously until they
disappeared in the darkness, and then
patiently awaited the result of this
'fcutting-out" expedition They were
trying moments for us, as, should the
attempt prove futile and we were dis
covered and captured, it was certain
no mercy would be shown us. Fully
ten minutes passed. when suddenly two
revolver shots broke the stiffness, fol-
lowed closely by a third; then came a
rushing sound as the agents broke
through the brush and came running
towards us; in an instant they were
in the saddle and we dug spurs and
sped towards the highway; a scatter
ing volley was fired in our direction,
followed by a second just as we reached
the main road; one Of the agents
reeled in his saddle, but pluckily held
on without halting. Down the road We
galloped pursued at a distance by the
'orderlies who had by this time mount
ed their horses; Nj and the I'M
wounded agent turned and fired several
times in their direction and the pur
suit was finally discontinued. For
more than a half hour We rode on
swiftly, without so much as speaking
to one another. Then halt was
made to examine the wound Of the
agent; it was found that carbine ball
had passed through the f1eshy part of
his right shoulder, infiicting a painful,
though not severe wound. The rip
was bound UP, and by the assistance OF
NJ, who acted as interpreter, 1 lis
tened to the story of the affair. The
agents had crept up to the house with
in short pistol range and awaited their
opportunity: the two officers were
seated at the table with their backs to
the large open window; at a given sig
nal the agents had fired Simultaneous
iy; the captain fell forward upon the
table, while the major, wounded, rose
up and reached for his revolver, caus-
ing one of the agents to fire a second
shot, which evidently took effect, AS he
fell prone upon the floor; the agents
had then rushed pell nell toward the
place where We We're holding their an
imalS, pursued by the startled order
lies.
AS I listened to the cold-blooded
story of the murder 1 felt that I, too,
was as much of an assassin as those
who had committed the deed, and yet
L must confess that 1 expressed some
pleasure in knowing that two of the
most brutal of the Spanish command
ers had been placed out of harms way
Guided now by Nj we traversed
some rough country away from the
highway, and at 2 o'clock in the morn
ing, dismounted and slept until day