The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1899-03-31
ACUBAN IN PHILIPSBURG
He Claims the Blowing Up Of the Maine Was
Of Divine Origin.
IS TAKEN FOR A SPANISH SPY
Down in Texas the People Take Him
for Spaniard and Forthwith Lay
Plans for an Interesting
Hanging or Shooting.

During the week a young Cuban Wis
tied Phllipsburg. His named is Jose
Martinez. From the stories he told
he has led quite an exciting life dur
ing the past year or so. He speaks
very good English and says he was in
terpreter for the Maine inquiry COM
mission at Havana. 1t appears that
the family have owned aud operated
a large cigar factory near Havana for
sixty years. They also have factory
in Florida. The breaking out of the
war, of course, affected them as it did
everybody else, though its final result
greatly pleases Mr.. Martinez. He
looks upon some of the occurrences
that transpired as miraculous, and
says the blowing up of the Maine was
Of divine origin that the sacrifice of
the 266 lives of American marines was
Uiecrcd from heaven. in order to force
the United States to interfere and stop
the butchery Of thousands of Cubans
by the Spaniards The loss Of no men
by the Americans at the battle of Ma
Mia and but one at Santiago, while
! the Spanish fleets We're completely an
initiated, are events also looked upon
by Mr.. Martinez as having an inspira-
tion other than human. In fact, the
whole war from beginning to end was
in his eyes decreed by the Almighty,
and nothing can shake his conviction
in this direction. He looks upon the
United States as grand and noble
country which interfered to save the
Cubans from complete extinction.
Weyler, according to Mr.. Martinez
is the greatest butcher and murderer
the world ever knew. He is response
bic for the death, by slaughter and
starvation, Of fully 400 600 Cubans,
and he says he knows of no man in
history who has record of being amen
able for SO many murders He remarked
that it would be far from healthy for
Wevler to set his foot Oh Cuban soil
today
A number of peculiar adventures are
related by the Cuban, among which
was one quite exciting for him, in San
Antonio, Tex. He went into store
in that city to sell some goods The
man was busy and told him to step
into back office and wait a few mo-
ments. Here he met Hebrew in the
same busine S, who told him that he
had better get out as he was first on
hand. Some words followed and the
man called the Cuban some pretty hard
names. He then struck the Hebrew
blow in the face, whereupon the latter,
to get even with him, ran out the
door and cried. 'Spanish spy! Spanish
spy in the store - AS the war was at
its hight, and Spanish spies were COM
mitting all manner of depredations
throughout the land, the people were
excited and rushed in and pulled the
Cuban out His swarthy complexion
and dark hair gave him a Spanish ap-
pearance, anu they started out to hang
or shoot him. The police interfered
and started to the lookup with him.
On the way they passed the express
Office. The agent. who was well ac-
quaiuted with him, explained to the
police that he was Cuban and not
Spanish spy, and he was thereupon re-
leased. One old Texan during the diff
ficulty asked the police to stand aside,
as he wanted to fix the ''Spaniard. at
the same time leveling his rife and
starting to take deliberate aim, and he
would have been shot down but for in
reference of the police. The people.
after they had found how matters
stood, returned to the store and made a
football out of the Hebrew until stop
ped by the police.
Mr.. Martinez says this is only one
of many peculiar incidents which had
occurred to him during the war, prin-
cipally on account Of the people mis-
taking him for Spaniard. He is
glad the war is over and that the
! Spanish were annihilated.
His reason for visiting Phillpsburg
was that he had started his brother in
the tobacco business in Butte. His
brother had taken sick and was COM
PEELED on the advice of the doctors to
leave. Thereupon the visitor had
travelled about the state and disposed
of the stock, the last of which was
bought in Philipsburg.