The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-08

the traveller, forts garrisoned and three
gun boats.
Jiminez stirred the people loudly, openly,
One doy after his usual defiant stir, one Of
his granaries went up in smoke. A week
later, after another mild critique on the
government, one OF rs storehouses was re-
duced to ashes. Jiminez saw that II he
Continued he would talk himself into the
poor house. He could not remain silent,
however, and so as to be free to talk, he
sold his entire San Domingo possessions to
a German syndicate. The incendarism
ceased One day, after an unusually bit
ter harangue to the populace on the evils
OF maintaining a tyrant who put them In
bondage to a foreign ring Of capitalists,
Jiminez was arrested. but managed to es-
cape. on a small boat to another island.
A week or two later he was In New York.
About this time the whole country was
in the throes Of suspense with Spain. We
had little time to consider the chickering's
Of big men on small islands. War was
declared A little before this, in the heart
of the metropolis, Don Juan Jiminez was
seized with a big idea. He went to the
war department at Washington and be-
came impressive. Secretary Alger and his
assistant, Mr.. Meiklejohn, instantly fell
under the spell OF the eloduence of this
Othello Of the Antilles. Handsome, ro-
bust, swarthy, with abundant black hair
streaked with gray he was a figure
worthy of a heroic cause.
Gentlemen" said he, 'T am no less q
parsonage than Don Juan Rodriguez,
with the blood of hudred kings in my
veins, but a patriot for all that, and a
republican patriot, too. have dedicated
my life to a purpose. 1t is to help Hberate
Cuba from the Spanish yoke. 1 am in
secret conference daily with the heads Of
the Junta. 1 am a bosom friend Of Gen
eral Gomez, a native OF San Domingo,
even as I, and will lay down my life for
the cause. Listen.
1--WE have arranged q grand fllibuster-
ing expedition. We want from Uncle Sam
8, 10000 rounds of ammunition. 5000 rifles,
equipments, saddles, Ievolvers dynamite,
medicines; and in fact a whole ship load
Of supplies, and the ship, too. 1 will guar
antee Il land them safely in q secret pont
Of Cuba, where shall be met by 1000 of
the patriots. The Spanish strongholds
shall be attacked and demolished.
Gentlemen her is the chance of your
lives. Cuba shall be free. will give you
ten hours to think 1t over"
Jiminez had thefull confidence of Gen.
eral Gomez with whomphe was believed to
be cooperating. There seems to be some
doubt whether the expedition was intend
ed for Cuba or Porto Rico. 1t never got
to either place.
When the ten hours were up, returning
to the war department the insistent jim
inez found all that he had asked for, and
more. 1--WE shall place our newly charter
ed steamship Fanita' at your disposal"
said an official. 1--WE shall stock it from
stem to stern from tn eordinance supplies.
Go and gather you men together and has
ten to Mobile, Ala There you will find
the arms and accourtments shipped to you
under the name Of Rodriguez. The Fan
ita will be there speedily. Go, and the
ministeing angels be with you. Only look
out for the Spanish cruisers
Don Juan made his profoundest salute
and left the war department. Back to
New York he raced. BY night he gathered
under hima huidred San Domingo refugees
like himself. There was one General
Morales, intimate with the Porto Rican
patriots, one Msrcado. Villanueva and
others.
They started for Mobile by different
routes. They arrived, meeting by night
only. The arms and ammunition also ar
rived, consigned to Rodriguez" The
Spanish spies made note of 1t and in
formed their government. The Fanita
came up the bay and was stocked from
forecastle to larboard streak. There she
wa spromptly libeled. In haste Jiminez
wired to the war department, "Where-
fore?" Back came the answer. The IL
bel was a blunder. The department of
justice was instructed by the war depart
ment that the Fanita's libel should be
lifted. 1t was done. The vessel set sail
southwark on May a. 1t was a journey
worthy of history. 1t outshone the doubt
full glory of old privateering days.
But did the Fanita make straightway
for the green shores of Cuba, as pledged
to the war department? Nay, nay.
When wei Ito set she simply swerved
enthusiastically, and on May 30. arrived
at a little island Of the British Bahamas
called Inagua- There. the coast being
dangerous. she took on a pilot, one Chris
thopher Roberts. He was told that the
FaEita was loaded with general cargo
bound for San Domingo. The vessel was
flying the American flag and also the
ensign of the Clyde line. from which
company she had been chartered by the
government Two stope were made, and
10 o'clock OF the last night the consDira-
tors met below decks and planned the
attack on the morrow.
Jiminez has notified his friend and ally
General Toribo Garcia. a resident OF
Monte Christie. that he and his arms and
men were coming. He counseled the gen.
eral TO have all In readiness. with at
least loo men willing to take the arms
and advance upon the forts. slaughter
the garrisons and then proceed on to San
Domingo City and the place OF Heur-
eaux. That message never reached Gar
cia at all. II he had this history would
probably never have been written.
1t was the red break OF day when the
great rock that lifts from the sea and
shelters oMnto Cristi doomed in sight It
was an idea tropic morning. worthy OF
great epoch in the history OF the dark