The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-02-16
MAD ACT OF A SPANIARD.
Flung HIS Little Son Overheard In
Order to Save Him from the
yankee Pigs.-

Most people. doubtless, fancy that by
this time they know all that is worth
knowing about the destruction of Ger.
vera's feet at Santiago. They are mis-.
taken. The half has not been told
The worst may never be.
Every great military death grapple
Is mine of horrors. For years after
ward new and shocking tragedies are
continually brought TO light, like the
bones turned up by the plow on a
battlefield, and it often happens that
the worst is unearthed last.
The following tragic incident was re-
lated to number of persons by one of
the crew of the Oregon-a seaman
named Beardsley, who was not only
an eyewitness of the mad act, but also
an unwilling cause, as will be seen. 1t
is a startling illustration both of the
essential savagery of Spanish nature
and of that incredible ignorance Of
American character, which was chief
cause Of the war.
This last must be borne in mind
The Spaniard sees in us what we con-
ceive to be distorted image of him
self. In his eyes we are no better than
savages, utterly immoral and as cruel
as tiends. You couldn't squeeze these
misconceptions out of him with hy-
draulic presses.
Such is his fixed belief-this is what
it led to:
1t was late in the forenoon of that
ever-memorable July 8. The victory
was won. The Spanish battleships.
stranded along the shore, were help
less hulks, shell-torn and burning.
Some of them had become veritabie
crematories. The crews, driven TO des-
peration, were leaping into the surf
those, at least, whom the wrecking
storm of missiles blown from the
tbroats of American cannon had left
with limbs to go upon. The fate of
those who lay mangled and helpless
within those slowly reddening walls of
steel is too horrible to dwell upon.
Roasting and drowning are no part
of the American programme of war.
The men who had just ceased pounding
the enemy to pieces with tons of
screaming metal now leaped into boats
and pulled swiftly TO the rescue.
Among these was Beardsley, who was
one of the first to reach the Maria
Teresa and Chamber up its shattered
side 10 the thronged and bood-splashe
deck.
Here the confusion was beyond de-
scription. 1t was worse than the worst
moments on the Bourgogne. To the
wreck was added the terror of fire
and an unreasoning panic at sight of
the Americans, for those who had come
TO save were by many thought to have
come to slaughter.
In the midst of this pandemonium
Beardsley presently observed little
fellow not more than eight years old
running about without protector. He
did what any man with a cool head and
a warm heart would feel prompted to
do at such a sight-ran TO the child and
offered TO take charge of him. That his
action could be misinterpreted never
entered his mind.
The boy, however, was not quite SO |
for as he seemed-unluckily |
for him. The father unknown, of |
course, to Beardsley) was not far away. |
1t appears that he was an officer, but
he was as stupid in prejudice as the
most ignorant peasant, and he was
crazed by rage and excitement Wheth-
er he really believed that he was saving
his son from some fate more dreadful
han death, or whether, goaded 10 fury
by defeat, he willfully misconstrued a
kindly act, can never be known.
Rushing from the crowd he caught
up the child in his arms, and before
anyone could interfere, drove knife
through the tender throat and threw
he boy overheard.
That boy will never be the sport of
he Yankee pigs" he shrieked-in
Spanish, of course-and disappeared in
he fiery hold. He was never seen
gain.
Doubtless he, too, fed from the
imagined insults of the victorious Yam
Gees along the same red path by which
'e had dispatched his son.-Chicago
'hronicle.