Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-25

OF millions Oh SlsllofS
from all parts of the
world The most striking and most valu-
able relics of the war have already been
negotiated for by Prof. w. H. Holmes.
many having already arrived here. Nuclei
of portions of the exhibit to show the rise
and fall of Porto Rico, Cuba and the Phil
ippines under native and Spanish control
have also been received. In the autumn,
as soon as our possession of Porto Rico
appeared as a certainty, Mr.. Paul Beck
with was commissioned to ransack every
corner of that island for historic and
archaeologc treasure. Mr.. Beckwith also
went to Cuba He had just returned from
his fields of research when he chatted with
a Star reporter yesterday and exhibited
his choicest treasures.
When the collector visited the ancient
Spanish castle of San Christobal, guarding
the west end of San juan and opposite
Moro Castle, Porto Rico, he located, deep
under the bluff, ancient sixteenth century
dungeon vaults-as black as pight-filled
with all manner of cruel instruments of
torture, including racks, thumb screws and
many engines of agony which as yet he
cannot define.
Relic of Rarbar ism.
In the military prison of Arecibo, upon
rusted handouts, to which an interesting
history is attached. A negro fisherman who
had devoted many years to life saving
along the coast, and who had been decor
ated for his bravery by the queen and
Spanish government, one day caught fish
too large to be sold in market, and which
he ratified without permit from the prop
er authorities. For this slight offense he
was sentenced to pay an unreasonable fine
and to be cast into Arecibo prison until 1T
should be accumulated. Here he remained
until he died of starvation. A beautiful
monument has since been tdedca ted to him
by his many admirers upon the scene of
his exploits. From Arecibo Mr. Beckwith
also brought the last Spanish flag flown
over the military headquarters before the
surrender. 1t is designed Of odd fragments
of bunting bearing the Spanish arms crude
~ daubed upon it with paint. Another in
teresting relic obtained in the same city is
large 40-caliber Smith & Wesson Russian
model revolver, belonging to Col. Francisco
Puy of the Spanish army, commander of
the Patria Battalion. Col Puy carried the
weap pom throughout the Cuban campaign
and was ordered to Porto Rico just prev
ious to the American invasion, when he
was placed in command of the southern
coast of Porto Rico. When ordered to re-
treat from Guanacao he reached Arecibo to
find himself entirely deserted by his SOL
diers. Heartbroken, he committed suicide
with this revolver, which given to a
Porto Rican friend by his widow. This
friend donated it. through Mr.. Beckwith, to
the National Museum.
Fragments Of a Shell.
From Ell Moro, San Juan, Mr.. Beckwith
obtained three-fourths of the fragments of
a 13-inch shell fired by Admiral Sampson
during the bombardment. Striking the
limestone bluff below the sea wall it ex-
ploded and distributed itself over radius
Of twenty feet, SCATTERING all Of the sur
rounding rock. By consent of the Ameri-
can commandant permission was given two |
soldiers to eXcavate the remains, and after
digging several weeks, removing enough |
earth to bury a good-siZed house, the two
men succeeded in collecting all but fourth
of the fragments. Those recovered will be
mounted like articulated skull upon
wires and incased In glass In contrast !
with this, the most destructive prO5ectile of
modern warfare, are several rusted and !
crumbled grapeshot fired by the British |
during their bombardment of the same |
castle, back in 1897. The collector also |
brought with him the flag which foated /!
over Ell MORO during the bombardment |
donated by Maj. Cross Of San Juan, a ma
tive Porto Rican of American antecedentS. |
who fought in our civil war and who is or
ganizing a chapter of the Sons Of the |
flag was preserved by the wife of the Span !
ish commandant, who presented it to Maj. |
Crosis previous to her return to Spain.
Priceless Relics.
The hardbell which rested upon the |
throne in the governor generals palace; |
a Spanish seventeenth century battle ak, |
with steel head; swords made Of hardened |
cocoa wood, with edges as sharp as steel, |
and ancient militia swords distributed to !
former Spanish troops in West Indian and !
American colonies are other priceless rel /
les. The cocoa-wood blades evidently ante |
date the use of iron in Porto Rico. The |
militia swords are of the finest ancient |
Spanish Toledo steel and are now extremely |
rare because officers of European armies |
have been purchasing them at great cost |
for years and converting them into weap- |
ons with modern mountings Mr.. Beckwith !
also obtained swords of many heroes kill |
ed upon Porto Rican and Cuban battle |
fields. machetes carried in the Cuban re-
bellion, ancient flint-lock muskets and re- |
volvers stored in the castles and arsenals, |
military decorations awarded to Spanish |
and Cuban soldiers for deeds OF bravery,
cartridge cases and projectiles of all sizes |
used in both the Cuban-Spanish and Span
ish-American wars, samples Of every kind |
OF powder used during the latter, car !
fridge boxes, belts, Buttons and other equip |
ments picked up upon bat<lefelds and SAM |
pies of weapons and accouterments of |
Spanish and Cuban cavalry, infantry, artil- |
iery, civil and municipal guards are all |
represented. An interesting flag for the !
collection is that hauled down from tina |
custom house at Ponce when that city sur
rendered. In order to avoid complications !
with the Americans the central stripe of |
yellow had been stained red with ink. A |
rene accantuating the meager equipment of |
tne spanish troops is flag handkerchief |
of cheap cotton stuff dysm in the national
colors and issued to Soldiers instead of |
knapsacks. Mr. Beefewfs6 also obtained the |
From Punch ~ DUCK, YOU