The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-04-25

to destroy il, when the officer took the
document himself. My shutter doors
opening out upon the balcony were
open. and il any one opposite was
awake. every occurrence in my ROOM
couid be seen. / gave a swift glance
across toward the balcony OF Miss B.;
I could Just distinguish her peeriag
over the balcony. / hoped she would
understand my predicament and at the
same time, remain silent; / dared not
even speak to her, for by so doing. she
too, would be implicated and probably
arrested. When all was ready. NY
arms were pinioned behind my back.
we descended to the street and silent
ly we marched TO the palace, through
the deserted streets; an armed soldier
was at each elbow, some before and
some behind me, the officer with drawn
sword and held in readiness for sud
den attack. Arrived at the palace [
was searched and then without further
ceremony taken UP a stairway TO a
guardroom. The door was locked ND
on me-and l was a prisoner a poiit-
ical prisoner, TO my mind, infinitely
worse than being q prisoner of war.
The next morning / break tasted on a
roll of bread, and a half glass of sour
wine: lunch the same, and dinner, dit
to: there was no change in my diet
from my incarceration to my liberia
ton On the third night, I was taken
to the trial room; staff officer pre-
sided; my own trial was conducted
without an interpreter, and it was with
difficulty that could make out what
were the proceedings against me. The
Washington Post" with the fatal art
icle about myself was put in evidence,
+ oil no I
knew then that was charged with the
capital crime of being a spy, and that
little mercy would be shown, unless
the evidence was repudiated. l stated
that the article was full of error, and
pointed out that the article was the
only evidence they held against me,
and that my newspaper credentials |
had just been favOrably passed upon. |
Seven Cuban suspects were tried with |
me. Eight papers We're taken into |
Gen. Weyler'S room, and through the |
open door l watched the General sign |
them one by one. One, two, three de- |
but surely he placed |
his signature at the bottom of the |
fatal pages; four. five, six-my heart |
began to throb violently, the perspira- |
ton stood out ON my forehead and al |
most blinded my eyes; Seven-there |
is yet a chance, for my case, being |
foreigner, will certainly be taken up
last; he picked UP the eighth; he /
leaned back in his chair; read it care |
fully; stroked his moustache; leaned |
forward as if to place it to one side; |
suddenly he grasped his pen-ohe |
eighth was signed-I, too, was sem |
but sentenced to what? Was |
it to be death, Imprisonment in MORO |
Castle, or Cabanas Fortress, or depor- |
tation to Ceuta? The DEGREES were |
brought back; one was singled out and |
handed to me. / could read, "Cabanas |
Fortress. Cinco Anno." Five |
years imprisonment Probably in |
l occupied my room In the palace |
for seven days longer. On the morn
ing of the tenth day of my imprison-
ment / was taken down to the court
yard, lined up with thirty odd CUBAN
prisoners who were to be transferred
10 Cabanas across the bay, and my
name added to the list. i was weak
md could barely stand erect in line.
The command was given to step off
md We started for the quay. AS we
from the courtyard and came
INTO the square outside / saw a friend
If mine, a Consular attache, standing
lear ID pl1NdT Oh UHe pOTClcO scanning
he face of each prisoner as he came
through the gateway; the instant l
aw him l called out loudly to him.
hen came a crushing weight-a heavy
low struck my heiad-tmy skull seemed
o split wide open and all was dark
ess. When 1 regained consciousness
was inside the courtyard, my head
wathed in bandages. A soldier had
truck me down with his mrlsket for
alling out. Shortly afterward an
rderly came to the officer who had
AIKEN charge of me, with an order re-
easing me from further confinement
S prisoner of war. The young Eng
sh lady had seen and understood my
light, and had promptly informed my
riends who had searched for me in :
ain, until by lucky chance was
iscovered on the very morning I was
eing taken to the prison.
ROLYAT.