Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-08-12
Copyright, 1899. by

EE [25S1 70; recent ouIpieah
~ Nl of the scourge
was an army man who made gallant
ride in Porto Rico to call the battle
off and save many noble lives at the
signing of the peace protocol. Lieu
tenant James B. Mclaughlin of the
signal corps was the hero
When the protocol was under consld-
Grafton, the American column under
General Brooke was making all speed
to Guayama, a town surrounded by
formidable heights, upon which the
Spaniards took up position. The troops
toiIed up the mountain sides the night
of Aug u and got into position to
open fire upon the Spaniards. Lieuten-
ant Mclaughlin was in the rear con-
structing signal lines and at l o'clock,
the 18th, received over his wire run
ming back to the port at Arroyo the
news that the protocol had been sign
ed. He knew that General Brooke
would storm the heights at the earliest
moment to prevent the Spaniards gath
ering strength. The shortest road to
the front was across country through
swamps, chaparral and tall grass, an
unmarked and tangled pathway.
Mounting his horse. the lieutenant set
out without guide and no companion
but an orderly to carry the news to
Brooke before the ball opened for
new chapter of carnage.
The orderly was soon left behind.
Momentarily expecting to hear the
boom of the cannon. the foremost rider
drove his spurs into his horse to urge
him through the thorny bushes, cha
parral and mire which lay between him
and the firing line. The infantry sup
ports of the batteries were encounter
ed, and they told the heated messenger
that the guns were ready, and the sig
nal OF attack was waited by the mar
shaled troops. Spurring forward for
a last dash, Mclaughlin reined his
foaming steed before the guns at 1:30,
and his startling apparition, without
spoken word, arrested the hands of the
cannoneers, who were about to pull
the lanyards, with General Brooke
standing by TO direct the firing. When
the ground came to be examined, it
was found that the SDaniards were in
position to annihilate the Americans
on that shelterless slope even without
good gunnery, and so this young lieu
tenant, of his own motion and with
reckless disregard of his life, saved our
army in Porto Rico from horrible dis
aSter.
The bloodless campaign in Porto
Rico brought out another hero in the
person of a sailor, Lieutenant Thomas
Griffin, of the cruiser New Orleans.
While not an act of daring under fire,
the lieutenant's exploit was carried out
under circumstances of great risk and
in the face of unseen dangers. Sent TO
remove Il live mine from the harbor Of
San Juan, he set out with the best
equipment possible for his crew of
nine picked mine destroyers, but there
were some things in the murky waters
Of San Juan harbor not to be provided
lgainst-namely, sharks, and live wires
connecting with the mammoth sub
marine torpedo.
For two hours the divers roamed the
bottom of the sea in the locality
pointed out by the Spaniards before
the monster engine Of death was dis
covered At last it had been safely dis
engaged from the massive mushroom
anchor which held it down. A catfall,
or block. with a clawlike hook, was at
tached to the ring in the end of the
torpedo. and the crew attempted to
haul it to the surface. Suddenly the
weight under water grew light, and it
transpired that the motion of the tide
had lifted the torpedo high enough for
it TO slip the hook Of the catfall from
is ring. and that meant, of course, that
the terrible explosive was travelling to
the bottom, impelled by its own weight,
and might explode underneath the
launch with force to swamp it. The
boat was speedily pulled to a safe dis
tance, but no explosion occurred.
Silently, as a man who had made
up his mind to desperate deed, the
lieutenant exchanged his uniform for
a divers suit. buckled to a cutlass or
sword bayonet and ran down the lad
der into the water. At the end of an
anxious hsglr the crew felt twitching
at the ocean end of the line, and, fear
ing the worst, hauled away desperate
ly, bringing to the surface, to their
dismay. not the lieutenant, but a man
eating shark, about u feet long.
Part of the tackle was visible between
the shark S jaws, and it was evident he
had swallowed the block and hooks
Fears for the safety of the lieutenant
were cut short by the appearance of
the intrepid fellow over the side of the
launch. he having been hauled up just
behind the shark.
The diver told of grewsome expert
ence in the water. He had found the
mine and was getting the block and
hooks ready to tackle to 1t when he
was knocked over by some force from
behind and In another instant was be-
ing hauled 70 the surface. The greedy
shark had swallowed the wrong game.
After getting breath the lieutenant
went down again and hooked to the
mine, which was brought to the SUI
face and destroyed.
1t was not because the roster of fear
less leaders was exhausted that the
Mausers cut down only three command
ers at the head of Wikoff's brigade in
the attack on San Juan liIl. Colonel
Wikoff, Colonel Worth and Colonel Lis