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

| NNiSeJ GARY A I Al.
| when L lett the once of the Secre
| tary of State, in the Army and Nav,
Building Washington, passport il
| hand, my breast swelled with pride il
| being so honored with the far-reac hins
| protection OF my Government, 1t was
| with feeling of satisfaction that
placed 1T in my pocket, feeling certain
that by producing 1T in foreign coun.
try when danger was imminent, il
would at once surround me with a halo
of power, and a respect for the United
States. AS / passed the White House
gates the newly elected President came
forth in his carriage; my patriotism
was bubbling over at that moment, and
Datriotically and respectfully 1 lifted
my hat to His Excellency. Everything
safe journey TO Havana and back
again, and my Amerticanism took big
upward stride
| was about to leave for Havana on
L
cub reporter; a recent acquaintance
with some exiled Cubans residing tenn
porarily in Washington had finally
ended in my becoming a Cuban sym
pathizer, and l was given a commission
by them to deliver secret messages to
the Cuban patriots who rendezvoused
in Havana. This latter development
necessitated a change in my plans-a
combination of newspaper work and
filibustering not we'll relished by me;
dropping into Havana at that period,
ON my double mission, was literally to
put my head in the lions mouth
Nevertheless, on Saturday, the 7th of
November, 1896, I boarded the S. S.
Vigilancia, at New York, and amid the
excitement of eaye-takings, the cease
less chatter of Spanish (for nearly all
my fellow passengers We're Spanish) !,
| began my expedition. The Vigilan-
cha was an interesting object herself,
for early in the summer of 1896, the
Spanish had fired ON her while she was
leaving Havana harbOr, and had been
struck once by a One-pounder ball. /
had little or nothing to do with my
Spanish co-travelers, or more to the
point, they avoided me, for lit was we'll
known to them that was newspaper
man, and an American as well, two
features which the Spaniard in that
day thoroughly loathed.
On the Wednesday following we
steamed into Havana l1arbor, past the
grim fortresses of MORO Castle and
Cabanas, both of which caused cold
chill to creep over me. for I had al
ways heard of their being the foulest
prisons into which an unfortunate
could be cast. Once we'll within the
harbor where 7 could see the magni-
tude of the defenses of the city and
the deep cordons of armed soldiers
along the shore and docks, my spirits
sank in comparison, as low as they
had correspondingly been elevated but
4 week before.
A pitching, rolling, little sailboat
me to the dock with my
luggage, the latter being Immediately |
aiken in charge by the Customs Off
.ials accompanied by a Gen d'arme, |
followed in the wake of the officials |
o undergo a personal examination. |
Ny luggage and my person were sub
ected to the severest of examinations |
and I was Intercepted |
closely Nothing discriminating how |
ever. came to light. felt safe on that |
point, as the dispatches had Deen in
serted cIeverly between the duplicate |
Gather coverings of my valise. due to
he ingenuity of my Cuban friends in |
New York My passport meanwhile |
lad been forwarded to the Passport |
Oh Do1a ms
md wise.
The examination over at the Custom
House I entered a carriage and was
lbout to order the driver to take me
% the English hotel, when we'll
yuilt. muscular, middle-aged man ac-
eosted me. inquiring if my name was
=; I replied in the affirmative,
what new formal procedure
vas to be gone through with. The
stranger at once handed me a letter,
directed to tM-'' from a Cuban |
friend, advising Nj of my depart
Ire for Havana, and apprising me OF
ny mission. The letter had reached |
havana via Tampa, thus preceding |
nv arrival by a day. We drove at
,nce to "Ja Hotel F'rancia'' on Gale |
reniente Rey. In the privacy of my |
lpartment I was told that the Cubans
n the city We're eagerly awaiting my |
arrival, and NJ proposed that l
risit the rendezvous that night and
Ieliyer my messages. AT nine o'clock
hat evening we boarded car heading
Onward Jesus del Monte. a suburb,
.iding past the great market place.
md Through rather dingy section of
he city Near the outskirts we
,lighted and entered dark noisome
llleyway. a short distance up the
,1levway NJ came to a sudden
ton before an iron grated window
the windows of all residences in Ha-
rama have iron-grates) and shook one
# the bars. A door opened near the
window and we stepped inside a dark