Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-01-10
Then and Now at
Fort San SeveriDo
BY Kate JordaD.

BY Kate Jordap.
"As I look at 1t today" said the old
Cuban, "the past seems like an evil,
~frightful DREAM
To left and right Of the great fort OH
the land side the paseo stretched, tree
shaded, edged by a low stone sea wall
and filed with companies at drill, stroll
ing senoritas, excursionists, peddlers,
who, In varied minor keys, cried their
wares-guava sandwiches, cigars, lines,
fresh honey.
We paced peacefully on the brow Of
the fort and then crossed to d point
where we looked down on the courtyard,
lined with prison cells and officers quar-
tiers. The walls were faring in coats of
whitewash, and the clearly smell of chic
ride Of lime came up to US. Enlisted men
were sweeping or plying soapy mops to
the pavements or polishing any bits Of
metal in evidence,
Above an incline leading to a neighbor-
ing r6mpart an American sentry paced,
his bayonet a magnet for dancing sparks
Of sunlight, the stars and stripes standing
out above him in the breeze, a brilliant
square Of beauty.
The old Cuban was silent. He was not
looking at the American flag. His eyes
saw nothing, but the vision of his soul
was busy.
This shabby, quiet man, with shapeless
panama hat, knotted red neckcloth and
bullying cotton umbrella, was familiar to
the American colony. He was one of the
dismal, out at elbow thousands Of Cuba,
and but a few years ago had been a
wealthy planter. Now he earned a hand
to mouth living as interpreter, for Eng
fish was a second tongue to him.
"Ah-aye" he said, coming back to the
present with a dream. "Ah, what l have
seen! You see the arch next the last:
In the cell beyond that I lay-and stew.
ed-for go days"
"Alone there for 60 days"
Him." he said, with a grim sniff,
"Not alone. There were 20 of us in that
hole, and some had fever, and two went
mad"
"Were you active among the insur.
gentsW
"Oh, yes; though not a soldier. But
was a man to fear. 1t was known l hat
lived in the states till I was %, and
had taken out papers there. My enc
mics hated me, so to keep me safely they
put mi in this p~esthouse-as it was then
Rats, vermin, every imaginable filth, anG
wretches who prayed aloud for death
filled every cell. Where I was one of us
kept awake always to keep the rats of
the rest while they slept. We took turns
that way. What l tell you is true.
"Three times l was sentenced to death
Once I was really led out to be shot ii
the moat down there. But they wert
afraid. Before they could carry out the
sentence the third time the protocol was
signed. They dared not kill me. Mean
while my people did not know where
was.
ut was not enough that San SeverinC
held medieval horrors Of which the PEG
pie ~knew-unjust trial, torture, execu
tons in bulk, where each man was 6
numbered Cuban without a name, just
receptacle for a Spanish bullet-but Sc
cret murders by the score took place
within these walls. Some Of these sons
and husbands who had disappeared
were seen again when their garrottet
bodies, not sufficiently weighted, rose tt
the surface Of the bay and drifted to the
beach. What tell you Is true"
We went down to the cells.
"This was mine" said the old Cuban
shifting delightfully."- the aroma Of white
wash and eying the clean pallet; "ah
the d~ifference!"
A young lieutenant approached with
q large piece Of white p~asteboard. Il
was covered with black penciled
squares.
"Have you seen this? I got it in one
of the cells when we first came. Some
poor DEVILS chessboard. Wonder what
he played with"
II know" said the old Cuban; dir
rolled into Jumps"
"We have another souvenir of two
interesting prisoners" And the younl
lieutenant led the way.
"Two newspaper correspondents were
kept here out Of harms way. They
were not treated like other prisoners
and put into one of the vermin ridder
cells, though these were bad enough
when We came. Look!" And he point
ed to the wall.
There in black crayon were the pro
files Of the two Americans c~leverly
sketched. It is probable the drawing
will remain there while San Severino eX'
lists.
We went back and recrossed the
bridge. Above, in it's white arch, hung
the silent fortress bell.
"Ah, that bell! What it said to me
once!" the old man murmured. 1T is
curious feeling" he added, Ito say good
by to life and then come back to It."
Our way lay through the passages be.
tween the cemented powders to the dry
moat. Over this the d~rawbridge hung,
with massive, useless chain.
"Do you see the level line Of Clipped
stone along this WALTZ" said my guide
1T is the dead line Here those sen
fenced to be shot were ranged, blindfold'
ed"
He poked with the point Of his umbrel'
Ia along the line Of loosened mortar, and
a bullet fell out, then another and an.
other.
1T is full of them" he said, looking
down on the rusty Jumps in his palm,
land most of them stilled a heart. What
I tell you is true"
Up one Of the paths between the tow
ering walls, past the moat, fled a trio
Of American girls In white, with flowers
and big green parasols. Their laughter
made the moat murmur. Following at
q few yards distance came n girl q
colonel'a dauphtor. and with her q