The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1902-06-06
HUNTING FOR RELICS
Americans in Cuba Rummage the
Old Forts.
A Chicago Soldier Writes About Hts
visit TO MORO and La ca
banns-Traces of Spanish
Cruelty to Prisoners.


A letter describing the gloomy dun
geons and blood-stained walls of the
ancient Castle La Cabanas, near Ha-
vana, and relating the incidents OF a
relic-hunting trip among the Spanish
Notifications and to the wreck of the
Maine was lately received by Deputy
Commissioner of Public Works A. j.
Toolen from his brother, Fred A. Too
len, of the Second Illinois infantry, now
encamped at Camp Columbia, in the
Cuban capital. The letter is as fol-
lows:
"The climate in the United States
cannot at any time be compared with
the climate we are enjoying here. The
days are warm, but not oppressive, and
the ocean breezes at night cool the at
mosphere, so that good, sound, COM
Portable and peaceful sleep can be en-
joyed.
Havana and it's vicinity are very in
teresting, and have had but few OPP
portunities to satisfy my curiosity and
visit some of these interesting places.
Last Saturday l went to see Castillo del
Principe, and from the hill upon which
that strong fort is situated | had the
best view that can be obtained of the
city of Havana and its harbor. MORO
castle, La Cabanas, Punta castle, the
Santa Clara batteries, the wreck of the
Maine, Atares castle, Colon cemetery,
the town of Cerro and the beautiful
harbor, with the ferryboats plying to
and fro, warships and ships of all ma
tons lying at anchor and the little
sailboats, with what the boys call
chicken coops' in the stern, sailing
around the harbor, made fine piano.
rama.
'As to MORO castle and La Cabanas,
1 was more fortunate, for in the latter
part of January l and three other ser
geants and Lieut.. Col. Hotchkiss eX-
plored the musty and bad-smelling
dungeons of these forts to our hearts
content. We entered into the moat of
Cabanas by a long and steep covered
ascent, and, after showing our passes
several times, we were allowed to enter
Cabanas proper. 1t was more like
tomb than a fort or prison. A musty
odor greeted our nostrils. The echo OF
our voices and footsteps reminded one
of ghost stories. The enormouslocks
on the iron doors changed and resound-
ed along the corridors aswe went from
cell TO cell, investigating and search
! ing for relics. Blood stains on the walls
of various cells and cells whose dark
ness the light of matches would not
penetrate, and from which a stencil
came that was beyond human endur-
ance, suggested to our minds terrible
and unholy deeds which cruel race
alone could perpetrate. But there were
better parts to this large prison. The
officers quarters, with beautiful flower
gardens around them, were a great
contrast to the dark and dingy cells
not more than 200 feet away. There
are very few guns in Cabanas, and
those that are there are old-fashioned
guns. which would not count for much
against the modern guns on our war
ships. Car loads of shells of all sizes
are lying around in both Cabanas anC
MORO, getting rusty. picked up quite
a number of relies in Cabanas; two ole
Spanish caps, a cartridge box, hook
off one of the doors and spike cut of
one of the cells, whose walls were GOV
, cred with blood stains.
} Then we went out of Cabanas
across the drawbrdge and over to Nor
ro which is far more famous than Ca
E banas. We explored the different rooms
and dungeons of Moro. and here W.
also picked up quite few good relics
found a candlestick (Which l am nov
using) in one of Morros dark rooms.
got a sight of one of her largest guns
and l also carried away three-incl
shell. OF course, l got small piec'
of her walls. The lieutenant colone
was almost afraid to go around witt
us. for fear that we would get ARRESTED
for stealing MORO castle. But, o
course. we had to have something t
remember this place, so we helped GU
selves to everything in sight.
"On this same day we all wer
lucky enough to get out on the wrec
of the Maine. We stood upon her star
board gunwale, and each of us secure
piece of wood from the gunwale an
piece of rope from the ladders whic
lead to the fighting top."-Chieago Ii
ter Ocean.