The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-11
POWER BEHIND PALMA
IS GEORGE EUGENE BRYSON
North Carolina Man Who is Quietly but Surely Shap
ing the Destiny of Cuba Man of Note Whose
Life Has Been Wild Adventure.
By Roscoe G. Mitchell.

| was supreme, and in such a case was the
| whole United States government" and
| that the President of the United States
would have to back him up in any action
| he might see fit to take in order to pro-
| tect the interests OF the United States
Hanna took Bryson's advice, but neither
| of them had taken into consideration the
| fact that there was only one vessel in
| the harbor, and that a little Spanish shin
with three small guns, detailed for coast
| duty. Her commanding officer was Eu-
late, then a sub-lieutenant in the Span
| ish Navy. After talking 1.-THE matter
| over the consul and the newspaper cor
| respondent decided to borrow a boat and
| go out and interview the Spanish off,
GER. They boarded the Jorge Juan and
| Lieut.. Eulate received them with marked
| courtesy, and listened graciously to their
story.
Bryson detailed the startling events
| that had occurred, and asked the aid of
| the Spanish gunboat in rescuing the i'm
| prisoned Consuls. Eulate listened with
| much interest. He replyed that Spain
| was one OF the first nations to recognize
| the independence of the American Colo
MES when they were struggling to be re-
| iedSeu from the yoke OF GTedL Britain
| and that he could not now decline to as
sist the United States at a time like the
present. He said his ship was at the
disposal OF the American consul, and
asked what he intended to do. eve pro-
pose to demand the release of the impris-
| oned consuls," was the reply.
Bryson asked for thirty Spanish Ma
rines, the request was granted. He then
ordered the crew to prepare for action.
| The marines were embarked in the launch
| and Consul Hanna landed with them and
| notified General Pepper that he would
allow him just twenty minutes to release
| the imprisoned consuls, saying if this
was not done the gunboat would open
| fire on the town. Bryson, in the mean
| time, had taken charge of the little YES
sell hauled down the Spanish flag and
run up the Stars and Stripes. Before
General Peppers time expired one of the
Spanish marines had been run over by
rebel soldier who was starting on horse
back to notify the Dictator. Mendoza.
The Spanish soldier fired at the rebel,
and Bryson taking this as signal from
Consul Hanna, opened fire on the custom
/ house, where the consuls were impris-
oned. The fire from the little vessel tore
down one side Of the building. and the
prisoners piled out. General Pepper was
glad to accept any kind Of terms and at
Consul Hanna's demand, his troops evac-
uated the city. Bryson then hauled down
the American flag and turned the vessel
over to the Spanish officer. The marines
were returned to the ship and Consul
Hanna and the released consuls warmly
thanked the Spanish officer for his kind
ness. And Bryson took boat and went
in search of a cable office to file his
SCOOP"
This. however, was not the end of the
matter The Spanish Government was
indignant al the action of it's lieutenant
He was ordered back to Havana, depriv
ed of his command, and sent to MORO
Castle court martial was ordered
the lieutenant being charged with pirat-
ical acts at La Guiayra. Before a verdict
was rendered, the Spanish Government
had officially received the thanks of
nineteen foreign governments, ranging
from the gigantic Empire of Russia to
the Queen of Hawaii. This opened the
eyes of Spain. She recognized the in
justice done to Eulate He was released
from custody, was awarded one of the
highest naval decorations. and placed on
waiting orders. Within short time he
was made a captain in the Spanish navy
and appointed chief of the arsenal In
Havana.
When it was determined to send the
vizcaya to New York. just after the
Maine had been blown up in the Havana
harbor, Captain Eulate was placed in
command 1t was believed that his ac-
tion Ia Cuiayra would acnapiaI1v com
mend him to the American people. Spain
thought that she could not offer a great
er act of courtesy Unfortunately, the
action of Eulate ar La Guiayra had never
attracted the attention Of the American
newspapers. The public were in ignor-
ance of the facts They remembered only
that Eulate had presided over the court
that sentenced the Competitor prisoners
to death. When the court-martial was
held up by orders from Madrid. Captain
Eulate resented the action. He indig-
nantly asked for leave of absence and
went into retirement at Puerto Rico.
This is only one of a great many of
Mr.. Brysons interesting experiences in
South America. On one occasion, while
at Port Llmon, Costa Rica he received
cablegram from the managing editor
OF the New York Herald telling him that
revolution would likely break out near
Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and request
ing him to proceed there at once. Wheh
he reached Colon he struck up the ac-
quaintance of an expert cable operator,
who informed him that the fighting was
likely to begin in Brazil at any hour.
Bryson wired the Herald this fact and
said that he would cover the story If a
liberal expense account was allowed His
paper answered at once to cover story at
any cost. He then chartered a tug, en-
ployed the expert operator, took on the
necessary supplies and put to sea. 1t
was four o'clock in the morning when
they left Colon and before the sun went
down they had succeeded in locating the
cable and had connected their instrument
on board with the cable wire which ran
from Rio de Janeiro to Kingston. They
waited two days before they caught the
story they were waiting for. but on the
night of the second day the London Mail
correspondent put his story on the wire.
The operator on the tug took down the
story in full. The correspondent had
given his paper a full account and Bry-
son soon had the story worked over
and was makinv ready To return tn CoInn