The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-05-17

HE FOUGHT HIS LAST N GREATEST FIGHT.
There was a battered old skin on the
sands. and u few feet from it lay "A
man asleep.
"Caramba! Wake up! Wake up!"
said one Of the half dozen Cubans who
ca me down and surrounded the sleeper
and wondered who and what he was.
''Well?" asked the man as he rubbed
his eyes and sat up.
Who are you"
You can call me the Man From
New York"
How did yGn get here?'
The man pointed to the old BOAT and
rose to his feet to yawn and stretch.
What do you want here?'' continued
the questiOner.
Take me to General Garcia. l guess
he always wants recruits. and ! am
ready to join"
That was the introduction of the
Man From New York. He gave no
name and no information about him
self. He simply said he was ready to
fight for the cause, and he was as
signed to the ranks and given arms.
After the first skirmish he was made
q sergeant; after the second, a lieu
tenant. He was q cool, fearless fighter
and an acquisition. No questions were
asked of him by the Cubans. He was
one OF a hundred Americans who had
found their way to the island to take
a hand in the revolution. Among them
selves, however, they said:
He is a ighter-tOo much of a fight
err. 1t must be his desire to get killed.
He came to US because be had done
something to disgrace his name IN the
States, and he feels that he can never
20 back. We do not care to know what
it is. If we had q thousand more like
him we could capture Havana"
For a year Garcia's band neither Won
a victory nor suffered a defeat in which
the Man From New York did not par
ticipate. AS time went on he grew NOR"
morose and vindict1ve. His voice was
seldom heard except in connection with
duty, and the Spaniards came to know
him as a terror. A price was put upon
| his head. Men hunted for him as dogs
hunt for game. but they failed to catch
him. Two or three times the proffered
reward brought about his betrayal by
men he had led to victory through for
| est and swamp. but he escaped falling
into the hands Of the enemy until the
| cause Of freedom was almost won.
A thousand Spanish soldiers had
crossed the famous trocha to beat the
forests. Garcia had planned their de
| struction and gathered re-enfortrments
from every quarter.
In the gray of the morning the Man
| From New York led thirty men against
the flank Of the thousa nd to produce a
| diversion. and for a time the thousand
were thrown into a panic and suffered
great loss. Then the Cuban generals
plans went wrong. and the enemy were
| allowed to take heart and rally. The
regiment swung about and attacked the
thirty. The thirty soon became only
twenty-five. then twenty. then ten.
Then the ten surrendered The Mar
From New York stornled and raved
| and entreated. He cursed them In one
breath and entreated In another. but
the ten had q enough fighting.
$50 1t IL your exclaimed the Spanish
colonel when the leader OF the ten had
bowed to the Inevitable. u would rath-
or have captured you than Garcia him
self. You shall die in the streets OF Ha-
vana after the governor general and
the people have had a good look at you-
As for the others. let four be taken ont
and shot 1t once. We will decide the
fate o. the others later on-
The ARE were connned n = snsAr