The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-09-09

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position as second lieutenant under the
Cuban forces
Landing in Havana 1 found good
quarters at the Hotel La Francia in
Gale Teniente Rey, where 1 shortly met
Greek in the pay of the Cubans, act
ing as one of their agents in Havana.
To him was given a packet of letters
for Cubans outside Havana, in the
field, a packet which had escaped the
scrutiny and search of. the Spanish
Customs officers when they went
through my luggage. I was unaware
at that time and for some time after
ward that the Washington Post had
detailed my movements and I knew
absolutely nothing of police surveil-
lance.
A NIGHT SORTIE.
Two nights later the agent conducted
me to the suburb of Jeses del Monte
and to the house of a Cuban sympa-
thizer where a meeting was being held.
1t was meeting to devise ways and
means of keeping a line of commCni-
cation open between the city and Gen
erals Gomez and Maceo, as well as to
plot for the relief of Cuban prisoners
held in Havana's city prisons, as well
as in MORO Castle and Cabanas fortress
across the bay Understanding but lit
tie Spanish the proceedings were a
blank to me, but I was informed that
small party intended leaving shortly
for the 'front.' and 1 was to be in
Guided.
Late in the afternoon of the following
day party was organized and set out
if
skirts of the city proper I was informed
of plan to be executed that night. 1t
was the taking of two Spanish officers,
one of whom was VIGOROUSLY cruel in
his treatment of Cuban prisoners of
both sexes. They were to dine at the
villa of wealthy planter near Havana
and the agents proposed to ambuscade
and shoot them or capture them. In
the evening the party halted at the
driveway to the premises. Half way
inside another halt was made and two
of the agents dismounted and contin,
ued up the driveway. Two of us held
the horses. In ten or fifteen minutes
the stiffness was broken by a shot,
then another, followed shortly after
ward by fusillade. Then the agents
having killed their men came back to
the horses on a run and dash was
made from the premises. Shots were
fired, evidently in our direction and one
of the agents who failed to reach his
saddle quickly, was hit, although it
was a slight wound, fortunately for
him. Three hours later we were back
in Havana again. Havana cafes and
clubs were full of the gossip the next
day about the death of the two officers,
as popular among the Spanish people
as they were unpopular among the
Cubans.
EXECUTION OF PRISONERS.
A rare opportunity was given me a
few days later to see the execution of
Cuban prisoners in Cabanas fortress.
A permit was procured through one of
Consul General Fitzhugh Lees sons.
Accompanied by young Lee and rep
resentative of the New York Herald,
we crossed the bay and walked up the
steep, stone, moss-grown staircase
which chung to the side of the seawall
of the famous old fortress. Cabanas
adjoins MORO Castle. We passed
through guarded gate, out upon the
parade ground and were then directed
to another stone stairway which led up
to the top of very broad wall. From
this we had a fine view of the entire
parade ground. This was enclosed on
all sides by high stone walls, pierced
here and there for field pieces. The
gateways were of the drawbrdge port
cullfs, moat variety, the fortress having
been constructed more than two and
a half centuries before.
Suddenly, a band inside an inner fort
struck up a beautiful, yet saddening,
march. and the entire garrison came
forth through a saIly-port and massed
around the parade ground, forming into
a hollow square, a fourth side, how
ever, being unoccupied, for it was
there, directly in front of the high
wall, that Cuban prisoners We're to be
executed. This done, the prisoners,
four in number, escorted by a company
of infantry, several priests and a negro
funeral director, were marched into the
hollow square, the arms of the prison.
ers being bound tightly to their sides,
and they were otherwise hampered in
their movements. I was struck with
admiration by their GOODNESS and
splendid courage, as it was certainly
no lightsome matter to confront the
Sowing, cruel pitiless visages of 500
spanish soldiers. The priest advanced
toward the men and offered his hand
or them to kiss. The men were
'rought into line and ordered upon
heir knees. their faces to the wall !
their backs to the firing party. four
soldiers for each man. Then a negro
'e'd a crucifix to the lips of each man
The officer in command of the firing
7arty arranged his squads about 20
feet distant from the prisoners.
And now everything became as silent
IS the very graves themselves, not 300
seet away and Waitine. for the bodies