The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-11-29
In CUBA FOR FUN.
MANY AMERICAN SOLDIERS OF
FORTUNE IN ISLAND.
at End Of Fighting In.
tense Among the Foreign Legion
New Yorker Angry at Fate.


The greatest old boy of the Foreign
Legion in Cuba, says the correspond
ent for Harpers Weekly, is Capt. e.
b. Webster, an elderly Yankee from
Litchfield, Conn, the country of ro-
bust onions and still more robust men.
The cap'n would rather eat than
fight, but, as 1t is often necessary to
eat-well, pshaw! a man has to have
the price, even If he has to fight for it.
And fighting in Cuba just now is al
most the best paying profession. He
who lives by It can eat terrapin and
canvasback-if there are still such
things beyond this troubled land of
garbanzos and papas frituras.
There is nothing of the fire eater
about Webster. On the day after Col
Avalos had driven Pine Guerra's men
out of Consolation, the cap'n and
were chatting when a cheerful lieu
tenant came along and remarked
Were going after EN-"
"Dern 1t all! l hope not" said the
capn, in his slow New England drawl
Here we've been cooped up in that
blamed hot train for thirty-six hours.
fighting day and night. with mighty
little to eat, and the rebels giving us
no time to eat it. I'm tired of fight
ing. What | want is a long slee,
and a few good meals. But, say, so,
ought to have been there when | go;
those charging rebels right on the
transverse. When the gun got going
tell ye they tumbled down of their
horses like a pack O. cards. Here,
lieutenant, how soon do we start?"
Cap'n Webster was a coasting skip
per sailing out of Yankee ports for
many years. He is a heavy, stoop
shouldered and "sot in his ways"
He brought few filibuster cargoes
into Cuba during the war of indie
pendence, and at the age when most
men take to golf he grew so fond of
fighting that he has never been able
to shake off the fascinations of the
game. He was United States consul
at Cardenas for a while, but as soon
as this rebellion started he began to
help organize the Foreign Legion.
Capt George Reno Is New Yorker,
tall. slim, pale and bashful. He came
down here as a free lance war cor
respondent ten years ago and acquired
the fighting habit. He hasn't got his
company recruited yet, but when they
do take the field the Azaldos had bet.
ter look out.
Lieut.. Adolph Fittig was a gentle
real estate dealer in Havana until the
war began. Then he remembered with
Joy the fine times he had during his
military service In Germany a few
years ago. Away to the winds went
Ober-Lieutenant burst into bloom in
his uniform.
Lieut.. Herbert Shockley is a small
and very cheerful fighting man from
Philadelphia. When they organized
the Foreign Legion he smiled and said
he believed he'd take a commission.
When he was firing a machine gun
on the roof Of the armored car and a
rebel Mauser bullet went through his
leg he smiled and said he believed
lightning never struck twice in the
same place. wanted to photograph
him as soon as he had little leisure
after the battle. He smiled.
Better wait till can stand up
straight" he advised. "A fellow hates
to look sickly In picture"
The angriest soldier Of fortune |
ever saw Is Gilbert II. Carr. who came
in great haste all the way from West
115th street, New York, the Morning.
side Heights district, to take part in
the game. Gen. Loynaz del Castillo
made him a captain in the rebel forces
and then this truce was declared.
wouldn't that irritate your" Carr
asked me. How would you like to
come all the way down here to have
little fun. and then find them Civ.
ing out rain checks?"
II does seem trifie rough on Carr
He is slender. fair-skinned. blue
eyed youngster who belongs in the
second company of the Twelfth Regi.
ment, New York National Guard. when
he's home. He has fought In South
Africa and In few South American
revolutions