Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-07-04
A TALE OF PORTO RICO
Curious Story Of the Haunte.
Sentry COX.
LIGHT ON TIE OLD LEGEND
One Of the Many Mysterious pisap.
pearances From Fort San Girls. oba
Accounted For by the Revelation Of
the Lost One Himself.

/
Accounted For by the Revelation OF
the Lost One Himself.
Writing In the Journal OF the Mill
tary Service Institution. Captain Ar
thur y. y. Hyde Of the coast artillery
tells this curious story of "the haunt
ed sentry box" OF Fort San CristobaI
the ancient Spanish built fortress
which guards the entrance to san
Juan. Porto Rico:
"A numser Of picturesque sentry
! boxes built OF masonry and appearing
Ike mlnarets are placed ut points Of
vantage In and around the fort One
81 these on the sea front. aud reached
only through long aud dark tunnel
from the interior OF the fort Is pop.
ularly known as La Garlta del DiablO
or the devils sentry box. usually. al
though incorrectly. translated the
haunted sentry hoX. This name was
| given to Il by the Spanish soldiers for
the reason that number OF sentries
stationed there disappeared In most
mysterious manner aud were never
again heard from.
"An American officer was once on
duty that took him Into the remote in
terror Of the island. aud while spend
Ing one night IN small settlement he
engaged IN conversation with II mum
Der OF the inhabitants of the place
One old man. on learning that the Of
ficer was stationed ut Fort San Girls
tobal became especially Interested and
IN the course of the conversation told
the following story:
used To he a soldier IN the Span
ish army and was stationed nj Fort
san cristobal. \ number of soldiers
while Oh sentry duty had mysterously
disappeared from the sentry box down
by the sea. and we had all become
convinced that II was haunted by the
devil. who. we thought. used 10 come
and steal the soldiers away
Zone stormy night II fell Ia my
lot tn go on duty In the DEVILS sentry
box. ms we called II. ut midnight. and
II was with some doubts and mlsglv
ings that went with the corporal Of
the guard aud relieved the former sen
try When they left me | listened 10
the sound Of their footballs reverbcrat.
Ing from the walls and ceiling of the
dark and narrow passage. ever grow
Ing fainter and fainter rs they rcccd-
ed. until finally the noise of the storm
and the sea completely drowned II.
aud | was left alone with the mad Gle.
ments
"'lt was mad night and one Wei
calculated Ia add 10 the feeling of awe
that the DEVILS sentry box always in
stlllcd into the man on duty there n.
night
Presently my attention was nj.
tractc.l 10y some lights In a small tav
crn on the shore below the fort where
many OF MS were wont to 90 when off
duty for glass Of rum Then be-
gan 10 think that | might he able 10
climb down over the rocks 10 the
shore. get glass OF rum at the tav-
ern and return To- my post.
""rhc more thought Of II the more
determined was 10 20. So finally.
leaving my rife and belt In the sentry
box. I climbed over the wall aud down
on to the rocks and SO made my way
with great labor and difficulty and no
little danger to the little house. where
the occupants were making merry
with dancing and drinking. soon
fell 10 and enjoyed myself with them.
"'Whcn one is dancing with fair
uo..ntfa.a h.. tI...
snge of time as | did on that fatal
night. and not untll long after | o'clock
did begin to think of returning 10
my post Then. realizing that the cor
poral had made his inspection and had
found me gone from my post and
with my rifle and belt left behind. !
saw only court martial and the gar.
rotc staring me IN the face. for IN
those days for sentinel IN the Span
ish army to quit his post meant sure
death. even IN peace
"''ro 20 back was ont of the ques.
tlon There was only one thing left
for me 10 do. aud that was 10 desert
My heart sank within me. II should
be- captured. the same fate would he
bul W nut U ttNNhiifals ~
were TO go back the fate would he n
certainty. whereas II deserted at
least | had a chance of keeping out
Of sight OF the authorities. deserted
and before morning was ont Of the
city and on the way to the noun
talns.
81 have lived In this little hamlet
for years and have never been back to
the capita since that day, nor have ]
ever told my story 10 single soul IN
Ill tonight. but now that the Spanllrls
are gone | no longer fear for my life
Thus we have the story OF the dey
ils sentry box from one of the very
men who SO mysteriously disappeared
from II, nnd-it would seem "a lie prob
able that the other disappearance
could be- accounted for IN similar
manner were the truth known. uulcn
sabc:"
Captpln Hyde mentions an interest
Ing fact that. although for centuries
Porto lkirn Wus cons i,iered the Ieniti.