Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-05-02
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The Seller of Men.
Observation-Disclosures.

if they had the proper equipments they
would drive the Spanish from Cuba
within a year was to contribute cash
OH the spot. He solicited money from
men in every walk of life. He re
ceived money from women who wept
as they gave it, To be one of twelve
or fifteen people invited to meet at
some residence and hear the story OF
and a sOrrowful one in another. He
had seen it all, been through it ALL
and he was a talker to catch your in
terest in the first dozen words. Months
later he knew that he was mOnstrous
hypocrte and liar and worse than
that, but when the human heart is big
with sympathy its owner does not stop
to criticse
From its inception to its close the
Cuban rebellion was kept alive by
American contributions of cash, arms
and volunteers Uncle Sam knew all
about it, but he rolled his tongue in his
check. During the last two years Of
the rebellion his vessels were almost
openly fitted out to carry arms and
other supplies, but if the United States
cutters chased them off the coast they
did not overhaul them at sea. The
government inspectors at the New
England arsenals knew where the
arms went to, no matter what the
marks on the boxes, but they winked
at each other and saw nothing
According to Lopez, $4,000 patriots
were ready to rally as soon as sup
piled with arms. A large sum of mon
ey was collected and spent for mus
kets, revolvers, cartridges and machine
tons and other things needed by the
soldiers. A steamer was chartered and
thirty Americans enlisted Spanish
spies in New York reported the pur
chases to Uncle Sam. He replied that
he would attend to the matter and did
nothing. The same spies reported the
steamer. She was not even looked
over by the revenue officers. To be
sure she was chased down the coast
by revenue cutter that bclched bar
rels and barrels of black smoke, but
when the fiibuster was at last over
hauled it was to ask if the captain
hadn't forgotten his nightshirt on leav-
ing New York.
Lopez was aboard. He had been in
defatigable. He had been at Washing
ton. He had directed all while sleep
ing in a garnet and living on one meal
a day. a patriot on a pedestal. An
object lesson to the world.
The steamer was to touch at GER
tain point on the coast. Word had
gone on ahead and thousand Cubans
would be at hand to swiftly unload
her. False alarms would be given and
the Spanish gunboatS called away
from the spot. No precautiOn had been
neglected. Nothing had been left to
chance. When once the steamer got
headed for the spot she slowed down
at half speed. She was to reach the
lSlIbIlls ullbcl tONtI VI Nlil hlltSS. al I
O'Clock in the afternoon nothing was in
sight from her bridge. At 5 o'clock a
heavy fog settled down. This was all
the better for the success of the cXpe-
dition. Five hours slow run would
take them to the bay selected, and bon
fires and torches would illuminate the
discharge of the cargo
Tho fnIp of n,
nor at I. At 8 one could just make out
the form of n man seven or eight feet
away. The captain was prudent
man All lights were eXtingushed and
all noises hushed. With the screw soft
ly turning, the filibuSter bored her way
into the fog like some blackcr shadow.
The captain, Lopez and half a dozen
others formed a group by themselves
and spoke in whispers. All were eX-
ultant They We're certain to get in
safely.
OF a sudden the thunk, thunk, thunk,
of a propeller was heard from straight
ahead. 1t could not be mistaken for
any other noise. Then came the same
noise off the port bow Then it came
from the starboard quarter. The group
listened with beating hearts.
"Porpoises or whales" whispered Lo-
PEI In the captains ear
Spanish gunboats." was the reply.
BY the speaking tube and not by the
bell the way of the steamer was check
ed and she floated idly on the sea
Three gunbOats We're cOnverging on
her. Three blOodhounds were hunting
their game In the fog. They had not
heard her, and they could not see her,
but it had been planned that she would
be in that locality at a certain hour.
Lopez and the Spanish had planned 1t.
The gunboats felt their way here and
there. They almost rubbed sides with
their victim. From the flibusters deck
men could be heard cursing and NUT
tering
Only one man was watching Lopez
an American volunteer for the Cuban
ranks. The struggle of the weak
against the strong had appealed to
him. He saw the man suddenly draw
himself up, suck in his breath and
open his mouth, and then he leaned
forward and clutched the bOny throat
In fingers of iron
''He was going to call out to Them"
he explained as he still maintained his
clutch.
Three minutes later a human form
was dropped softly into the sea along
side, and the filibuster began working
bnr way Out Of tho tran so trpacher-