The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-07-04
A TALE OF PORTO RICO
Curious Story Of the Haunted
Sentry Box.
LIGHT ON Tie OLD LEGEND,

Accounted For by the Revelation Of
tho Lost One Himsslf.
Writing In the Journal OF the Mill
tary Service Institution. Captain Ar
thur II. S. Hyde Of the coast artillery
tells this curious story OF "the haunt
Ell sentry box" OF Fort San cristobal.
the ancient Spanish built fortress
which guards the entrance TO San
Juan, Porto Rico;
"a number Of picturesque sentry
boxes built Of masonry and appearing
like minarets are placed at points OF
vantage IN and around the fort One
OF these on the sea front. and reached
only through a long and dark tunnel
from the interior OF the fort, Is pop
ularly known as Ia Garita del Diablo,
or the devils sentry box. usually. al
though incorrectly, translated the
haunted sentry box. This name was
given 20 IL by the Spanish soldiers for
the reason that number OF sentries
stationed there disappeared In most
mysterious manner and were never
again heard from.
"An American officer was once on
duty that took him into the remote In
terror OF the island. and while spend
ing one night In a small settlement he
engaged In conversation with a num-
Der OF the Inhabitants OF the place.
One old man, on learning that the OF.
flcer was stationed at Fort San Girls
tobai. became especially interested and
in the course OF the conversation told
the following story:
81 used TO be a soldier In the Span
ish army and was stationed at Fort
san Cristobal. A number of soldiers
while on sentry duty had mysteriously
disappeared from the sentry box down
hy the sea. and we had all become
convinced that 1t was haunted by the
ilcvil. who. we thought, used 10 come
and steal the soldiers away.
One stormy night 1t fell TO my
ioi 10 go on duty In the devils sentry
box. as we called IT, Mt midnight, and
{, was with some doubts and misgiv-
Ings that | went with the corporal OF
the guard and relieved the former SEN
try When they left me listened to
the sound OF their footballs reverberat-
Ing from the walls and ceiling Of the
dark and narrow passage, ever grow
ing fainter and fainter as they reced-
ed, until finally the noise OF the storm
and the sea completely drowned Il.
and7I was left alone with the mad ele-
ments.
"Tt was n mad night and one well
calculated TO add 10 the feeling OF awe
that the devils sentry box always In
stilled into the man on duty there mt
night
Presently my attention was at
tracted by some lights In a small tav-
ern on the shore below the fort. where
many Of US were won't TO go when Off
duty for glass q rum. Then I be-
gan 10 think that might lie able TO
climb down over the rocks TO tho
shore, get glass Of rum at the tav-
ern and return 10 my post.
"'Fhe more thought OF II the more
determined I was TO GO so finally,
leaving my rife and belt In tho sentry
box, climbed over the wall and down
on 10 the rocks and 30 made my way
with great labor and difficuity and no
little danger TO tho httIe housc. where
the occupants were making merry
with dancing and drinking. soon
fell 20 and enjoyed myself with them
when one II dancing with fntr
senoritn be sometimes forgets tho pas
sage Of time. as I did on that fatal
night and not until long after O'Clock
did begin 20 think Of returning b
my post. Then. realizing mat the cor
porai had made his inspection and bad
found me gone from my post and
with my rife and belt left bohind.
saw only a court martial and the gar
rote staring me IN the face. for tn
those dayv for a sentinel In tho Span
ish army 20 quiz his post meant sure
death. even In peace.
ton. There was only one thing left
for me TO DO. and that was TO desert.
Ny heart sank within me- II I should
be captured. the same fate would be
meted out to me; but, reasoned, II
were to go back the fate would be
certainty. whereas II deserted at
least I had chance OF keeping out
OF sight OF the authorities. I deserted
and before morning was out OF the
city and on the way 10 the noun
tains.
al have lived In this little hamlet
for years and have never been back to
the capital since that day, nor have
ever told my story TO single soul I'M
al tonight, but now that the Spanlards
are gone I no longer fear for my life
"rhus we have the story OF the dew
rs sentry box from one OF the very
men who 50 nysterlously disappeared
from Il, and Il would seem 20 be prob
able that the other dlsappearances.
could be accounted for IN similar
ma1ncr were the truth known. Cullen
sabcY
Captain Hyde mentions an interest
49, e. s..Ufurfan