Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-07
PART TX.


from its historical value, 1t illustrates the
extent to which apparently trivial acC1-
dents sometimes serve great purposes and
change the destnies of nations. If Colonel
John Randolph Caldwell, Cuban correspond -,
ent for "The New York Herald, had not -
been in hurry for some revolver cartridges, IA
the famous battleship would probably not 49,
have been hurr1edly and most Unexpectedly -
despatched to Havana her destruction in
Spanish waters would have been averted,
and the intervention of the United States to
secure the independence of Cuba would
have been based on other and more JuSt
fable grounds
To get his messages past the censor,
Colonel Caldwell devised an ingenious cryp-
togram by which all important happenings
transmitted in the form of seemingly
innocent messages of more or less personal
nature. Every code message contained sssss
word which indicated that it was in cipher
and two keywords which, when applied to
chart in "The Herald" Office, conveyed one s.
of several hundred arbitrary messages which
covered every important development that
could enSue. -
Early in January, 1898, there were serious =
riots in Havana, following the farclcal in h11111
auguration of the so called autonomous
government through which Captain General
Blanco hoped to restore peace, but which
distastefu to most OF the Spanards
as it was to the Cubans. The Spanish
residents of Cuba had sympathy with
Blancos pacific policy, which they construed
to be an evidence of weakness They pre-
ferred the brutal but also more effect
i've, methods of Weyler, and their disap-
proval of Blancos pet scheme was expressed
in series of disturbances which threatened
to result rebellion WITHIN the opanlSn
section of the population, and even among
the troops.
The Americans living in Cuba became thoroughly
alarmed, and Consul General Fitzhugh Lee urged
to request the State Department to have warshp sent
to Havana to protect them. The same plea had been
made to him many times before; though never quite
nsstently in this last instance. Everyone knew
warship would be despatched to Havana the moment
General Lee called for it; but he declined to make the
request. as he had assurances from General Blanco
which convinced him that Americans in no danger
At the solicitation of Spain United States naval YES
sci had visited Cuban waters during the and General
Lee we'll knew that to send warship Havana at that
time would be like waving a red flag at angry bull.
WHEN the riots were in progress, Jose Congosto,
w the Secretary General of Cuba 1.-THE
man who when Consul at Philadelphia had tried to
brbe me to betray the Cubans) called on General Lee
at his in the Inglaterra Hotel to mpore him to
prevent a warship from being sent to Havana. Free
Halstead daredevil Canadian newspaper
who worked for Caldwell had adjoining those of
General Lee on the third floor of the hotel The two
suites were separated by old fashioned sliding doors,
which leaked; all that was said by Congosto and
General Lee overheard.
CongOsto who was next in rank to the Captain Cen
era asserted that the disturbances the work of
Spanards who opposed to the pacicatory policy
of General Blanco and urged that the United States
should support this policy as according to his belief,
it promised peace He told of some anti-American
threats which had been heard in the mobs; but said
they came from irresponsible persons and no attention
should be paid to them. General Blanco he said had
ordered into the city force of regular troops which
would quickly suppress the disorders The only danger
as he it, that American warship might be
sent down to compcate matters This, he said, in the
disturbed situation, might enrage the Spanish ee-
ment that really serious results would follow, and he
sAs matters stand now, he said I'VE can control the
situation without difficulty, and pledge you not only
my honor but my life that not hair the head of
single American will be injured. But implore you not
to allow warship to be sent here!"
Il believe you, replied General Lee, "and you need
fear American interference. No warshp will be
here unless ask for it, and at present have such
intention"