Newspaper Page Text
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■■HUB.
Attack on Forts and Ships
Reported Begun.
AMERICANS GET ADVANTAGE
Guns Turned on Cervera After
. Silencing Forts.
WASHINGTON GETS NOWORD
Navy Department Don't Believe
B tile Has Begun.
t
Copyright, 1898. by the Associated Press.
Cape Haytien, May 31, 5:15 p. m.—Ad
vices just received from Havana say that
since 2 o’clock this afternoon the American
fleet at Santiago de Cuba has been can
nonading the batteries of Morro Castle,
La Zeeapa and Punta Gorda.
At the same time, it is added, the Ameri
can ships have been engaged with the
Spanish warships. The firing was ex
tremely heavy.
At 3:45 p. m. the cannonading became
leas heavy against the fortifications, but
was more accentuated in the locality where
the fleets were engaged.
Morro Castle is at the entrance of the
harbor of Santiago de Cuba, La Zeeapa
also shown on the maps as La Zeeapa Cas
tle, is a short distance inside the harbor
entrance, and Punta Gorda is situated on
a point well inside the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba showing that the American
fleet has entered the harbor according to
the Havana advices via Cape Haytien, and
has engaged the Spanish fleet.
ADVANTAGES WITH AMERICANS.
lint tie Still in Proper e** After Hoard
of Fighting.
Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press:
Cape Haytien, May 31, 6:40 p. m.—At
this hour the Santiago cable is still work
ing from Santiago.
Private messages intimate that there
has been a severe fight between the Amer
ican fleet and the outer fortifications and
the Spanish fleet.
The fight lasted the greater part of the
afternoon.
The advantage appears to have been
with the Americans.
„ „ According to the latest advices the con
bat is still in progress.
HEARD THE CANNONADING.
*
hound of the flattie Heard nt Cape
Haytien.
Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press:
Cape Haytien, Hayti, May 31.—Persons
who climbed Ixiokout mountain, at the
entrance of Cape Haytien harbor, this
afternoon declare that they heard can
nonading low but distinct to the west and
to the north beyond Tortuga Island.
The correspondent of the. Associated
Press who was at the signal station about
the same time also heard sounds resemb
ling a cannonade.
The wind was in the right direction to
carry the detonation to him.
It. Mt>mu certain that the fleet the Hay
’ tien gunboat saw passing Cape Mays!
going northward found its opportunity of
turning backward across the front of rn
opposing force.
MORE SHIPS GOING TO SCHLEY.
Five Vessels sighted off Mole St.
Nirholns.
Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press.
Cape Haytien, Hayti, May 31, 11 a, m.—
The Haytien dispatch gunboat Capois la
Mort, which arrived here from Port an
Prince at 8 o'clock this morning, having
the minister of public works on board,
seems io have sighted five American war
ships while (Msslng (he Mole St. Nich
olas yeateixiay afternoon.
The correspondent here of the Associated
Press haa just interviewed the officer of
the Capo! la Mort and learns that at about
3 o’clock yesterday, when the gunboat was
about abreast of (ho Mole, columns of
black smoke were espied on the horizon,
on st by north, from her bridges.
The ships were about thirteen miles dis
tant and their hulls could not be fairly
made out, but all appearances indicated
that several vessels were of great ton
nage.’
The fleet seemed to be making north
ward with all speed, past the eastern end
of Cuba, and while the officers of t'he
Capois la Mort were observing the ves
sels they were gradually lost to view be
hind the protruding outlines O s Cape
Maysi. It la hardly to be doubted that
th* shl|>e sighted were American war ves
sels.
HAMPSON'S SHIPS IN IT.
Fire Directed Principally Agnlnst
the Farts and Harbor.
Copyright. 1898, by the Associated Press
Port au Prince. Hayti, May 31. 8 p. m
About 3 o’clock (his afternoon an Ameri
can squadron, composed of about fourteen
warships, of which the cruiser New York
displayed the flag of Rear Admiral Samp
son. and a number of torpedo boats, began
<* bombardment with heavy guns of the
fort* and the harbor of Santiago de Cuba.
The American fine was directed princi
pally against the forts and the harbor.
The torts of Morro Castle, I_a Zocapa
and Punta Gorda suffered especially.
The cannonading was very persistent,
and cannot have failed to be destructive.
It lasted until SV> o’clock this afternoon
The town, which is satuatvd near the in
ner and of the harbor, escaped damage.
At I.tt the cannonading diuunisbed.
'Salt Rheum
Intense Suffering—Could Not Sleep
—Cured by Hood’s Sarsaparilla.
“ I had salt rheum on my arms, which
itched intensely and kept me from sleep
ing. The skin on my hands would crack
open. My friends believed I was suffer
ing from blood poisoning. I decided to
take Hood’s Sarsaparilla. I did not see
any improvement with the first bottle
but continued with the medicine and
after taking five bottles I was completely
cured. My hands are now as smooth as
I could wish.” t A. D. Haoey, Elroy, Pa.
Hood’s Sarsaparilla
Is the best—in fact the One True Blood Purifier.
Sold by all druggists, gl; six for 85.
•_» «, rvii are prompt, efficient and
IlOOu S HlllS easy in effect. 25cents.
1*1! ■—»— i i m
About 3 o’clock cannon discharges were
heard at a distance (presumably at sea)
continuing some time, when the firing
ceased .completely.
The Spanish authorities maintain strict
silence as to the number of victims, who
were apparently numerous.
According to advices from a Spanish
source, fourteen American warships and
two torpedo boats were engaged in the
combat.
A very careful fire was directed against
the batteries of Morro castle until 3:45,
when discharges of cannon began to be
heard a;t sea off the port.
These discharges continued until 4 o’clock
and then entirely ceased.
From the Spanish account it is Impossi
ble to judge as to the exact merits of the
encounter.
DISCREDITED AT WASHINGTON.
Navy Department Confident Battle
Hasn’t Taken Place.
Washington, May 31.—Naval officials
here absolutely discredit the reports sent
from Cape Haytien stating that Commo
dore Schley forced the entrance to Santi
ago bay and engaged the Spanish fleet in
the harbor.
The latest official advices received from
Commodore Schley were contained In a ca
blegram which came late this afternoon,
and In it the commodore gives no indica
tions of an intention to try to enter the
harbor of Santiago. I
While the contents of the dispatch were
not made public, tlje bulletin issued upon
it by the navy department indicates that
Commodore Schley is still endeavoring to
determine just what Spanish vessels are
in the harbor. The bulletin says:
“Commodore Schley’s fleet has sighted
another vessel of the Vizcaya class in San
tiago harbor.”
The naval officers declare that Commo
dore Schley would not endeavor to force
his way into the harbor in view of the
great difficulties of navigation, which
would have to be surmounted in the effort.
LONDON SHAKES OFF LETHARGY.
News of Rattle Not Discredited in the
Brlfifth Metropolis.
London, June 1, 5 a. m. —The news of the
fighting at Santiago de Cuba has revived
the dwindling interest In the war.
It is suggested that the Americans may
be bombarding the forts in order to cover
the laying of mines, or the sinking of
hulks to blpckade the channel.
Credence is given the report that Ad
miral Cervera tried to run the blockade
before the arrival of Gen. Shafter’s expe
dition.
It is not believed that Commodore
Schley would venture to imitate Admiral
Dewey’s feat at Manila.
Everything, so far as Spain is concern
ed, is now held to depend on Admiral Ca
mara’s movements; and unless, as is un
likely, he is able to display masterly skill,
it is evident that the bold strategy of the
Spaniards will only result in the destruc
tion of their fleet detail.
A second reserve squadron could not btf
prepared for months, as the vessels recent
ly mentioned by the Madrid press are all
in a backward state at Ferrol, Cadiz and
Cartagena, except the Numancia and the
Vittoria and the Dona Maria de Molina,
which could be ready in a few weeks.
Advices from Barcelona by mail to the
Daily Chronicle, says: “Alongside the iron
clad Numancia, orders to hurry the prepa
ration of which have just been received,
lies (he Covadonga of the Compania-
Transatlantlc line. Her foremast and two
funnels have been painted black, and she
is ready to go to her armament.
“The lain de Panay, ‘which is unloading,
will be the next prepared, and after her
will come the Jova Serra.
“As additional defenses at Barcelona, the
Spaniards are hastllj erecting six large
guns dated 1881, which have just been
mounted at Barcelona.
"Three hundred engineers arc construct
ing new batteries at Barcelona, under
Moiitjuich fortress, in a corner unobserva
ble from the harbor. Three immense guns
are said to be a part of the battery.
“All Barcelona is heartily sick of the
war. The people regard it as merely a con
tinuation of the Cuban war.”
WARSHIPS OFF JAMAICA.
Vcaaela Movlna Westward and Br
lleved to lie Sampnon’a.
London. June 1. 6a. rw—A dispatch from
Kingston to the Daily Mail says: “A
large American squadron, supposed to te
Rear Admiral Sampson’s, was seen to
day. off Port Antonio, on the north roast
of Jamaica, 25 miles? west of Moral Poln*
the eastern extremity of the island, steam
ing westward.”
Santiago < able Cut.
Key Y\ est, May 31, 13:40 p. m.—News re
ceived here to-day from off Santiago de
Cuba says the auxiliary cruiser St. Paul
has cut the cable off that port.
NEW MINISTER TO Tt RKF.Y.
Name of O*car S. Straus of New York
Sent to Senate.
Washington. May 31.—The President to
day sent the following nominations to the
Senate:
Oscar S. Straus of New York to be min
ister to Turkey.
Sixth Regiment, United States Volunteer
Infantry—to Be Lieutenant Colonel— First
Lieutenant Andrew S. Rowan, Nineteenth
United States Infantry.
To Ke Commissaries of Substance, with
Rank of Major— Robert Lee Longstreet of
Georgia. Evelyn S. Garnett of Arkansas.
Oaten tn Go to ChieknniauKa.
Washington. May 31.—Brig. Gen. Oates,
ex-governor of Alabama, will be assigned
to duty with one of the army corps at
Camp George 11. Thomas, Ciuckamaugx
THE WEEKLY NEWS (TWO-TIMES-A-WEEK): THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1898.
MAY ATTACK TWO POINTS.
SANTIAGO AND SAN JUAN MAY BOTH
BE TAKEN.
Government Relieved to Have n Suf
ficient Number of Regulars and
Well-Seasoned Volunteers to Carry
Out Roth Projects—The War From
Thia Time to Be Prosecuted at All
Points With the Utmost Vigor.
Washington, May 31.—When the cabi
net meeting adjourned to-day it was an
nounced that the matters under discussion
were not of vital importance, nor was
there anything of interest that could be
given tb the public.
The best information obtainable from
other sources, however, strongly indicates
that the important military movement now
in progress will be directed against San
tiago, and in co-operation with the fleet
under Commodore Schley and the allied
insurgent forces. Our forces are expected
to speedily capture the city of Santiago
and the fleet, or destroy both.
It is also Intimated from high sources
that the land expedition now embarking
at Key West may be divided, and one di
vision sent to co-operate with Admiral
Sampson against Porto Rico.
It is believed that the government now
has a sufficient number of regulars and
seasoned volunteers to carry out both of
these plans to a successful issue.
Transports in sufficient numbers and ca
pacity already have been secured, and it
is the opinion of high officials that one or
both of these plans are now being earned
into execution.
Gen. Miles, who left here last night to
take command of the military forces, is
known to have the entire confidence of the
President, who in the course of to-day’s
cabinet meeting, said in effect that he had
the utmost confidence in Gen. Miles’ abil
ity as a soldier and fully expected that he
would prove entirely worthy of his trust.
Members of the administration are
agreed that the war from this time will be
prosecuted at all points with the utmost
vigor.
The President has begun to prepare to
help the families of the insurgents and re
concentrados who still drag out a miser
able existence. Should it become neces
sary the genera] of the army has prepared
an estimate of $5,000,000 for the purchase
of sufficient supplies to feed 150,000 recon
centrados for six months.
For the time being, it is felt that the
'real field of action is removed from Wash
ington and is centered with the troops, now
advancing under orders here,and with our
ships. The time of preparation has gone
by and it remains only for the prepara
tions to be carried into effect.
There will continue to be much routine
detail In the maintenance of the large mil
itary and naval force, but this is now in
well established channels. The more vi
tal feature of the campaign itself has
been fully matured.
To a certain extent the military and na
val operations will be directed from Wash
ington, and yet with Gen. Miles of the
South and Admiral Sampson and Commo
dore Schley in Cuban waters they will
have most to do with the time and circum
stances of attack. The commanders, na
val and military, have been given latitude,
as the authorities here fully appreciate
that battles cannot be fought.in advance
on paper.
The consular reports issued to-day con
tain some additional declarations of neu
trality, this time from Brazil. Japan, Brit
ish Guiana, St. Lucia and Gibraltar.
It is noticeable that both Brazil and
Japan go out of the way of the usual
formal preamble to express regret at the
outbreak of hostilities between the United
States and Spain.
Bermuda modifies her original proclam
ation of April 23, so as to make the rule
relative to supplying provisions, subsist
ence and coal to belligerent ships con
form closely to the very severe English
rules on that subject.
The Japanese proclamation is rather re
markable from the great exactness with
which it prescribes the rules that are to
govern Japanese subjects in their dealings
with the belligerents and the treatment
that will be accorded belligerent ships.
The proclamation evidently was prepared
with great care and may serve as a model
for the guidance of diplomats of all na
tions.
The board of naval bureau chiefs Is try
ing to hasten the work of construction of
the battleships authorized by the present
naval appropriation bill. The Illinois type
upon which the new vessels are to be con
structed, will occupy about three years in
construction. After a conference to-day the
bureau chiefs, presumably with knowledge
of the constructive ability of the American
ship yards capable of undertaking this
work, resolved to reduce the time allowed
for building the new ships to a maximum
of thirty-two months.
The navy department bought another
yacht to-day. the Inquirer, at New York,
for use in the auxiliary flee!, by which
term the Mosquito fleet will be designated
in accordance witli the terms of the recent
ly enacted act on the subject.
SI’BPECTKD OF POISONING.
Spaniard* Believed to Have Tamper
ed With Fifth at Manila.
Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press.
Hong Kong, May 31.—According to mail
advices to the correspondents of the Asso
ciated Press, dated May 27, there is serious
sickness on board the United States cruiser
Boston. It is believed that the Spaniards
poisoned the fish.
Rear Admiral Dewey promised to refrain
from bombarding on condition that the
Spaniards refrained from strengthening
their defenses. On Sunday, the 22d inst.,
they were observed violating the pledge,
and Admiral Dewey fired as a warning.
The work was stopped. Nobody was hurt.
SHIP ORDERED FROM MANILA.
Admiral Dewey Relieved <o Have
Contemplated Some Action.
London. May 31,—The owners of the
British ehip Genista, which has been load
ing at Manila, have received a cable dis- !
patch dated May 34, saying Rear Admiral '
Dewey has ordered the vessel to leave
the port, from which it is conjectured that
the American commander contemplated
some action.
TORPEDOES FOR MANILA HARBOR.
House Asked to Make Another Heavy
Appropriation.
\\ ashington. May 31.—The Secretary ot
ar sent to the House to-day a recom
nx’nda:wn for funds for harbor defenses
and other worie in carrying on the war,
aggregating many millions of dollars.
Among other items was a significant brief
one recommending an appropriation of
slso.vto for torpedo defense of Manila har
bor. Philippine Islands, to be available un
til expended.
CHICK IMAI G A’S VOLUNTEERS.
Only Eight RcKiment* Yet Under Or
der* to Leave.
Chickamauga National Park May XL
Much to the diappointmer.t of a number of
volunteer regiments here who think they
are ready to go to the front, no orders were
received to move any of the commands
additional to those mentioned yesterday.
The Southern and the Western and At
lantic Railroads were instructed to move
four regiments to-morrow morning. In
accordance with tins order, the following,
regiments have been designated to move
to-morrow:
First District of Columbia, One Hun
dred and Fifty-seventh Indiana, Second
New York and First Ohio Infantry.
The Fifth Maryland, Sixty-ninth New
York, Third Pennsylvania and First Illi
nois will leave Thursday morning.
Orders have been issued and are expect
ed to-morrow from Washington that all
regiments of volunteers be recruited to the
full strength of 1.307 officers and men, and
recruiting officers are to be detailed at
once to secure these recruits.
George Schwarts, private, Company D
of Pennsylvania, of Allentown, died to
day. The cause of his death was pneumo
nia. Private Schwarts’ brother was with
him. and the remains will be taken home
to-night for interment.
The First Mississippi Infantry, compris
ing 1,000 officers and men, in command of
Col. George Govpn, arrived to-day.
An incident of the arrival of the Mississ
ippians created considerable enthusiasm.
When their trains arrived at the central
depot there were several hundred of the
Northern and Western volunteers there
waiting for the park trains. The South
erners got out of the train and gave their
Northern comrades “the rebel yell,” by
way of assuring them that they were
ready to fight with them to the last ditch.
FITZHUGH LEE AT JACKSONVILLE.
General Ha* a Talk With Gen. Miles
at the Latter’s Train.
Jacksonville, May 31.—Gen. Fitzhugh Lee
arrived in this city from Tampa early this
evening and his welcome amounted to an
ovation.
Hundreds crowded the station as his train
rolled in and cheer on cheer greeted him as
he stepped from Mr. Plant’s private car,
which had been placed at his disposal.
A committee of prominent citizens met
him and he was escorted to the Seminole
club, where he was entertained for an hour
by his old friends here. No formal demon
stration was attempted, as he had express
ed his strong aversion to such a welcome.
He was driven later to the Windsor Ho
tel, which will be his headquarters in this
city.
He was accompanied by four members
of his staff, Capt. R. E. L. Michie, as
sistant adjutant general; Lieut. Col. Custis
Guild, Jr., inspector general; Lieut. L. M.
Maus, chief surgeon, and Lieut. Col. Ol
iver E. Wood, chief of commissary. The
aides of his personal staff, Lieut. AlgerOn
Sartoris, Fitzhugh Lee, Jr., and Cartos
Carbonell, are expected to arrive from
Washington tomorrow.
Later in the evening, accompanied by
several members of his staff and other
military officers, at present located here,
Gen. Lee went to the terminal station and
paid their respects to Gen. Miles and his
party, during their stay in the city, en
route to Tampa. The two generals en
joyed half an hour’s conversation in Gen.
Miles’ private car, but nothing was given
out for publication.
Gen. Miles was shown the latest dis
patches regarding war news by an As
sociated Press correspondent and express
ed his gratification at what was shown
him.
.. .CAPTURED. r
Bound From Rto Janeiro to San Jutin
With Coal.
Key West, Fla., May 31.—Another prize
has been captured. She is the Spanish
bark Maria Dolores of Bilbao.
She was overhauled by one of the Ameri
can cruisers six miles off Porto Rico.
She was bound from Rio Janeiro to San
Juan de Porto Rico, with coal.
Some cases, supposed to contain ammu
nition, were found under the coal.
The Maria Dolores was captured about
6 o’clock on the morning of May 21. A
prize crew was put on board and the ves
sel was sent to Charleston. The report
of the capture was brought by a cruiser
which arrived here to-day.
I
GORDON CONFIRMED.
Nomination of Fred D. Grant Also
Favorably Acted Upon.
Washington, May 31. The Senate
in executive session to-day con
firmed the following nominations:
To be Brigadier Generals—Fred D.
Grant of New York; W. W. Gordon of
Georgia. ,
To be Second Lieutenants-^Albert J. Dil
lon of Florida.
When Col. Gordon’s name was reached
in the executive session Senator Bacon
spoke of the excellence of the appoint
ment and the high character of the man
and Col. Gordon was promptly confirmed
by uitanimous vote of the Senate.
SICKNESS AMONG SOLDIERS.
Many Member* of the 71»t New York
in the Hospital.
Tampa, Fla., May 31.—There is consid
erable sickness among the soldiers of the
Seventy-first New York volunteers, and
although only one fatality has ocurred so
far, several members of the regiment are
seriously ill. Seventeen of them are now
under the care of the regimental physi
cian<
Moot of the sickness is due to the change
of weather, although long hours of drill
ing in the intense heat, to which the
Northerners are unaccustomed, have re
sulted in several prostrations.
ALL ABOUT Al GUSTA.
Snpplle* Sent Soldier*—Broker*
• F'lghtlns License Ta*.
Augusta, Ga„ May 31.—Dr. Lansing Bur
rows, chaplain of the Sixth Regiment, and
Capt. Porter Fleming of the Ogiethorpes, >
went to Tampa to-night with a large stock
of clothing and groceries and $275 in money
for the volunteers from Augusta, now
with Col. Brown’s regiment at Tampa.
In the Superior Court to-day. Judge Cal
laway rendered a decision in a test case,
in which there was much local interest,
and which may bear upon like conditions
in other cities.
In levying the tax for the year, the city
of Augusta fixed a business tax upon
curbstone brokers, who sell from samples
and order goods only for purchasers, car
rying no stock themselves, and usually
having nothing more than desk room in an
office. Messrs. Walton & Carr made a test
case against the city, and ail the com
mission brokers joined in. the defense be
ing that the tax was an interference with
interstate commerce. Judge Callaway de
cided that the brokers were in business
lor themselves in Augusta, and were not
earning on interstate commerce; and held
the tax to be legally imposed. The ease
will be carried up to the Supreme Court.
EXPEDITION LANDS IN CUBA.
CARRIES ARMS AND AMMUNITION TO
THE INSURGENTS.
Over 4CO Men and a Big Pack Train
in the Party—Expedition Equipped
to Make a Stubborn Fight on Its
Own Account—Capt. J. A, Dorst the
Representative of the United
States Army—Party Greeted by
1,500 Armed Insurgents on Land
ing.
Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press.
Key West, iMay 31.—Over 400 men, with
a pack train and a large quantity of arms
and ammunition, sailed for Cuba on the
Plant line steamer Florida on the night
of May 21.
These men and the equipment constitut
ed an expedition able to operate independ
ently and Vo defend itself against any
body of Spanish troops which might op
pose it.
The expedition was under the command
of Col. Jos Lacrete, formerly insurgent
commander in Matanzas province. He as
sumed the direction of affairs immediately
on the landing of the expedition. Until
then Gen. Joaquin Castillo was in control.
In the landing of the expedition the
United States army was represent
ed by • Capt. J. A. Dorst and
Thomas Estrada Palma was represented
by J. E. Cartaya, who has been the land
ing agent of nearly every filibustering ex
pedition for more than a year.
Messrs. Castillo, Cartaya and Dorst will
return to Key West.
Gen. Julio Sanguilly, on the way to re
port to Gen. Maximo Gomez, was also on
the boat.
This is the most powerful anti-Spanish
expedition ever sent to Cuba. About 300
of the men are Cubans; the others are
Americans. The engineer corps of the ex
pedition is composed entirely of Americans
under Aurelian Ladd.
The men were dressed in canvas uni
forms furnished by the United States gov
ernment, and the commissary department
had rations enough to last fifteen days
after the landing.
The pack train consisted of seventy-five
mules and twenty-five horses. The expedi
tion carried 7,000 rifles and 2,000,000 rounds
of ammunition for Gen. Calixto Garcia.
The expedition is composed of hardy
young fellows, who looked fit for any
thing.
The expedition was convoyed by the
cruiser Marblehead, the torpedo boat de
stroyer Eagle and other warships.
Two younger brothers of the late Gen.
Nestor Aranguerren are with the expedi
tion.
The expedition was landed on the coast
of Cuba on Thursday morning; May 26.
When the Florida, escorted by the Osce
ola, drew up close to the shore at the
place selected for the landing, she sent
scouts to see if all was clear. These scouts
were greeted by Gens. Feria and Rojas
with some 1,500 armed insurgents.
Consequently, far from there being any
hostite demonstration upon the part of
the Spaniards, the landing df the expedi
tion was in the nature of a triumphal in
vasion. The Cubans, who were in waiting
for the party, had a brass band, and wel
comed the newcomers with national airs.
The work of unloading the cargo of the
Florida was promptly begun and carried
on by the 432 men composing the expedi
tion. There was nothing in the nature of
an Interruption. The work was finished'on
Friday.
While the cargo was being unloaded tne
Osceola, an auxiliary gunboat, with her
guns ready for action, scouted about the
vicinity looking for an enemy, but the
Spaniards apparently had no suspicion ot
what was taking place. So easily was the
dangerous mission accomplished that while
some members of the party were getting
the supplies ashore, others were providing
themselves with fruit, sugar and other
products of the landing place, a large
stoefc of which was brought back for Key
West friends.
Nevertheless, no precautionary measure
was neglected, and the moment the work
was concluded, the Florida and the Osce
ola slipped away, leaving the insurgents
to convoy their reinforcements into the
Interior, which it is confidently expected
was done without any casualty.
The returning members of the Florida
party brought with them several hundred
private letters, which, it is understood,
give a complete insight into the present
conditions prevailing in the blockaded
Island.
The local Cuban colony is elated over the
astonishing success of the expedition.
At the Cuban landing place people
crowded about trying to exchange fruit
for clothes and shoes, of which they stand
in great need. When the Florida arrived at
Key West she had a large Cuban flag
hanging over the railing of her upper deck
and a yellow flag flying.
The health officer delayed the landing of
Capt. Dorst and Gen. Castillo and others
for several hours.
The expedition landed a large quantity of
bacon ns well as army rations.
GARCIA’S ARMY 10,000 STRONG.
An Additional 5,000 on the Coast
Near Manati.
Key West, May 31, 2:30 p. m.—Couriers
from Cuba to-day Iwought highly encour
aging reports from Gen. Calixto Garcia’s
army. Garcia, alone, it is said, has 10,000
men, better equipped than ever before,
except in the matter of clothing, and they
are in excellent spirits.
Five thousand men, it is added, occupy
territory along the northern coast, near
Manati.
The Spanish troops have withdrawn to
Santiago, Holquin and Manzanillo, and
Gen. Garcia’s still hold district headquar
ters at Bayamo.
Gen. Menocal has been obliged to aban
don his contemplated attack on Holquin,-
province of Santiago de Cuba, Gen. Luque
of the Spanish army having thrown 10,000
men into the city and strongly fortified
the neighboring hills.
Thomas Collazo, Juan Miguel Portuondo
and Capt. Cardenas left Banes in a small
boat recently for Nassau, bearing dis
patches from Gen. Garcia to the United
■States authorities.
Recruit* Leave Atlanta.
Atlanta, Ga., May 31— Two hundred re
cruits left Atlanta to-day over the Atlanta
and West Point Railroad for Mobile. They
are in charge of Lieut. Heavey, and are
assigned to the Eleventh Infantry.
PRIVATE BILLS PASSED.
Life Savina Station* May Be Kept
Open Thia Sammer.
Washington, May 31.—The House tvas in
session one hour and thirty-five minutes
to-day.
A number of private bills were passed
and the House in committee of the whole,
considered a bill authorizing the Sec
retary of the Treasury to keep open during
June and July this year such life-saving
stations on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts
as he might deem advisable.
After some desultory discussion the bill
was amended to carry $70,000 instead of
$125,000, and passed.
The House, at 1:35, adjourned. •
WITCHCRAFT TERRORS.
Witch Proper Has No Kinship With
the Enchnntrwji.
From the Humanitarian.
The primitive mind, steeped in supersti
tion, feeds greedily on witchcraft, and
with this thought for a basis Mrs. Step
ney Rawson has built an interesting arti
cle, from which the following are ex
tracts: ,
The witch proper has neither kinship
with the Sybil or enchantress of sacred
or classic lore, or the Vala of Norse Saga.
There were persons of high standing, and
generally summoned by sage, hero or mon
arch. The link between such and the or
dinary witch of legend is the common con
juror or warlock. There were these in
plenty, men who began as chemists, and
dropped into alchemy and all sorts of
mysticism, who started as astronomers
and lapsed into mere astrologers. The
baser callings, then, as now, were those
that pay. Something there doubtless was
a.t the bottom of their success, a trick of
personality, a trace of the thing loosely
defined as “animal magnetism.’’ A cer
tain number of wizards suffered fop their
willful or unconscious machinations, but
the wizard was never so popular as the
witch. He was too clever, and assuredly
not fluid enough for the devil’s purposes.
The history of the real witch begins with
the fifteenth century. She is the outcome
of the northern imagination; she lurked
in clefts with the trolls, and rode on the
storm. She is treated at length in the lit
erature of the time in which she flour
ished (sic): “Some are rich and worldly
wise,” wrote James I, of witches, evidently
thinking of the fourteenth century Dame
Alice Kyteler, and the proud Duchess of
Gloucester, or of Mistress Euphemia Ma
calzean, daughter of Lord Cliftonhall, the
last of whom he brought to justice.
“Some,” continues the royal scribe, “are
fat and corpulent, and most part are
given over to the pleasures of the flesh,
and further experience daily proves how
loth they are to confess without torture,
which witnesseth their guiltiness. It is
this mixture of saffron and greedy age
and this reveling of the body, that forms
so appaling a vision, born of the puerile
suggestions of monks and the hysteria of
epileptic girls. The witch, it was clearly
understood,had a lover,a familiar of brut
ish shape, she was served by her imps
vampires, in essence, and these imps in
cited her daily to fresh and wholly pur
poseless malevolence It was not hard to
establish such a belief, for the most loath
some and grotesque details of the entire
creed were furnished by the supposed
witches themselves when half insane after
torture.
The famous Massachusetts persecutions
had the strangest beginning. A group of
young girls from 12 to 16, some of them
servants, all alike belonging to the work
ing classes, used to amuse themselves with
palmistry and thrilling legends. The cur
rent belief in supernatural beings was so
vivid that it took very little to make one
shiver on a dark night. The children with
their heads full of fantasies and fears
gradually worked themselves up into a
species of frenzy. We are told that they
“would creep into holes, make antic ges
tures, and utter loud outcries and incoher
ent expressions.” The parents became
alarmed, the village surgeon. Master
Griggs, was summoned, and diagnosed the
excitability as “possession.” Then there
was a prayer and fasting among the par
ents, and any divine that happened to be
available was invited to come and assist
in quelling the spiritual disturbance. The
girls grew quite experts at their work.
When they were conjured to name those
who had cast the spells,they uttered at
random the names of three innocent, neigh
bors. Then there was a panic in tfalem.
The children were brought irfto court face
to face with the accused. Whenever a sen
sation seemed to be required the "afflicted
children” gave it by counterfeiting delir
ium or unconsciousness. The most har
rowing of ail these qases is that of Martha
Garrler, a Godiy-loving woman, whose
young children were forced to witness
against her. Their wild statements,
prompted by the prosecutors, brought her
to her death. After a while the witch ma
nia died out, certain eminent New Eng
land divines having reluctantly discovered,
and as reluctantly confessed, in so many
words, that there had been a little mis
take somewhere, and that they had been
misinformed as to the devil’s intentions.
The witch owed her importance as an
institution to the clergy. It is not sur
prising. The misinterpretation of that
single sentence in Exodus, thundered (pre
sumably) by Moses: “Thou Shalt not suffer
a witch to live,” suffices for any amount
of fanaticism, with the confirmation of
Leviticus and Deuteronomy. And where
heresy showed its head, there was witch
hounding rampant. The pursuit of tooth
less, babbling hags by bland prelates
makes pitiful reading. There were also
cases in which the poor and old were not
always the quarry. Some ladies, both
beautiful and powerful, escaped; others
fell. They were the majority, for ac
quittal was as rare as recovery from “the
pock.”
We may note that up to the fifteenth
century the government paid little heed
to witchcraft. The first state recognition
of it was marked by two acts of parlia
ment in 1541, declaring sorcery false proph
ecy, and the pulling down of crosses a
felony. The suspicion of heresy, we note
once more, almost invariably started the
suspicion of witchcraft. The tardiness of
the civil law in this respect may be ac
counted for by the fact that it had very
little to fear from witchcraft, except
where any great person happened to feel
himself nastily jogged by the popular su
perstition. Indeed, had Elizabeth Barton
in the reign of Henry VIII, abstained from
suggesting unpleasant things about the
duration of that pleasure-loving monarch's
existence on the throne and in the flesh,
she would never have been hung at Ty
burn for sorcery. During the two subse
quent reigns there were but few witch
trials. Historians seem to be commonly
agreed that the energetic Mary was much
too busy roasting bigger game to trouble
about peasant harridans. Queen Eliza
beth's divines, however, did not scruple
to remind her that witchcraft was “mar
velously increased,” the signs being that
"Your grace’s subjects pine away even
unto the death, their color fadeth, their
flesh rotteth. 1 pray God,” thus the wor
thy Jewell, “that they never practice
further than upon the subject.” Evident
ly the naughty hags did, however, for poor
Bess had a woful attack of toothache only
twenty years later, of which magic is the
suggested agency.
CASE INVOLVING 500.000 ACRES.
United States Supreme Court Hands
Downs a Decision.
Washington, May 31.—The United States
Supreme Court, through Justice Harlan,
to-day rendered an opinion in a case in
volving a tract of 500,(00 acres of land in
Virginia and West Virginia.
The land was patented by the state of
Virginia to Robert Morris in 1795. The
case was brought by Henry C. King
against various claimants to the land.
King claiming through transfers from
Morris and the defendants resisting on the
ground that the Morris grant had been
forfeited.
The case was decided by the Circuit
Court for the District of West Virginia
against King's contentions and this view
of the case was affirmed by to-day’s de
cision.
Only that portion of the grant lying
in West Virginia was directly involved in
the opinion, but it also affects the Vir
ginia lands.
BUTLER SWEARS ALLEGIANCE.
IS TO BE ORDERED TO CAMP ALGER
FOR TEMPORARY DUTY.
Creation of n. New Military Depart
ment to Be Composed of the Statej
of North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida Among the
Probabilities—Gen. Butler Mention
ed as Likely to Be placed in Com
mand.
Washington, May 31.—Maj. Gen. M. C.
Butler received his commission to-day, and
he is to oe ordered to temporary duty at
Camp Alger, to assist Gen. Graham in
organizing the forces there.
It is the intention of the Secretary of
War to create a new military department,
composed of states along the South At
lantic coast, and place Gen. Butler in com
mand. The new department will proba
bly consist of North Carolina, South Car
olina, Georgia and Florida. The subject
is yet undel- advisement, and the location
of department headquarters is still unde
cided. It is believed there will be a lively
competition between Charleston, Savan
nah and Atlanta for the privilege of furn
ishing the site.
Gen. Butler will proceed to his home at
Edgefield, S. C., to-morrow, and return
here in a few days, and report at Camp
Alger. In the meantime the Secretary of
War will consider the details connected
with the establishment of the new depart
ment of the South.
The incidents attending the taking of the
oath by Gen. Butler at the war depart
ment this afternoon were full of interest.
Gen. Butler called at the war department
and was cordially greeted by Secretary
Alger. The newly created major general
,and the Secretary of War indulged in some
reminiscences in conversation about the
late civil war, when they were leading op
posing forces in the Virginia campaign
Gen. Alger recalled the fact that Gen
Butler rode a white horse, which made
him a mark for many of the Michigan
riflemen. His horse was shot from un
der him, but he escaped unharmed. It
was the relating of this incident which in.
duced.Gen. Butler to remark that he will
go into the present war on a less conspic
uous horse.
While Gen. Butler‘and Secretary Alger
chatted pleasantly about the new duties of
the South Carolinian, Adjt. Gen. Corbin
went to the White House and obtained the
signature of President McKinley to Gen.
Butler’s commission. In the meantime
the departmental notary entered the sec
retary’s office and administered the "iron
clad oath” to the ex-Confederate general.
Gen. John M. Wilson, chief of engineers,
witnessed the ceremony and he remarked
that he could not keep back the flood of
recollections of the bitter past,as he grasp
ed Gen. Butler’s hand, and.warmly con
gratulated him upon his appointment. It
was a touching incident to see two gallant
old soldiers almost moved to tears, so firm
is their bond of friendship and patriotic de
votion.
When Gen. Corbin returned from the ex
ecutive mansion, he brought the commis
sion and also the pen the President had
used in signing it. The pen was presented
to Gen. Butler, as a souvenir for his wife.
Gen. Butler is overwhelmed with appli
cations for staff assignments. These came
from South Carolina and Georgia, prin
cipally, and ■ they are from men who
served with the general in the Confeder
ate army, or their sons. Applicants for
these positions are bound to be disap
pointed, however, as the general will have
practically no appointments at his com
mand. His staff will have to be taken from
officers of the regular army.
TIFFANY YELLED ALOUD.
Thought a. Tarantula Had Bitten
Him—He’s a "Rough Rider.”
From the New York Press.
San Antonio, Tex., May 21.—For the sec
ond time since he has been a rough rider
William Tiffany of New York disturbed
the camp with cries of distress last night.
At about 11 o’clock he rushed out of his
tent, shouting that he had been bitten on
the finger by a tarantula and frantically '
pleading for somebody t» save his life.
Men came tumbling out of their tents all
along the line, and, although most of
them scouted the idea of there being any
tarantulas in this pert of the country,
Tiffany insisted on having medical aid and
hurried to a surgeon’s tent, followed by a
large mob of scantily dressed rough riders.
As soon as the surgeon could find out
what was the matter the wildly excited
sufferer he took Tiffany apart from tho
turbulent mob and after examining his fin
ger, said, rather curtly: "A stinging scor
pion has bitten you. Go to the commis
sary and get some soda and water and put
it on your finger and then go back to bed.”
Tiffany did this, but he was not able to
sleep for some time on account of the hil
arity prevailing in the camp.
The New Yorkers got up rather weary
after their first night in tents, but they
had no tim4 for repining. The third
squadron had its first drill this morning,
and the "Gilded Gang,” which has been
drilling in exclusive squads in the shade,
had to march under the broiling sun with
the ferocious men from the Indian Terri
tory. Lieut. Col. Theodore Roosevelt took
charge of the squadron and unrelentingly
kept it marching for nearly three hours.
Roosevelt has shown himself to be a thor
ough tactician, and is devoting all his en
ergies toward getting the regiment train
ed to the highest possible degree of mili
tary efficiency before starting toward
Cuba. Nearly all the men are enthusias
tic in their admiration of him, and Henry
Remming, who lassooed the mountain lion
which is the regiment's mascot, has nans
ed the lion “Roosevelt.”
CROP CONDITIONS IN LOWNDES.
Rain Badly Needed—The Watermelon
Crop Heavy.
Valdosta, Ga., May 31.—The farmers
throughout this section neen rain badly.
A heavy rain fell yesterday in the west
ern part of the county, but it was not a
general rain by any means. The earth
is dry and dusty all through the section
and crops are beginning to suffer. The
farmers are living economically this year
and are trying to meet the conditions of
the war times without locs to themselves.
The watermelon crop is heavy along the
new roads around here, but is light in
other localities. The crop will be back
ward on account of the dry weather.though
melons will probably be on the market
in the next ten days. The growers are
fearful now that they will suffer from
shipping and that they will have to rely
more than formerly upon the home mar
kets. The crop in this county is far kss
than in former years.
Cattle shipping has continued through
this section. In consequence cattle bring
ing much higher prices than formerly.
Shipments have been made from all parts
of South Georgia to the western states
and the cattle industry has been wonder
fully stimulated by the great demand.
Another good indication in this section
is the little attention that the farmers are
giving to politics and politicians. They
are learning that their friends who want
office are more interested in getting the
place than they are in turning every
thing the farmers way.