SECRET SAVES LIFE AND WILLIAM H. SHANKLAND

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, November 23, 1897.

SECRET SAVES LIFE.

Quesada's Lucky Escape From Spanish Bullets.

KNEW OF OFFICERS' INTRIGUES.

Arrival In New York of the Competitor's Crew, Just Out of a Spanish Jail. Greeted With Cheers. Too Weak to Respond.

   NEW YORK, Nov. 23.—Alfredo Laborde of New Orleans, Ona Melton of Kansas, William Leavitt of Bangor, Me.; William Gildes, a native of England but a naturalized citizen of the United States, and Charles Barnett, a British subject, the master and members of the crew of the schooner Competitor, who were released last week from prison in Cuba, arrived here last evening on the steamship Saratoga from Havana.

   Although in a deplorable condition on account of their confinement in a filthy and unhealthy Spanish dungeon for 19 months, and expecting daily during the whole of that time to be taken out and shot as filibusters, the five men were happy, indeed, when they landed from the steamer at its dock.

   The released men wore the same clothes which they had on at the time of their capture on April 25, 1896, at Berracos, San Cayetano, Cuba.

   Another equally happy passenger on the Saratoga was Julio Arteago y Quesada, the young Cuban insurgent who was ordered to be shot by Weyler but was pardoned by General Blanco, a friend of the prisoner's father who, before the latter's death in Mexico, had for years been a professor in the Havana college.

   The six men who had escaped the fate of the Virginus captives were greeted upon their arrival by an enthusiastic crowd. They were too weak to respond to the cheers which had been given in their honor.

   Captain Laborde's brother was one of those assembled on the dock. The meeting between the brothers was a touching one. The friends of the others cried with joy as they grasped the hands of the released prisoners whose eyes were sunken, their faces pallid and their forms emaciated.

   Representatives of the Cuban junta were also present and they added their greeting to the men who had risked their lives for the cause of Cuba Libre.

   Young Quesada is a nephew of Gonzales de Quesada, secretary of the Cuban junta in this city.

   The youth, who had abandoned his studies at Columbia college here to fight in the ranks of the Cuban army of liberation, was captured in the sacking of an insurgent hospital by the Spaniards and was sentenced to be shot on Nov. 4 last. The story of the capture of the men on the Competitor, their sentence of death by a courtmartial, and the efforts made by this government in their behalf, are too well known to require repeating.

HOW QUESADA ESCAPED.

Release Not Due to Blanco's Friendship, but Fear of the Boy.

   This is the story which young Quesada told concerning his release:

   While a member of the army corps in the Pinar del Rio district I became possessed of information to the knowledge of which I think I owe the saving of my life.

   Last March I wandered about half a mile away from our hospital tent in search of some herbs, of which I desired to make medicine, when a detachment of an infantry battalion captured me. The noise made by my struggle to free myself aroused my 13 companions and they rushed to my assistance. During the fight that followed my friends were beaten and one of them was killed.

   After the conflict was over I was bound and thrown on the ground and unmercifully beaten. I was told if I would confess where my comrades had their dynamite stored they would stop beating me.

   This I declined to do, and seeing that they could not force a confession from me they sent me to Artemisa prison, where I was tried and sentenced to be shot.

   It was at this juncture that my knowledge stood me in good stead.

   Two prominent Spanish generals, one a brigadier general, whose name I do not care to mention, and General Arolas, principally concerned [themselves] in my release. They feared me because they knew I had disclosures to make which would ruin them. They thought that if I had to die I would tell what I knew. These men are either base cowards or a desire to hold their positions overcame their scruples.

   They were in constant communication with the insurgent generals, having written letters to them, which I saw while in the Pinar del Rio district, in which they stated that they wanted to make arrangements by which Spanish soldiers would not be attacked in the districts controlled by them.

   In return the insurgents were to have free access to the Holy trocha, and be permitted to pass at will.

   This proposition was accepted, and in this way we were able to keep in constant communication with Gomez, Maceo and Garcia.

   We had about 5,000 men under command of General Nunez, while the Spaniards had between 40,000 to 50,000, yet we were well able to cope with them.

   The friends of young Quesada were surprised to learn that he had secured his release by giving away a secret which betrayed the allies of the insurgents in the Spanish array. It was this information and not General Blanco's friendship for the late Professor Quesada that secured his pardon.

ONA MELTON'S STORY.

Cruelly Bound and Prodded With Sharp Sticks—Release a Surprise.

   Probably the most wretched of the Competitors crew is Ona Melton, the newspaper correspondent, whose intention on going to Cuba was not to participate in the war, but to report the true situation in that country for the Jacksonville (Fla.) Times-Union.

   In describing his capture and subsequent treatment Melton said that when the first shot was fired by the Spanish gunboat he and two of his companions lowered a small boat and tried to escape. They were pursued and captured a short distance from the shore.

   On board the gunboat they were cruelly bound with ropes and were prodded with sharp pointed sticks, which punctured their flesh. They were afterwards thrown into a cell and fed only once a day. After the first six days the prisoners were permitted to see the United States consul general, Ramon O. Williams, and were fed twice a day on food that barely supported life.

   Next Melton told of the farcical courtmartial which ended in the sentence of death.

   "I never expected to be here," he said.

   After the respite, Melton said that he and his companions were placed in a large cell containing 40 other prisoners, both political and criminal, in the Cabanas fortress, and there he remained in fear, expecting each day to be his last on earth.

   Nov. 18 he was taken out of the dungeon, as he supposed, to be shot, but in the corridor, he met Consul General Lee who, to Melton's sunrise, iinformed him that all of the Competitor prisoners had been pardoned.

   Then he and his comrades were placed on board the Saratoga, which brought them here.

   When arrested Melton weighed 165 pounds but now he could not pull down the scales at 100 pounds. He will remain here for about a week and will then return to his home.

New York Journal and Advertiser, Nov. 23, 1897.

WELL TREATED.

Wardens and Jailers Did All They Could For the Prisoners.

   Captain Laborde, speaking of his prison life, said: "The stories of cruelties in Spanish prisons is utterly unfounded. I have been there long enough to know. The jailers were as kind as could be expected and Matteo Fernandez, the warden of the Cabanas, was especially kind and considerate, so much so that we called him father.

   "Why, we knew more about what was going on than you did.

   "How did we learn? Well, I can't tell that, as it might hurt those I have left behind.

   "Yes, American gold went a great way. I got a little money from time to time, and the guards, who did not receive any pay while I was there, were always gratified for anything I gave them, and amply paid for what they got."

   Captain Laborde had two strokes of paralysis while in prison and was afterward removed to the Havana city jail, which is not run as strictly as the Cabanas. He will petition this government to bring a heavy suit for damages against Spain. He will remain here for some time.

   Two members of the Competitor crew, Dr. E. Bordia and Telgado Masso, both Spaniards, are still in prison in Cuba. Their release has, it is said, been promised.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

An Advanced Thinker's Mistake.

   An impassioned orator who thinks he has a great mission to uplift the downtrodden masses declares that "no man can acquire $100,000 in a long lifetime unless be does it by robbery." Probably it would be impossible for the orator who made this statement to get $100,000 except by stealing it. But when he says nobody can do it he dashes his little brains against a solid wall of fact.

   Let us see. There is the sweet song bird Patti. Her earnings half a dozen years ago from her voice alone footed up considerably over $1,000,000. Did she rob those who gladly paid their money to hear her matchless music? A thing is honestly worth just what people are willing to pay for it Patti's singing was worth over $1,000,000 to those who loved to hear it; otherwise they would not have paid so much for the privilege of listening.

   Let us see again. There is farming, which the impassioned orator in question would probably claim to be the most toilsome and poorest paid occupation of all. Well, in one of the eastern states there is a farmer, now a century old, who is worth $100,000. He had no exceptional advantages except a clear, shrewd head and a determined will. In an interview not long since he said: "A man should lay up $1,000 for every year of his life. That is what I have done off my farm." His farm is one of the show places of his neighborhood, and he himself one of the most respected citizens far and near. Simply by using his brains and putting his heart into his business he accumulated $100,000. Did he rob anybody?

   ◘ Will you sell me some fast cruisers quick, with quick firing guns to scare the United States? says Spain to a canny British shipbuilder. "You do us honor," replies the British builder. "Nothing would give us greater pleasure than to sell you cruisers to whip our brother of the United States; terms, spot cash, please." But Spain has not the cash and cannot get it. The deal falls through.

   ◘ It is declared to be a fact that the Thompsons, British shipbuilders, are holding back four torpedo boat destroyers which they finished a year ago because Spain cannot pay cash for the vessels and the firm will not trust her for the money Thus low has this once proud nation fallen, and it serves her right.

   ◘ If they are turned out according to contract, as the secretary of the navy insists they shall be, the torpedo boats Rodgers and Winslow, now building at Baltimore, will be as fast as anything afloat. The contract requires them to have a speed of 24 1/2 knots an hour.

WILLIAM H. SHANKLAND.

Appointed Clerk of the Court of Appeals—Native of Cortland.

   ALBANY, Nov. 23.—William H. Shankland has been appointed clerk of the court of appeals to succeed Gorham Parks, deceased. Mr. Shankland has been in active service in the court for fourteen years.

   Mr. Shankland is a son of the late Judge W. H. Shankland and was born in Cortland in 1841. He was educated in the Cortlandville academy and at Union college. After graduation from college, he entered the law office of his father in Cortland, and soon became a member of the firm of Shankland & Shankland, remaining as such and practicing in Cortland until his appointment as deputy clerk of the court of appeals fourteen years ago, when he removed to Albany, where he has since resided.

   His mother, Mrs. L. K. Shankland, was seen at her home, 36 Tompkins-st., this afternoon, and when informed by the STANDARD man of her son's promotion, was much delighted. She had not heard of the appointment.

A LIVELY RUN.

Struck Against a Telephone Pole—Neck Yoke Crashed Through a Window.

   Frank Parker, who resides on the Charles Willett farm south of Blodgett Mills, is the possessor of a pair of horses which made a lively run on the Railroad-st. pavement this morning, and made fairly good progress through the mud on Main-st. He left them standing for a minute in front of H. F. Benton's office, when something frightened them and they started out at top speed, drawing the heavy lumber wagon in which were two dressed pigs which Mr. Parker had brought to market.

   When Main-st. was reached, they started north, and it looked as though they were going directly through the large plate glass windows into the Cortland House. But they did not. They passed the corner of the hotel on the sidewalk, escaping contact with either the hotel or a large electric light pole at the edge of the walk.

   Farther up the street they went, until R. B. Linderman's hotel was reached, when they struck a high telephone pole and came to a standstill. As they struck the pole, the neckyoke broke loose and went crashing through the window in the door of Hotel Burns with great force. H. S. Fuller, who was standing just inside the door, was struck on the left foot by the flying neckyoke with such force as to cut through his rubber. No damage seemed to be done to either horses or wagon.

Glish Pleaded Guilty.

   John Glish, who was arrested some time ago at the Salvation Army rooms on the charge of intoxication, and whose case has been adjourned from time to time, appeared in police court this morning, withdrew his former plea of not guilty, and interposed a plea of guilty. Police Justice Mellon gave him some sound advice about drinking and then disturbing religious meetings, all of which Glish listened to with interest. No sentence was passed but the case was held open, and Glish was informed that on the first complaint, he would receive sentence on this charge.

A BUSINESS CHANGE.

Charles V. Fleming Embarks in the Candy and Fruit Business.

   Mr. Charles W. Fleming has purchased the stock of candies of H. C. Hemenway in the store first door north of Graham's drug store, and will hereafter keep constantly on hand at the same place a line of Hemenway's choice candies fresh every day. He will also keep on hand a choice and complete line of fruits and nuts of all kinds.

BREVITIES.

   —The Rob Roy dancing class meets this evening in Empire hall, followed by a reception.

   —James Ray pleaded guilty to public intoxication in police court yesterday and sentence was suspended.

   —Assemblyman Haight of Monroe county purposes to introduce a bill in the next legislature to legalize Sunday baseball playing, and thinks he will be able to get it through.

   —The Clair Tuttle Comedy company, which began a week's engagement at the Opera House last night, closed its engagement with the first entertainment. The Opera House will be closed the remainder of the week.

   —A 6-year-old girl in Gloversville has been suffering from hiccoughs for four weeks and medical aid seemed powerless to stop it. Finally hypnotism was tried. She was put to sleep by a hypnotist, and was aroused after a little [time] with the hiccoughs entirely gone.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Bacon, Chappell & Co., Black Dress Goods, page 7; J. O. Corliss, Breakfast Goods, page 6; T. P. Bristol, Don't Be Fooled, page 8; C. F. Brown, Purses, page 7; A. S. Burgess, Thanksgiving, page 4; Simmons & Grant, Great Sale of Clothing, page 8; D. McCarthy, Men's Hats, page 7.