 |
| General Diego de Los Rios. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, March 14, 1899.
RIOS ASKS FOR ADVICE.
He Protests Against General Otis' Orders.
THE SITUATION IS VERY GRAVE.
Spain's Negotiations for the Release of the Spanish Prisoners Stopped by Rios. Thinks It Time to Appeal to the Powers—Spain Will Submit.
MADRID, March 14.—General Rios, the Spanish commander in the Philippines, in an official dispatch acquainting the government with the fact that Major General Otis has stopped the negotiations for the release of the Spanish prisoners in the hands of the rebels, says:
"I protest in the name of humanity and believe the time has arrived to appeal through the consuls to the good offices of the [European] powers."
The dispatch says also: "I am told that the Filipinos are at war with the Americans and that the prisoners cannot be ransomed for money, as that would improve the position of the insurgents. In view of my situation between the Americans and the Filipinos I await the orders of the government."
A copy of the dispatch was sent immediately to Senor Silvela, the premier, who had a long conference with General Polavieja, minister of war. Both admit the gravity of the situation and the dispatch will be submitted to the cabinet council.
The government is perplexed at seeing no clear solution of the difficulty. At the ministry of war it was said that no reply will be sent to General Rios, pending the cabinet's decision.
The plan of negotiating with Aguinaldo direct, without reference to Washington has been abandoned, however, and Senor Silvela, in the capacity of minister of foreign affairs, will probably not await the decision of the cabinet regarding the dispatch before communicating with the American government.
 |
| Admiral Fernando Villaamil. |
SKELETON IN A CHAIR.
Remains of Admiral Villamil Fully Identified.
PROMINENT IN SPANISH NAVY.
He Had Been Dead Ever Since the Destruction of Admiral Cervera's Fleet.
Buzzards Had Stripped the Bones of Flesh—Theory as to His Death.
SANTIAGO, Cuba, March 14.—General Leonard Wood, military governor of the department of Santiago, in the presence of the adjutant generals of the department, Captain Beacom and Captain Gilmore, Captain Scott, captain of the port, and other officers, positively identified the remains of the Spanish officer discovered a few days ago among the rocks on the shore about four miles west of El Morro, as those of Admiral Villamil, who commanded the Spanish torpedo destroyers in the naval battle which resulted in the destruction of Admiral Cervera's squadron.
Accompanied by the officers named and by others, General Wood went in a tug to investigate personally as to the truth of the report that the body of a Spanish officer had been found, tied in an armchair, at the point designated. The report proved well founded. Nearly opposite the point where the wrecked torpedo boat destroyer Pluton lies General Wood found an armchair with ropes around it, a skull, bones on the ground, and the ragged remnants of the uniform of a captain in the Spanish navy. It was evident that the buzzards had stripped the bones of flesh.
It is understood here—though as to this there is no certainty—that Admiral Villamil was taken ashore from the Pluton in a dying condition, tied in an armchair, and the supposition is that he died immediately on reaching the shore, the body being left abandoned among the rocks, where it remained undiscovered until a few days ago.
Admiral Villamil, it is known, was wounded in the right arm and the left leg. General Wood put the bones together, showing the unmistakable marks of wounds in these places. The identification was in every respect complete. In the pocket of the coat was found the fleet countersign for June 26, signed by the late Captain Oviedo y Bustamento, then Admiral Cevera's chief of staff.
Colonel Beacom and Captain Gilmore carried the armchair, the tattered uniform and the bones, and…by a handkerchief of the dead officer and one of Colonel Beacom to the tug, which lay about four miles off.
The identification caused a sensation among the Spaniards here as Admiral Villamil was one of the best known strategists in the Spanish navy and a man held in high esteem by his countrymen.
General Wood, through the war department, will notify the secretary of state of the finding of the remains so that these can be removed to Spain if the Spanish government so desires. Pending final disposition, they will be kept at the arsenal here. The tattered uniform will also be held subject to Spain's wishes. The armchair is at present in charge of Captain Scott.
The presence of the arm chair in which the supposed remains of the late Admiral Villamil were found by General Leonard Wood is accounted for in the following statement:
While the Pluton was pounding to pieces on the rocks and when many of her crew were on shore nearby, a correspondent went ashore in the Wanda's small boat to communicate with the Spaniards. He found them in charge of a small squad of sailors from the American converted yacht Gloucester and was told that there was a wounded man on the rocks, above the beach, who had been carried there by some of his companions.
The correspondent found the man who was apparently dying, and immediately sent his boat's crew back to the Wanda with instructions to inform Captain F. C. Miller of the dispatch boat of the circumstances and to ask him to send a litter, or something of that kind ashore, so that the wounded man could be taken out to the Gloucester.
Captain Miller promptly sent a wicker chair which had been in use on the after deck of the Wanda, and which was the nearest approach to a litter which the yacht possessed. This chair was turned over to the sailors of the Gloucester on shore, who said they would try to get the wounded man to their vessel. The correspondent with his boat's crew then returned to the Wanda, leaving the chair on shore. The man for whom the chair was intended was certainly not Admiral Villamil, but a common sailor or fireman from the Pluton.
It is not known what became of him, but he probably died before he could be taken to the Gloucester, as he had a frightful wound in the body, caused by a piece of shell.
If the man did die, the Gloucester sailors doubtless left the chair on shore, where it was probably used later by some of the escaped Spanish sailors in giving assistance to Admiral Villamil. The admiral at that time was reported to be on shore badly wounded, but he could not be found by the American sailors. The Santiago dispatch would indicate that Spanish sailors placed him in the chair and that he died there.
COMING HOME SOON.
Doings of Two Hundred Third in Camp at Greenville, S. C.
Slowly but surely the Two Hundred Third is moving toward muster out. Everything still goes on the same as ever. No drills or other camp duties have been omitted, but most of the ordnance has been turned in except that which the men wish to keep. The men are allowed to keep the latter upon the payment of a sum fixed by the government. Most all of them have kept canteen, haversack, bayonet or some other like article to remind them of their military days.
Every man is given a physical examination before he leaves the service, and all injuries, diseases, etc., incurred while in the service are made note of. This is to protect the government from fraudulent pension claims in the future.
All the southern railroads have formed a combine to keep rates up, and no reduction is made for clubs of ten or more, but this does not include roads north of Washington, and from that point the soldier can get reduced rates by getting together small clubs. Some of the Cortland boys think of going to Norfolk or Savannah, and take a boat. This trip may be made for about $14 to New York City.
The sales of trunks, valises and the like has been enormous, and there is hardly a day but two or more large loads are left in the camp. These are all sold at double the usual price, but the men are obliged to have some way of moving their things, thus giving them no alternative. The poor undertakers, who on account of the good health of the soldiers have not been able to profit by the soldiers' presence here, are feeling very sore, and one of them openly expressed the wish that they would half die so he could get a little business. The only wonder is that he wanted any of them left.
Spring here is quite far advanced. All of the gardens are being planted and the cottonfields are being prepared for the spring sowing. The days are quite warm, but there is a breeze from the mountains most of the time.
A stranger visiting the camp one day this week would have been surprised to see a small group of soldiers busily digging a large hole in the ground which, when completed, was filled by one or two of the large boulders near the camp and then covered over with dirt. This was done many times and was done as a punishment to the men who had imbibed too freely of corn juice the preceding night.
The paymaster arrived in camp this week, Glenn Atwood of Cortland being one of his guards. This regiment is expected to leave the service March 25 and it will be the first one of the regiments here to be mustered out. The men were all examined the fore part of the week. The examining surgeon said he had not examined a finer body of men. than the Two Hundred Third.
ERNEST E. BUTTERFIELD, Greenville, S. C., March 11, 1899.
 |
| Edward Hill Brewer House, Winter Haven, Fl. (Photo credit Wikipedia.) |
MR. BREWER'S HOUSE.
A Beautiful Winter Home on the Shores of Lake Osceola.
Mr. D. G. Corwin, who has just returned from Winter Park, Fla., where he has been building a new house for Mr. E. H. Brewer upon the shores of Lake Osceola, has some fine photographs of the new house and its surroundings. The house itself is a handsome one, two stories and an attic high, square in form with roof running up like a section of a pyramid. Broad verandas are on three sides of the house on the first floor with a balcony upon the second floor at the front. In the rear of the house and connected with it by a roof, but separated by a "blow off" passage is the kitchen, laundry and servants' quarters, itself a very sizeable building two stories high. A large and commodious stable is located at a convenient distance from the house, and in the rear is a high water tank which supplies water for all purposes about the piece.
In front the ground slopes gently to the shore of the lake twenty rods away. A fine boathouse has also been built there for Mr. Brewer's boats. The view across the lake and to right and left through the orange and grape fruit groves is very beautiful indeed. Mr. Brewer's grounds are very extensive and very handsome, and the whole forms a most beautiful winter home in the Sunny South.
Death of Miss Rockwell.
Miss Luella R. Rockwell died at 1:25 o'clock this afternoon at the home of her sister, Mrs. A. H. Clark, 75 N. Main-st., after an illness of eleven days from pleurisy. Her age was 51 years. For the past eight years she had been a resident of Cortland, having made her home with her sister here. She is survived by her father, Mr. Ira Rockwell of Taylor, and by nine brothers and sisters, her death being the first one to occur among the children, who are as follows: Mrs. A. H. Clark of Cortland, Mrs. A. H. Hopkins of Syracuse, Mrs. Rosetta S. Crane of Taylor, Mrs. Frank Potter of Wolverine, Me., F. S. Rockwell and W. C. Rockwell of New York City, Henry Rockwell of Homer, Ned C. Rockwell and Garrett P. Rockwell of Taylor.
The funeral will be held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Clark Thursday at 10 A. M., and the burial will be at Taylor.
Death of Mr. Walter.
George Walter, the father of O. W. Walter, the Cortland music dealer, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. H. Prentice in Berkshire, Tioga county, on Sunday, March 12, after an illness covering a period of three years. His age was 76 years and 5 months. Mrs. Walter died thirteen months ago. The children who survive are Mrs. A. H. Prentice of Berkshire, O. W. Walter of Cortland, B. F. Walter of East Homer and E C. Walter of Whitney Point. The funeral will be held tomorrow.
Halley the Bootblack.
Frank O. Halley, who has acquired much fame as a shiner of boots, has now become located at the Messenger House, where he is attending to the wants of the public in true bootblack style and putting on those rare patent leather finishes with the skill of a natural born artist. Frank is a member of the bootblacks' union, and adheres strictly to union principles.
County Court.
The calendars for the trial term of county court have just been issued. Court convenes on Monday, March 20, Judge J. E. Eggleston presiding. There are nineteen cases on the calendar, ten of which are criminal cases triable by jury. There are two issues of fact triable by jury, three issues of law triable by court, and four applications for naturalization.
MORE TRAINS
May be Run Over this Branch of the Lehigh Valley R. R.
The Elmira Gazette says:
The fact that J. Pierpont Morgan has gained control of the entire Lehigh Valley railroad system gives rise to interesting rumors concerning the E., C. & N. branch of the road, which runs from this city to Canastota. It may mean an increase in the number of trains run over the branch, which is needed.
When the Lehigh Valley railroad assumed control of the branch a few years ago it improved the service materially. Better rolling stock was put on, the number of trains was increased and the service given the public was of such a character that no complaints were offered. As time rolled on the number of trains was diminished until at the present time there are only two trains each way over the road and no Sunday trains whatever.
With a new management in control of the road it is said the train service may be improved by putting more trains on and running Sunday trains. This would be an accommodation to the traveling public which would be appreciated. The branch under the supervision of City Passenger Agent A. B. Hill was doing a good business at the time the number of trains was reduced, but with a reduction of trains there followed a consequent falling off of business on the branch. It is quite probable that Sunday trains will be run through the summer whether any other changes are made or not.
BREVITIES.
—The Fortnightly club will meet to-morrow afternoon at 3:30 o'clock with Mrs. F. I. Graham, 10 Lincoln-ave.
—An adjourned meeting of the board of directors of the Y. M. C. A. will be held in the association parlors this evening at 7:30 o'clock.
—The Ladies' Wide Awake Literary society will meet on Tuesday evening at 7:30 o'clock at the home of Mrs. Ceylon Shearer, 32 Fitz-ave.
—The Ladles' Literary club will hold its second quarterly entertainment tomorrow evening at 8 o'clock at the home of Mrs. N. H. Gillette, 20 West Court-st.
—Ithaca is to have a $45,000 annex to its high school. It will be three stories high and contain 10,000 feet of floor space. In the annex will be an assembly hall with a seating capacity of 800.
—The Cortland chapter of the Order of United American Mechanics will celebrate the sixth anniversary of its organization on Wednesday evening, March 22. A supper will be served and a fine time is anticipated.
—New display advertisements to-day are—McGraw & Osgood, Early spring bargain sale, page 7; M. A. Case, Easter goods, page 6; D. McCarthy & Sons, Spring opening, page 7; W. W. Bennett, Spring plumbing, page 7; Sir Gordon Mayo, Fortune telling, page 8; Opera House, Tennessee's Pardner," page 5; F. E. Brogden, Tickets on watches, etc., page 4.
No comments:
Post a Comment