The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-02
"rHE EYER FAITHFCI ISLE"
spAN1sH OUTRAGE IN NEUTRAL WATERS.
REIGN OF TERROR IN HAVANA.

| REIGN OF 1EhhOn If IoaVd1Sh'
Fun Particulars of the Capture of the
American Brig Mary Lowell by q
Spnnish Bloody Work Mt
| Hnvnna-Terrib1c Excitement among
the Populace-Vlolent Scenes on Palm
sunday-M urders and Executions
Dulce-s Cowardiy Conduct.
The Havana rrespondent of the New York
World, writing under date OF March Ath. says:
The British gunboat Cherub came into port
yesterday evening from Nassau, N. z, and
brought news of sens tional importance, since
they tell of a great insult to and outrage upon
the American and British flags by Spanish
man. of-war. Ihave told you OF an American
sailin. vessel having shipped on arms
and ammunition and a number OF Cuban
passengers from an American steamer.
that had been disabled in her ma
having put into Ragged Island port, Bahamas,
where she was closely watched by Spanish
man-of-war, tue Andalusia. BY the arrival OF
toe British schooner Margaret, at. Nassau,
from Ragged Island, tie startling announce
ment was conveyed that the We :sel in question
had been captured in an English port OF entry
by the Andalusia, in direct violation OF inter-
national and British laws. BY the Margaret
there came as passenger to Nassau Ar. Walter
Wilson, the Custo mh ouse officer at. Ragged
Island, who had had charge Of the American
brig Mary Lowell, the vessel in question, In
the capacity Of pilot AMI customhUuse officer,
for per cd OF eighteen days, and who had the
hatchways sealed down with the seal OF her
Majesty's customs. 10 one OF the officers OF
the gunboat Cherub I. am indebted for the fol-
lowing copy of Mr.. Wilson's official report OF
the capture OF the Mary Lowell, he having
been on board Of her at the time:
On The afternoon oil the 18th, ct about 4 20 p H.,
was IN the act of removing the brig Mary Lowell
from Man ofwar Anchorage to safer place known
as the "Harbor" when was ordered 10 heave 10 and
lower my sails by the commander OF the spanish
gunboat Andausia, who. finding that did not DO 80
at once gave the order three tim.a, in loud voice.
to frs into us. Upon this Immediately move TO-
when boat came alongside containing fifteen men,
well armed, under the command OF two oncers one
of whom demanded permission to come on board l
replied that he might 90 30 as private lndlVldusl'
but not in an official capacity, upon whlch ne came
on board. We mad not, however, been IN conTersa-
ton more than minute or 30, when an order from
the captain Of the gunboat was given TO the men IN
the boat to board the brig, which they aceordlngiy
did, and Immediately TOOK formal possession OF the
vessel. I may here mention that the order tnree
times given TO FIRE into US. was prevented from
being carried into execution by an officer who placed
his hand the cap of the gun to prevent Its oelng
fred
demonstrated with the officer who boarded me
lwho by the way, could speak English huently) in as
energetic manner a. was consistent with my duty
asking him whether he was aware OF the illegaiity
and gravity of the act which he wcs about 70 COM
mt and whether he knew that the brig Mary Lowell
under my Charge was an American vessel, ana that
she was in British waters and under British pro'ec-
tion and. moreover that1 was an officer IN me eni'
poy of her Msjesty's government OF the Bahamas.
to which he replied, 'that he was only ooeyins the
orders of his superior Officer He then ordered me
to get into the boat and 60 board the gunooa as
the commander wanted to see mo. then, with the
SIX men that were with me in the brg-four OF whom
belonged to her and tue other two oil whom had
brought from the shore-got into the boat and pro-
ceeded to the spanish man-of-war On going on
board asked the captntn what his intentions were.
and what lie wanted with mo, to which he
siuply replied that l must at once go on shore 10
enable me to do so. he gave me the boat belonging
the Mary Lowoll, in waich my brother, George
w. Wilson who was on board OF the man-of. war,
together with myself and the tgo men FROM the
shore reached the lRnd The other four men belong
Ing to the brig who all British Subjects were
detained prisoners on board the spanish gunboat
During the entire Of the above proceedings. mar
rated by me, the American fag was Tying from the
main deck Of the brig until w5S inc sesei e III q
sri and spread over tue raul. On our leaving the
MARY Lowell the American flag was removed, and
almos, Immediately afterwards tle brig was maze
fast to the gunboa which proceeded "th her 10 sea
in 9 southwesterly direcoon.
The captain of the Mary Lowell had lett her
at tagged Island some time. before the capture
of the vessel, and her Cuban passengers had
all gone off ashore, many OF whom came back
to Nassau IN the schooner Margaret with Gus
tomhouse Officer Wilson. The good people OF
Ragged Island we're thrown into high state
OF excitement by the capture and consequent
insult to their flag, and have sworn vengeance
against Spanards and the first Spanish yes
sci that puts into their por. is likely to get
u VAIN reception. In Nassau the capture
also created no small excitement. Governor
Walker at once pronounced it an outrage, wan
ton and objectionable in its nature and execu-
tion, which demands prompt and vigorous meas
ures in vlndicatiou Of the honor and integrity
OF the British Empire. With this view of the
case, his Excellency forthwith prepared dis
pat~hes for the home government, and sent
them to Havana by the Cherub fer telegraphlc
transmission. Her Britannia Majestys Con-
sui General here. the Hon. James Graham
Dunlop, has taken the matter Of the capture
in hand with zeal and energy. Yesterday
evening he was to have had an interview with
Captain General Dulce on the subject. The
capture Of the Mary Lowell is likely to lead 20
serious Diplomatic complications betwee
Great Britain and Spain, in which tho Aueri-
can Government will necessarily have to take
part against the latter power.
The same correspondent writes under date
of the 23d ult. as follows: :.
On Sunday evening government transport
left for Fernando Po with two hundred and
twenty-five political prisoners on board, hay-
ing for escort the war frigate Lealtad. Until
| within day or two OF this, four hundred prls-
ouers had been selected to so, but representa-
| tions made to Captain-General Dulce induced
him on Friday to reduce the number, and re-
| tain one hunLred and forty-fve OF the prison.
ers for fuller consideration Of their cases. The
| two hundred and twenty-five who went were
| embarked from Fort Cabanas, and although
| very many Of them belonged to the first classes
of society, embracing wealthy, sugar and TO-
| bacco planters, able jurists, talented lawyers,
professors and physicians. merchants of noe,
| fervent priests and aff1uent bankers, all were
| taken on board, ironed and chained. Their
| embarkation was witnessed by several thous-
ands of persons assembled on the wharyes.
| Most OF the spectators were Spaniards, attract
ed there by curiosity, and to rejoice over the
misfortune of the embarking prisoners.
All the prisoners had been embarked before
halt past one =. A., and the vast crowd had
began to leave the wharves when very re-
spectacle Spanish merchant, Senor Veguler,
| ian officer OF volunteers but then dressed IN
citizens ,.othes), caught q man trying to pick
his pockets, and ad Linn arrested. The crowd
not1ced this, and some one having wickedly
stated that the man was arrested for shouting,
| Muera Espona! death to Spain y o general
demand for his life was madc, and cries OF
.sShoot him! kill him !" re sounded on oil sides.
Just then half-witted Cuban, named Fran
cisco Noy, who is known by thousand per-
sons to be an irresponsible being, detiantly re-
sponded to the cries OF the Spanlards with the
shout of ViuL Cespedes! MRerG Esp0nG! He
was immediately Knocked down, ami would have
been Killed on the spot had not the courageous
Deputy.C Commissioner Romero, who knew tn :
,,on roaouod him and then started with