New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-29

left at Jamaica, but after . week recovered
and went on the yirgnius at Kingston, without
knowing or thinking anything about the character
OF the vessel. When taken prisoner with the rest
ny tho Tornado he was among the few who
were placed upon tho small gunboats OF the five
who were with him upon one of these vessels, three
were taken to make up the wretched 81 who vera
shot together. His was remarkable good fortune in
escaping death, since many of those who made up
tho doomed band were taken unfortunately from
the whole number Some OF the officers Of the Juniata
Deng pleased with his appearance aud interested in
Ms story took him into the cabin on the passage
from Santiago and heis now in good spirits and re-
joced to return to his friends after so severe an ex
perience. The foregoing is his story very much as
he has given 1t to several Of the officers OF the
Juniata. r-r.
Philip Metzler, native of Charleston, S. c.. aud q
cigarmakcr by trade, gives somewhat confused
account of tho boarding of the virgnius BY tho
Tornado. He was evidently much frightened. AZ
were many of the passengers and crew. aud tho
result proved that they had good cause to
be. Capt. Fry handed the papers of the
Virgnus to the Spanish officer, who took them
with expressions Of tho utmost contempt, crashing
them in his hand and declaring that he cared
nothing for the papers since the vessel was in his
power which he had been searching after for weeks.
The American flag was Immediately hauled down
and all on board ordered to the other vessel.
The statement of Mr.. Metzler as well as Others Of
the passengers indicates that the Virgnius would
have been able to escape from the Tornado but for
her wretched condition at the time, as slie bad .
bad leak and eight feet Of water in her hold in
the forward compartment. Ordinarily she could
make IA knots per hour and at that rate could have
left the Tornado out of sight in short time. IL is
also said that when the Tornado finally overhauled
the Virginius, after full eight hours chase baInes
were rolling up from the smokestack Of the former.
and had nearly burnt it out. The vessel could
hardly have borne much longer chase under such
q strain.
The statements of nearly all the prisoners agree
in disowning any knowledge Of the purposes OF the
officers of the Virgnius. They profess to have em-
barked passengers to have seen no arms ON board
and to have seen little or nothing thrown over
board. Those on the Juniata certainly do not
present a very warike pearance, many OF
them being very young and minutiye in size, sDd
without any very intelligent stmate OF the under
taking which they entered upon. The fact that the
Virginius was advertised to go INTO Port
Limones and then sailed around among tho
islands of the West Indies. seemingly with
out any exact destination, appears not to havo
excited any curiosity among them as 10 her object,
but the contrary their statements exhibit an utter
indiereDceito the of the ship, or the nten-
ton OF the officers. One point hewever, Is clear.
namely that the vessel put in about To put IN
his mind, and turned her to the westward and back
to Jamaica.