The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-07-03
CAPTURED ON THE SEA.
Story Of the Seizure Of the Amer
icau Steamer Ozama
By Three Haytien Gunboats and Her
Subsequent Release.

The Captain OF n United States Man-of-
Up the Vessel.
New YoRK, July2.-The Clyde line steam
ship Ozama, which was captured by Legi-
times gunboats and taken to Port -Au-
Prince reached her dock yesterday morning
at the Erie basin, Brcblslyn. The captain,
G, o. Rockwell, the son of Commander
Rockwell. of the Yantic, u S. N, was seen
by reporter to whom he gave the follow
ing version Of the affair:
"On the morning Of June o." he said,
''when we were about twenty-three miles
from Gonaives we sighted feet Of three
vessels who evidently intended to intercept
our vessel. They proved TO be the three
gunboats of President Legitime, named La
Defense, Marcelle and Toussaint Lover
ture. La Defense fred shot across our
bows and commanded that we should heave
10, and sent boat alongside in charge Of
the firsl officer with instructions that
should at once come aboard the Defense and
report to the captain of that vessel My an
swer to the above was that II the Haytien
CdDbdlD utSlICu w bN1 Llt uN Wpulu lhu hlo
aboard of my ship, and further that l did
not propose leaving it.
"When the Hayticn captain received my
answer he dispatched the boata second time
TO the Ozama with one Of the Haytien Cabi-
net officers named Cox, who held the posi-
ton of Secretary Of the National Defense.
He demanded my papers, which promptly
showed. He said that they were all right,
but that could not take my vessel to Con-
aives as II was blocksded, and gave me the
privilege Of choosing TO which of the follow.
ing ports would prefer TO be conveyed by
the Haytien feet He named PortAu-
Prince, Aux Cages, Jacmel and Jermie
then strongly protested against such pro.
ceeding, but 1t proved useless and selected
Port -Au-Prince. That evening at dusk La
Defense sent to the Ozams boat and placed
on board of my vessel nine armed men, one
or them going on the bridge and taking full
command. That night at midnight we anch-
ored in the harbor Of Port -Au-Prince and at
six o'cioCS the next morning, the guard still
remaining on board the Ozama was taken
to the fort and tied up under its guns.
"Pcrmission was denied me to 20 ashore
10 see the American Minister until hvs
o'clock In the afternoon Of June 10. The
American Minister then demanded the rea-
son Of the seizure by the Haytien govern
ment and also prompt release. No reply
was received that day TO this demand. Tho
next morning ut daylight the United States
steamship ossipee, Captain Kellogg COM
manding, steamed into the harbor. Captain
Kellogg and the American Minister prompt
ly called on Legitmes Minister Of Foreign
Affairs and two other Cabinet officers, and
demanded the release Of the 0zama before
three D. m. Of that day; ending his demand
with the ultimatum that unless the Ozama
was released by three o'clock Of that day he
would proceed into the harbor and take her
out by force II necessary. The Haytien
Minister replied that II Captain Kellogg
would promise that the Ozama would not &c
10 Gonaives she would be released at once.
To this Captain Kellogg replied that the
Ozama was going 10 Gonaiyes and that he
proposed taking her there. The result was
that at one o'clock In the afternoon the
Ozama was released and at 80 steamed out
Of the hhrbor and came 10 anchor close
astarn 10 tho 0ssipee. That night the 0s.
sipee conveyed Us TO Gonaives."
Captain Rockwell, when questioned in
relation 10 the report that 5000 in gold had
been demanded and paid to Captain Kellogg
as an indemnity by the Haytien govern
ment, said that such was not the case and
that nothing whatever was said about an
indemnity.