Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1889-04-17

Christmas Wreck" s'The Lady or tho
Tiger. 'Tlle Late Mrs. Null" "The
Huntlrcdth MAN." s'The Casting Away
OF Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine," 'sThe
DuSanses." etc.
tCopyrtsated by r f. Collier, of Golfers Once
Week. snl published by special arrangements
with hiai through the American Press Associa-
ton All rights reseryed,l
Now burst forth in the Lenox a storm
Of frenzied rage, such as was never seen
perhaps upon any vessel since vessels
were first built, From the commander
10 the stokers every heart was filled with
fury at the insult which was put upon
them. The commander roared through
his trumpet that if that internal sea
beetle were not Immediately loosed from
bis ship he would first sink her and then
the repeller.
To these remarks the director of the
syndicate's vessels paid no attention, but
proceeded to state as briefly and foroihly
as possible that the IanoZ had been de-
tanned in order that he laishG haze. an
opportunity Of speaking With her com-
mander, and of informing hiA that his
action in coming cut Of tho harb5r for
the purpose of attacking q 4ssitish Vessel,
was in direct violation Of the contract
between the United States and tho syn
dictate having charge OF the war, and
that such action could not be allowed.
The commander of the Leno1 paid no
more attention to these words than the
syndicate's director had given to those
he had spoken, but Immediately com
menced violent attack upon the crab.
Il was impossible to bring any of the
large guns to bear upon her, for she was
almost under the stern of the Lenox, but
every means of offense which Infatuated
ingenuity could suggest was used against
It. Machine guns were trained to fire
almost perpendicularly, and shot after
shot was poured upon that portion Of its
glistening back which appeared above
the water.
But as these projectiles seemed to have
no effect upon the solid back of Crab Fl,
two great aavils were hoisted at the end
Of the spani;er boom and dropped, one
after the other, upon it. The shocks
were tremendous, but the internal con-
stuction of the crabs provided, by
means of upright beams, against injury
from attacks of this kind, and the great
masses of iron slid off into the sea with
out doing any damage.
Finding it impossible to make any inn
preston upon the mailed monster at his
stern, the commander of the Lenox
hailed the director of the repeller, and
swore to him through his trumpet that
If he did rot Immediately order the
Lenox to be set free, her heaviest guns
should be brought to bear upon his float
ing counting house, and thatit should be
sunk if it took all day to do it.
It would have been a grim satisfaction
to the commander of the Lenox to sink
Repeller No. 6, for he knew the vessel
when she had belonged to the United
States navy. Before she had been
bought by the syndicate, and fitted out
with spring armor, he had made two
long cruises in her, and he bitterly hated
her, from her keel up.
The director Of the rcpeller agreed to
release the Lenox the instant her COM
mander would consent to return to port.
No answer was made to- this proposition,
but dynamite gun On the Lenox was
brought to bear upon the syndicate's YES
sci. Desiring to avoid any complications
which might ensue from actions of this
sort, the repeller steamed ahead. while
the director signaled Crab Fl to move the
stern of the Lenox to the windward,
which, being quickly done, the gun of
the latter bore upon the distant coast.
It was now very plain to the syndicate
director that his words could have no
effect upon the commander Of the
Lenox, and he therefore signaled Crab
H to tow the United States vessel into
port. When the conaaanller Of the
Lenox saw that his vessel WIS BEGINNING
to move backward he g1y5 Instant
orders to put on al ateaza. BIT this
was found to be useless, for when the
dynamite gun was ab5lt to ba fred the
engines had been ordered stopped, and
the moment that the propeller blades
ceased moving the nippers OF tho crab
had been released from their hold upon
the stern post, and the propeller blades
OF the Lenoz were gently but firmly
seized in a grasp which included the
rudder. 1t was therefore impossible for
the engines of the vessel to revolye the
propeller, and, INCREASINGLY, the Lenox
was towed, stern foremost, to the break
water.
The news Of this incident created the
widest Indignation in the United States
navy, and throughout the country the
condemnation of what was considered
the insulting action of the syndicate was
general In foreign countries the affair
was the subject of a good deal Of COM
ment, but it was also the occasion Of
much serious consideration, for it proved
that one Of tho syndicate's submerged
vessels could, without firing gun, and
without fear of injury to itself, capture
o man-of-war and tow it whittier it
pleased.
The authorities at Washington took
instant action ca the affair, and as twas
quite evident that the contract between
the United States and. the syndicate had
been violated by the Lenox, the COM
4lxS4utlcI VI I14xit AG0oCl was
by the secretary of the navy, and en-
joined that there should be no repetitions
of his offence But as the commander Of
the Lenox knew that the secretary of the
navy was as angry as he was. at what
had happened, he did not feel his repri-
mand to be in any way a disgrace.
Itmay DO stated that the Stockbridge,
which had steamed for the open sea as
soon as the business which had detained
her was completed. did not go outside
the cape. Whea her officers perceived
with their glasses that the Lenox was
returning TO port stern foremost they
opined what had happened, and desiring
that their ship should do all her sailing
In the natural way, the Stockbridge was
put about and steamed, bow foremost,
to her anchorage behind the breakwater,
the commander thanking his stars that
for once the Lenox had got ahead of
him.
The members Of the syndicate were
very anxious to remove the unfavorable
impression regarding what was called IN
many quarters their attack upon q