The morning call., 1894-08-15
SHE IS DISABLED.
Why the Bennington Is
SO Slow.
ONLY ONE ENGINE WORKING
The Tug That Is Watching and
Waiting Outside.
EZETA'S QUARTERS ON BOARD.
A Description of Them and Story
About a San Salyadorian
Bluff.
EZETA's QUARTERS ON BOARD.

The United States cruiser Bennington
had not arrived off San Francisco bar up
to late hour yesterday afternoon, accord
ing to a dispatch sent from this city TO the
authorities in Washington by one of the
persons detailed to keep close watch for
her. A tug chartered by the Government
left here Saturday evening with orders to
intercept the cruiser, and present to Cap
tain Thomas instructions from Secretary
Her bert to remain outside of the whiStllng
buoy, which is nine miles from Fort Point
1.-The tug is one of the Red Stack Com
pany's vessels, 1t is said, but Captain Gray
Of the Merchants Torboat Company has
very cleverly and carefully concealed this
fact, as, of course, be was justified in DO
ing, from the press.
Captain Gray managed the affair so
creditably that not even the lookout at
Point Eobos noticed anything strange
about his tugs absence, for it is nothing
unusual for the vessel to remain outside
on a cruise after ships two or three days
at a time.
The Bennington had not been sighted
for a very good reason; one of her engine s
is disabled, and she is crippled so that she
obliged to work her way homeward very
slowly.
Captain Wallace of the steamer Walla
Walla, that came in from Puget Sound in
the morning. reported that stiff north
wester was blowing all the way along the
coast. This wind probably increased in
force, rather than diminished, as 1t blew
southwark. With only one engine work
irof hn Ran
ning,on has perhaps not made more speed
than an ordinary sailing craft.
Just what the damage Is to the cruisers
machinery is not definitely known; but
the news of her being operated with only
half her power come from an official source.
Mr.. de Quesada, one of Antonio Ezeta's
attorneys. verified the story of the war
ships disabled condition.
"Wbat sort of a vessel Is the Benning-
ton and what kind of a man is Captain
Thomas?" was asked of a gentleman
familiar with the cruiser now made famous
by the part she has taken in the San Sal
yadorian duplication.
Captain Thomas is splendid officer
|. and man of very pleasing disposition.
The Bennington is a good boat and a
pretty swift one when in good TRIM" was
the answer.
3. Antonio Ezeta has been assigned quar-
tiers in the wardroom, it is learned, his
companions being accommodated in that
part OF the ship also. Every comfort of
the vessel is rendered the refugees, and
while lying at La Libertad it Is said that
although Antonio complained of the in
Justice of his detention he praised highly
the treatment received by himself and gen.
erals at the hands of the Benningt on's of
ficers and crew.
/, The ship that has been the compulsory
home of General Antonio for over two
/ m onths is of. the unprotected gunboat
class. She is rugged like three-masted
schooner and protected by battery of six
f6-inch guns and supplementary battery
/ Of apid fire cannon and machine guns.
/ The wardroom. Ezeta's prison, is COM
| fort ably appointed space. finished in hard
woods and Hastily upholstered. The
+ cruiser's main deck is spacious and there.
| it is: told, Antonio paced restlessly about,
! while the Bennington was at La Libertad,
watching the launches fitting backward
and forward from the shore. some filled
with. armed men who were stationed to
watch every movement of the fugitive
ruler;
! The San Salvado cursed the Ben
nington. They tried to run bold bluff on
| Captain Thomas when the first boatload
! of insurgents touched at the VESSELS CON-
panion-ladder after the refugees had been
securely hidden away on board.
! The officer of the barge, a dilapidated-
looking chap, with red uniform trimmed
with gold adjoining his person, stepped up
to Captain Thomas and demanded the sur
render of the fugitives.
/ The story is told that Thomas politely
refused to listen to their demands. The
officer grew indignant and was not ex-
actly courteous. Then the American COM
mander gave him peremptory notice to de-
camp in tone that meant business, and
caused the pompous official to disappear
over the Bennington's side ia an ungrace-
full but speedy manner.
A dispatch from Washington received
last evening stated that the cruiser would
not be along until some time at noon to-
day, and the vigilant watch outside the
Golden Gate was relaxed for a few hours.
The weather seems to have been standing
in with the Government, for fogs have
persistently yelled the ocean 80 that moth
ing can be seen from Point Lobos further
than four miles off.
Ezeta's enemies: are criticizing the &C.
tons of Consul Yrigoyen. who went on
to New York at very convenient time,
leaving no one in his place to act. His
sudden move is alleged to have been insti-
gated by a desire to keep out of the way
so that complaint could not be sworn to
on telegraphic information. which could
have been done had he been here.