The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-26
MARKS OF THE CONFLICT
1T rs REPORTED TO HAVE HAD OFF
THE COAST OF CUBA PLAIN
LY VISIBLE.
Officers and Crew Refuse to Talk
Revenue Officers In
Charge.

West says:
Much comment was made today in
Havana over the report cabled from
New York that the filibustering steam
er Three Friends had been fired on by
| Spanish cruisers, and that the steamer
had disabled a Spanish gunboat. This
report is positively denied in official
circles, who affirm that nothing of the
kind occurred, but that the story is
made from whole cloth. 1t is admitted
that the steamer landed on the south
! side of the island, but it is alleged that
there was no fighting. 1t is further
more admitted that only part Of the
cargo was secured by Gomez, Spanish
coast guards having captured a good
portion. The Three Friends is here ly-
| ing under the guns Of the Raleigh.
Capt. Lewis refuses to say anything
about his trip, save that he had been
after derelicts. AS to the story Of a
fight, he processes Ignorance None of
the crew can be induced to speak of
the affair. The vessel does not bear
any marks Of conflict, and the re-
| port is doubted here. Havana advices
are that Gomez's advance guard has
captured the town Of Las Passega, in
Santa Clara province, taking the en-
| tire garrison and all their stores A
battalion of fresh troops was sent to
Matanzas this morning from Havana
to be sent to the front. Great exertions
are being made to get a strong force
to oppose Gen. Gomez, and three lines
are being formed to get the Cubans en-
tangled in between them and crushed.
Another COY We +.
The steamer Three Friends, Capt
Lewis, arrived here this afternoon. The
captain says the vessel is from Jack
SonVille and that she has been on a
Wreck1ng voyage along the reefs. The
customs officials are in charge, and
! there is really no doubt that the YES
sci has just returned from landing
arms and ammunition in Cuba.
Nothing was found on the vessel,
but she has the appearance Of having
gone through several gales. Marks of
a shot are visible on her bulWarks,
and the men smile when asked the
meaning of it. It is stated that she
was chased into the harbor by the
dangerous presence of several Spanish
men-of-war that were lying off the
keys for her.
The Three Friends is charged with
infringing the maritime and neutrality
regulations Of the United States.
STORY OF ADVENTURE.
One of the deckhands on the Three
Friends came ashore this evening, and
being quite thirsty from his long voy-
age imbibed rather freely, and while
in this condition made many adnnis-
siGns which would tend to prove that
the vessel had had a very adventurous
time since she left Fernandina, ten
days ago.
From the sailors hints it is supposed
that the boat was sighted by q Span
ish vessel when on the high seas, near
ly opposite this place, the first evening
out. The Spaniard fired a blank shot
for her to stop, but the daring flibus-
ter put on steam and started off. The
cruiser then began firing shot and
shell. Finding the Three Friends was
out Of range she put on steam and
started in pursuit. All night this race
was continued, and the next morning
two more vessels were sighted, and
they joined in the chase.
The Three Erie ads lodged in among
the ey. and getting into sroal water,
n anaged to give the slip to her pur-
suers during the day After passing
the east end Of the island two other
cruisers We're seen. but they were 50
far off that they were easily eluded
1t is supposed that the Three Friends
island and landed her cargo.
From points given out by the sailor it
is gathered that she had hard work to
land, having to fight off several boats
that came to board her. The rapid fire
HOtchkisS guns on her deck made quick
work of them. Two of the boats were
wrecked, and the others then left. AS
the cargo was landed the Spanish coast
guard came up, and a fierce fight en-
sued between them and the Cubans
sent by Gen. Gomez to escort the cargo
into his camp. After two hours Of
fighting the Spaniards were driven off,
and the cargo landed and safely carried
into the interior.
PURSUIT IS RENEWED.
The vessel then lay to for several
days in some secluded cove, and start
ed for Florida Monday. She was pur-
sued by several gunboats as she entered
the wfndward pass, and a ball from
one Of them tore a hole in her bull
warks. A barrel Of Oil on the furnace
fires soon ran up the steam and the
fast craft crept away from the dons
Emerging from the keys two cruisers
were found waiting for her, and an
other race ensued, the Spanish vessel
firing on her for half an hour.
AS she was too far out to go into
Key West safely, the Three Friends
site New River, or Miami, on the Flor
ida coast, she saw that the cruisers
were too fast for her. Capt. Lewis
then lodged in among the keys, and,
escaping from the war vessels, ran
into American waters near Miami COM
ing up within one-half mile of shore
Shortly afterward masts and smoke of
Spanish cruisers were seen on the hor-
izon, steaming fast northward, they
supposing that the Three Friends was
ahead of them. The Three Friends,
being low in the water and under lee
of land, escaped detection.
After waiting until the coast was
clear, she steamed out, going south
Soon after getting opposite this port
another Spanish vessel was sighted
Things began to get too warm for
comfort, and the officers decided that
it was preferable to be seized by I'm
Gle Sam rather than to have the Span
ish cruisers have chance to sink her.
so she steamed into this port.
TALE PARTLY CONFIRMED.
A special from Miami confirms part
of this story, as the Three Friends
came in shore there yesterday and
shortly afterward three Spanish cruis-
ers passed, going northward at full
speed. The officers of the vessel deny
any wrongdoing. and when asked
about being chased by Spon1Sh vessels
laughed at it, but refused to say any
thing about 1t.
The statement is here thought about
correct, though all the other men are
very close-mouthed about the voyage.