Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-12-25

another solid shot splashed in the water.
several rods nearer the vessel Pursued
and pursuer We're each under full steam,
and smoke was pouring from their tunnels.
They were now about 500 yards apart.
Then the Spaniard fired for the third time.
the shot falling few rods astern of US,
but in a direct line.
Use the Hotchkiss," commanded Major
Morales.
Gunner Michael Welsh, with his crew,
who stood by the 12-pounder in the bow,
heard the command with joy and called
out to Captain O'Brien to swing the ship
around. In a minute the filibuster was
almost broadside to the coaster.
The later doomed the fourth time. but
the smoke mad not yet cleared away before
the Hotchkiss on our PROV belched forth
and sent a shrapnei shell between the short
masts Of the coaster, suuarely over her en-
gines. The smell did not burst, but the
Spaniards seemed paralyzed with fear.
Several men on the lower deck opened
fire with their rifles, and this was followed
by a rafting volley from the line of men
on the upper deck. The shrapnel shell
fired from the Hotchkiss ended the fight,
as the sDaniards sailed away. firing rock
cts calling for assistance. The call for
assistance was promptly answered lor
while the filibuster was swinging into Po-
sition TO allow the HotchklsS 10 play upon
the enemy. a gunboat double the size OF
the coaster appeared on the port
She opened the fire with heavy guns. but
did not have the range Gunner Walsh
ranimed another shrapnel into the gun on
the prov and yanked the lanyard. 1 ne
shell few straight for the gunboat. ana
burst directly over her IT was answered
by Il still heavier thunder from the gun
boat, returning shell for shell
The shot from the Spaniard disabled two
of the leading boats of the nlibuSterS, but
die no other damage The Hotchkiss was
again loaded with shrapnel. and the next
discharge struck the cruiser amdshipS.
Then the Three Friends put on steam, leaE-
ing the warship possibly disabled but at all
events silent and defeated, out of sight be-
hind 81 point OF land.
As the cargo Or the Three Friends was
being landed the Spanish coast patrol came
up and d fierce fight ensued between them
and the fubans sent ty General Gomez 10
escort the cargo into his camp. After two
hours of lighting the Spaniards were
driven off and the cargo landed and safely
carried into the interior.
The vessel then lay for several days in
a secluded cove and started for Florida
last Monday. She was pursued by several
gunboatS aS she entered. Windward pass
in her bulwarks. A barrel of oil on the
furnace fires soon ran up the steam and
the fast craft crept away.
Emerging from the Keys, two cruisers
ensued. The Spanish vessels fired on her
for half hour.
Captain Lewis then ran among the keys
and escaped from the Spanish war vessels
and reached American waters near Miami
Fla
Key West Fla. Dec 2i-The steamer
Three Friends, Captain Lewis, arrived here
this afternoon. The captain saws the yes-
sci Is from Jacksonville, and that he has
been OH a wrecking voyage along the reefs
The customs officials are in charge and
there is really no doubt that the vessel
has just returned from landing arms and
ammunition in l'llha