Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1896-12-30
RAKED BY SOLID SHOT.
Thrilling Adventures OF the
Steamer Three Friends.
CHASED BY SPANISH wARsHIPs

The Filibuster Fired Upon and Dis
abled Armed Coaster-Landed
Her Men and Supplies.
New York, Dec 2S.-A World spec
ial from Key West says:
The lone.star flag of Cuba has met
the red and yellow banner Of CASTLE
upon the seas The sharpnel, shell and
rifle volleys Of brave filibuster have
made answer to the roar of Spanish
twelve Founders, and have gained for
Cuba Libre the first victory ON the
ocean.
The filibustering steamer Three
Friends sailed from Fernadina, Decem-
Der 13, carrying valuable cargo of
munitions of war for the Cuban insur-
gents. After eluding the vigilance of
the United States warships and revenue
cutters, and lodging every sail upon
the ocean, the little steamer, with
about fifty men, was within hailing
distance of Cuba, on the sixth night
out. Surprised, trapped and fired
upon, she threw shot into the Spanish
naval coaster, frightened off big gun.
boat, and escaped from swift cruiser,
steering out to sea.
The Three Friends put in again to
the coast and safely landed her cargo
4 on the border of the great Zapata
] swamp. Not before in Cuba's struggle
/ for liberty has the flag of Spain been
i fred upon at sea- No other filibuster,
after having been attacked by the en-
emy, has stood by her guns and full
filled her perilous mission.
The account of the history making
i trip is thrilling in the extreme.
As soon as the enemy was sighted
the captain, undaunted, declared he
would land at the San Juan, where he
had been ordered, If he had to go
through hell to do it, He then told
his men they would have TO fight
They broke open the rifle and cartrigde
boxes and soon the entire party were
armed. Sharpshooter German gathered
his rifiemen along the stern rail upon
the upper deck, Major Morales was
in charge. A flash from the coaster
and another in quick succession and a
solid shot splashed in the water several
rods from the vessel. The Three
Friends was under full steam en-
deavoring to escape from the Spanish
cruiser. They were now about 800
yards apart. Then the Spaniard fired
for the third time, falling a few rods
astern of the filibuster, but in direct
line.
Use the Hotchkiss,' commanded
Major Morales.
i Gunner Michael Welsh heard the
command with joy and called out to
Captain O'Brien to swing the ship
around. In a minute the filibuster
was AMIDST broadside to the coaster.
The latter doomed forth again, but
the smoke had not cleared away before
the Hotohkiss in the prov of the Three
Friends belched forth and sent she'll
between the short masts of the coaster,
squarely over her engines. The shell
did not burst, but the Spaniards
seemed paralyzed with fear.
Several men on the lower deck opened
fire with rifles, and this was followed
by rattling volley from the line of
men on the upper deck. The sharpnel
fired from the Hotchkiss ended the
! fight, as the Spaniards sailed away,
firing rockets calling for assistance.
The call for assistance was promptly
answered, for while the filibuster was
swinging into position to allow the
Hotchkiss to play upon the enemy,
gunboat double the size of the coaster
appeared on the port side. She opened
fire with heavy guns, but did not have
the range.
Gunner Welsh rammed another
sharpnel into the gun ON the PROV and
yanked the lanyard. The shell few
straight for the gunboat and burst di-
rectly over her. 1t was answered by
still heavier thunder from the gun
boat, returning shell for she'll. The
shot from the Spaniard disabled two of
the landing. boats of the filibuster, but
did not do other damage. The Hotch-
kiss was again loaded with sharpnel,
and the next discharge struck the
Friends put on steam, leaving the war
ship, possibly disabled, but, at all
events. silent and defeated, out of sight
behind point of land.
AS the cargo of the Three Friends
was being landed, the Spanish coast
patrol came up and fierce fight ensued
between them and the Cubans sent by
General Gomez to escort the cargo into
his camp. After two hours of fight
ing, the Spaniards were driven off and
the cargo was landed and safely car.
ried into the interior.
The vessel then lay to for several
days in secluded cove and started for
Florida last Monday. She was pursued
by several gunboats as she entered the
Windward Pass, and ball from one
of them tore hole in her bulwarks.
A barrel of oil on the furnace fires soon
ran up the steam, and the fast craft
swept away.
Emerging from the keys, two
cruisers were found waiting for her,
and a race eDsued. The Spanish ves-
=.