The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-01-05
COMMODORE SINKS.
Ten Americans and Six Cubans Were
Either Killed or Drowned.
The Ship it is Alleged, Was Scuttled and
the Pumps Deranged by Traitor-The
Commodore Was Loaded With Arms
and Ammunition for Cubans


ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla, Jan. 4-The FL
clustering steamer Commodore, which
left Jacksonville, Fla, Friday even
ing. was sunk off New Smyrna bar at
80 o'clock Saturday morning, carrying
Its precious cargo of arms, ETC.. for the
Cuban army to the bottom, 20 fathoms
deep.
The consignment consisted of 2O3. OOO
cartridges, 1000 pounds giant powder,
40 bundles of rifles, 2 electric batteries.
300 machetes, IA cases of drugs, bun.
dies of Clothes valued at $44, 465. Not
, an article was saved.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, Jan. ALL of
the crew of the Commodore were not
saved as reported Saturday night.
Twelve are in Jacksonville, three alive
and one dead at Daytona. Four are
reported to have arrived near Almond,
but the report has not been confirmed,
and eight are at sea on a life raft.
Capt. Murphy, Stephen Crane, the
novelist, c. b. Montgomery, the cook,
and VIM. Higgins, stoker, landed at
Daytona Sunday morning. Their boat
was turned over in the surf, and Hig-
gins received wound which caused
his death soon after getting ashore.
The party on the raft are all Cubans.
They left the boat before Capt. Muir
phys party and nothing more has been
heard of them.
j. NJ. Bars requested the collector
of customs to secure permission for
the Three Friends to go the rescue of
the Commodore Immediately upon re-
ceipt of the wreck Saturday. The
collector telegraphed to Secretary Car
Isle at once, but no reply was received
until Sunday afternoon. Permission
was granted, and the Three Friends
left Sunday night. The beach is
being patrolled from st. Augustine
to New Smyrna. 1t is re-
ported that there was /. treachery
aboard the Commodore but no details
can be learned. The party landed at
Daytona can not get to this city until
Monday as there are no Sunday trains
on the East Coast railroad The party
that landed Saturday night and
reached here are: Maj. Ricardo A.
Delgado, Paul RolIo, Paquito Ben
camo, Franco Blanco, Miguel Condis-
bury. Wamon Hernandez, Gabriel
Martinez, Santiago Diaz, Emile Mar
quez, Jose Hernandez and Bueneven-
tue Linoveus.
The following was received from
Daytona at IL o'clock Sunday night:
About ten o'clock Friday night sus-
picious leak was discovered in the fire
nd fol
started the. pumps which undou btedly
had been tempered with, as they were
in working order when Capt. Muir
ply and Chief Engineer Redigan
left watch at eight o'clock.
The fires were extinguished and
the boat came to standstill about 13
miles from Mosquito Light. Capt
Murphy took full charge of the hand
lirg of the ship while the first mate
superintendent the launching of the
boats The Cubans took possession of
the big boat and loaded it with bag
gage so that only IL men left the tug
in it. They reached shore at o'clock
Saturday and left for Jacksonville. The
second boat was occupied by six Gu
bans, and the empty boat washed ashore
at Port Orange Saturday night. The
third boat to leave the crafts side was
filled with Americans, leaving a ten
foot dingy for Capt. Murphy's use,
who refused to quit the ship until all
were saved. C. B. Montgomery, the
steward, Stephen Crane and VIM. Hig-
gins remained with the captain and
with him launched the dingy and stood
by the tug until o'clock, when she
sank The mates boat, containing
nine Americans, was smashed, and
the mate, two engineers, six fire.
men and sailors were dashed
to a raft which Capt. Murphy
attempted to tow ashore two miles
away, but the terrible sea and the
northeast gale swept them away. The
dingy occupied by the captain and COM
panions was % hours at sea, Montgom-
cry and Crane holding Capt Murphy's
overcoat as a sail, until the beach was
sighted. High seas were breaking a
half a mile from shore. Montgomery.
Crane and Murphy were washed to the
beach, where citizens provided them
with medical attendance.