The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-06-11
WERE HEROES, EVERY ONE
Sampson Calls for Seven Men
and 1000 Volunteer.
CREW OF MERRIMAC.
A Collier Sunk in Santiago to Prevent
Cervera's Escape-A Perilous
Mission.

On Board the Associated Press Dispatch
Boat Dauntless, off Santiago de Cuba,
June 2.-(Nia Kingston, Jamaica. June 1.
Rear Admiral Sampson, durins Friday
morning decided to close the narrow ha--
bor entrance Of Santiago de Cuba by
sinking the collier Mcrrimac, loaded with
coal. in the channel.
He called for volunteers to so to almost
certain death and 1000 men offered them
selves.
Lieut. uQbsou and six men were chosen
and at . a. III. Friday morning the Merri-
mac. under her own steam, entered the
channel under a terrible Spanish fire.
The vessel was riddled with projectics,
but she anchored aud swung around.
Lieut.. Hobs0n then set off an internal
torpedo with an electric attachment, mere
was ap explosion, the MerrimaC sank,
the channel was closed and, apparently,
Admiral Ceryera Will be Unable 10 es
cape.
Kingston, Jamaica, June -i.-Hohson
and the hero crew of the Merr!mac were
saved IN the following manner:
Unable, after the sinking of their yes
sci, TO make their way back through the
storm of shot and shell, they rowed into
the harbor TO the Spanish flagship and
were taken on board unharmed. The
Spanish admiral. under a flag Of truce
! on Friday, sent word TO the American
admiral that he offered TO exchange the
prisoners, adding that in the meanwhile
Hobson and his party would be treated
with the greatest kindness.
Who the Heroes Are.
Washington, u. c., June 4-Careful
! search of the records of the navy depart
ment fail TO show any such nam" as
| Hohson aboard the Merrimac up to May
/ o-the date Of the last muster roll. 1t
was at first supposed that the name might
| be that of an officer of the volunteer
! navy who entered the service with his
! ship, the Merrimac. but this proved 70
| be untrue. Naval Constructor Hohson is
/ said by Capt. Sigsbee TO have been ON
/ board the New York. but he would not.
| ordinarily at least. have been pla red in
! command of the ship, being staff Of
/ fiCer.
/ i he last possibility is that the person
| referred To- is Lieut.. Albert ID. Hodgson.
! who volunteered from the feet AT large.
| It is believed he commanded the Mcrri-
mac on her perilouS mission. He is a
/ lieutenant and was appointed from Geor-
! gla. He has been in the service since
1871 and was attached to the Brooklyn.
! Commodore Schley's flagship. He was
/ formerly attached 70 the San Francisco
! on the European station, but was in
/ valided home. He was next assigned 10
/ the naval academy. but became i'll again.
He has the reputation among his ship
| ment. of being a man of the greatest cool
! ness and bravery and prepared 10 take the
! greatest chances His health is poor, hs
! lungs being supposed to be affected, but
/ he was always foremost III any service of
| risk and danger
| Philadelphia, Pa. June 4.-Ensign John
| Russell Young Blakelcy Of the Mcrrimac,
| who Is reported to have been captured by
/ the Spanards at Santiago yesterday is a
/ Ihiladelphian, son Of John Blakelcy. pub
| Usher of the Evening Star Of this city.
/ When war with Spain was declared he
was assigned 10 the Mcrrimac. on which
| vessel he was navigator.
Kansas City. Mo. June 4-Commandcr
! James VI. Miller Of the Mcrrimac. report
| Cd sunk in Santiago harbor, is from Lib
! erty, Mo, where his mother. Mrs. Ann
/ Miller. Is still living He has seen over
/ thirty years Of service in the navy. having
/ hcCn appointed midshipman in 1858. H."
/ rose through successive grades and was
| appointed commander last year just after
he had brought home the Yantic from
! South American waters. For six years
/ he Has in the AsIatic station. where he
saw the naval battles of the Chinese-Iap-
anese war. Before his assignment to
the Nerrmac with the flying squadron at
! Hampton Roads. Commander Miller WAS
| on duty ut the Brooklyn navy-yard.
The officer hero Of the MerrimaC occa-
sion is an assistant naval constructor and
| hence attached to the staff and therefore
not ordinarily engaged in line duty.
/ He entered the naval academy from Al
ALBANIA in May. 1885,. and is now
% years old. He graduated in 1889
ut the head Of his class and as a consr-
/ Ouence of this distinction was sent TO
/ France by the government to tax" q,
/ course in naval architecture, in pursul nc"
/ Of policy to civ" a few cadets Of tn"
/ highest standing a chanc" to acquire 'ho
highest possible knowledge in skill H."
attended the Ecole Polytechniqu" 1nl re-
turned to the United States in 1893
He served for a time in the bureau Hf
construction in Washington and then went
t. the uavy-yard at New York Later h"
served with Admiral Bunce on the North
| Atlantic station and thence went to the
naval academy to take charge of post
I graduate course of instruction in naval
/ construction.
When the war broke out he applied for
/ active duty and was sent with three M
/ val cadets under his charge to the flag
ship of Admiral SIMPSONS squadron. He
| iS described aS tall. athletic build. very
| quiet and UnaSSuring in manner and
would not h" picked ont ordinarily as
. having the high bravery his intimate as
sociatos know lay beneath the modest
I manner