The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-04-30
NO SPY ON THE PURITAN
A Harmless Sailor Who Caused a
Big Excitement.
MISS BARTON NOW AT KEY WEST.
She and Her Coworkers of the Red Cross
Society Are on Board the Relief Ship
State of Texas, Which Will Soon Sail For
Cuba With Food For Reconcentrados.


Key West, April 3O.-There is abso-
lutely no foundation for the sensational
reports cabled from here to the effect
that a case Of treason has been dis
covered on board the United States
monitor Puritan. The rumors arose
from the strange actions of a fireman.
with a Spanish sounding name now
under restraint on the warshlp because
of his eccentricities. The officers Of the
Puritan declare there is no thought of
trying the man by court martial and
that all the talk about treason is alb
surd.
According to the officers the story
arose from the fact that in the Puri-
tan's crew is a Spanard, or Cuban, by
the name of Yglesias eccentric and a
trife unbalanced, but who never was
suspected Of anything but the heartiest
loyalty to the United States, in whose
navy he has been for seven years He
was seen the other day in one Of the
turrets by a fellow seaman, who re-
ported an attempt to break open the
magazine door, adding that cotton
waste and rockets had been found on
Yglesias. The latter was Immediately
put under restraint, and a court of in
qury has been appointed to make an
investigation. No court martial has
been ordered or recommended. The
crew of the monitor Immediately be-
came excited, and declared there was a
Spanish traitor on board. Through this
the eXtravagant stories were concocted.
The officers of the Puritan believe
the man, who is a fireman, is a Cuban,
and they assert positively that he has
never given evidence of any sort Of
sympathy with Spain but they add,
on the contrary, when the Puritan was
off Matanzas the man was frequently
heard to say he would like to get
ashore to join the insurgents.
The actions Of the officers Of the
monitor in placing the man under re-
straint were guided solely by the dan
ger of allowing an unevenly balanced
man to be at large.
Captain B. f. Harrington, com
mander Of the United States monitor
Puritan, the commanding officer of the
Cardenas fleet, who has just come
from there, specifically and emphat-
ically denies the story Of the alleged
bombardment Of that port by the mon
itor Terror and gunboat Machias. He
says there are no Spanish batteries
there, and that the entire story is un-
true,
There are many nervous people in
this semi Cuban city, and apprehension
is not confined to the less intelligent
class. The timid aver that Key West
is sure to be the first point of attack by
the Spanish fleet and the whereabouts
of the latter they place some at Porto
Rico, others off Bermuda, while some
will almost certify that the hostile
cruisers are less than a hundred miles
away. AS reasons for their belief that
Key West will be selected, many say
Spain has an especial grudge against
the place, as having been for many
years a hotbed of treason to the crown
that the coal and naval stores belong
ing to the United States and now here
to supply the fleet, would be of incal-
cuable benefit to the Spaniards, and
that the Viscaya and Oquendo alone
could capture the place in a few hours
OF course all this is regarded as begot-
ten of fear by those best posted in
naval matters. None the less not 6
few women have left Key West, anG
others will soon follow.
The chief incident of yesterday was
the arrival of the troop ship Panther
with nearly 700 marines on board
| She comes from Hampton Roads II
| convoy of the Montgomery. Lieuten
ant Colonel Huntingdon is in command
of the marines. He said the only even
| of the trip was a squall on Tuesda!
| night which lasted Is hours. The mel
stood it well.
The Fern arrived from Tampa will
ammunition for the fleet, and the An
napolis returned after a brief absence
Where she has been is not known, ex
| Cept to the authorities and thost
aboard. The Amphitrite is still coalin.
| here.
A statement is made by Lieutenan
Mckinley, in charge of the harbor de
fences, that Key West will be practi
| cally closed to vessels between tn
| hours of s D. m. and 4 a. m, beginning
tonight.
A load of anxiety was lifted from tn
naval men here by the arrival late yes
terday afternoon of the little Spanisl
| schooner Three Sisters, with Paymas
ter George f. Simpson and three sailor
of the Terror, aboard. The vessel ha'
almost been given up for lost. Th
| schooner, loaded with sugar, Will
bound from Havana for Cardenas wa
captured off the latter place Sunda,
afternoon by the torpedo boat Foote
Paymaster Simpson and his compan
ions were put aboard as a prize crew
and started for Key West that night
When only a few hours out she wa
becalmed, and when the winds did com
they We're contrary and blew the littl
schooner far out of her course. Sh
next encountered gales and had
heave to for "a hours.
The Mascotte arrived here yesterda
afternoon, bringing Miss Clara Barto
and corps of Red Cross workers. TIL
passengers did not come ashore, bu
were taken down stream to the Re
Cross ship State of Texas, which ha
been awaiting their arrival. The Stat
of Texas under Captain Young, ha
four other Red Cross workers o
board and 1,4OO tons of provisions
clothing, etc. She will await instruc
tions from Washington before pro
ceeding to Cuba. The State of TeXa
will probably serve as a hospital shi
for the fleet and troops.
A small Spanish soop, the Engraci'
captured by the United States gunboa
i Newport, Captain b. F. Tilley, off Cal
anas Thursday, was brought in her
! yesterday in charge of a prize crev
She had on board a crew of seven me
and a cargo of fish. The men on boar
! the prize had bapn I'm the Spanish nav