The herald., 1898-05-25
THfPANAMA PRIZE CASE
FORMALLY HEARD--DECIsIoN
RESERVED
PANAMA PRISONER
ONE
Held on Suspicion Of Being q Spy
Latest Details Of the Cardenas
Engagement
Associated Press Special wire

Associated Press Special Wire
KEY WEST. Fla. May A.-The Panama
case was before the United States court
today. Argument on both sides was heard
and Judge Locke reserved decision. 1t has
been decided that such ships as are held
to be legitimate prizes Of war shall be sent
north for sale SO as to bring better prices.
This will probably not be done, however,
until all the cases have been finally deter
mined.
A Spy Suspect
An important arrest of q supposed Span
ish spy was made last evening by United
States Marshal Hoar.. The prisoner is
Romingo Salpero Jiminez, who was among
those captured on the steamer Panama.
and has since been held prisoner of war.
Jiminez is supposed to have obtained infor-
nation concerning New York harbor and
its defenses, with charts Of the harbor,
which he is attempting to get to the Span
ish authorities. He is about 40 years OF
age. Spaniard and a civil engineer.
Late this evening Marshal Hoar. with
several deputies and United States Com
missioner Otto received information from
the north in consequence of which they
slipped quietly out to the Panama, arrest
ed Jiminez and brought him ashore. He
was taken to the Key West hotel and put
through a vigorous examination in private.
Jiminez stoutly denied the accusation
that he was a spy but his story was Of such
contradictory nature that it confirmed
the suspicious Of the Federal authorities.
The examination will be continued and the
prisoner will be held under arrest mean
while.
The Cardenas Affair
A new aspect was given today to the en-
gagement at Cardenas, where Ensign Bag
torpedo boat Winslow were killed. by q
statement Of insurgent COL John J. Jova,
who has been fighting under Gen. Gomez
Col. Jove has been in !Cardenas since the
engagement and he says the mortality on
the Spanish side was by no means SO great
as reported at that time in the United
States. According to his informant on which
seems to be corroborated by the testimony
Of other Cubans taken aboard from Car
denas, by the vessels of the blockading
fleet, only nine persons were killed on the
Spanish side. A shell from one of the
/ American ships fell on one of the streets Of
the town, killing two women and three
ical officer on Spanish gunboat fell under
the fire Of the Americans.
The firing from the shore was not from a
masked battery, but froz the three Spanish
gunboats, to attack which the Winsow
was sent in. Two Of them were disabled,
but not permanently. and the third ran
away, according to Jova's information. No
| fewer than three Spanish flags were brought
\ 1x,o r1,o
guns. One shell struck the flag pole on the
Casino. In the heart Of the tow. crashing
through the roof and exploding in China
| shop below. The place was wrecked, but
no one hurt. The second flag to come down
was flying In the Spanish barracks, and the
third from building formerly used by the
American consul flying defiantry on the
very pole where the Stars and Stripes had
once waved.
Curiously enough, not one Of these shots
had been aimed at the nags, but the Span
lards were so amazed at what they con-
sidered the marvellous skill of the American
gunners that every Spanish flag was hauled
down.
Seven hundred marines came ashore here
today, and are camped near the barracks
pending the return of their ships or some
other vessels.
Another Skirmish
1850 p. m-The United States auxiliary
tug Waumpatuck brought In today story
of sharp skirmish off Santiago de Cuba
last Wednesday. The tug. with the United
States auxiliary cruiser 81. Louis, went into
the Santiago channel to cut the cable.
While the vessels were engaged in the work
they were fired upon by the shore batteries.
The st. Louis returned the fire, and lively
fusillade ensued for about half an hour The
Waumpatuck eventually succeeded In cut
ting the cable. None Of the Spanish shots
hit either boat, while neither of the boats
in turn inflicted any damage on the enemy.
From Santiago the two ships proceeded to
Guantanamo. the Waumpatuck going In
about four hundred yards from shore to cut
the cable there, the st. Louis lying out of
range. The shore batteries again opened
fire and the st. Louis signaled the tug to
come out which she did, without having cut
the cable at that point. This adventure
was equally harmless.
Accounts of 1t reached her today in a
grossly exaggerated form, including re-
port that the cruiser aud the little tug had
sienced the Spanish batteries on shore