New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-15
WRECK OF THE BELVIDERE.
CONDITION OF THE ABANDONED STEAM
Err WHEN DISCOVERED BY
DISPATCH-BOAT.
tcorrespopdence Of The Associated press)


Wanda. off the Southeast Coast OF Cuba June A.
In a cove In the coral rocks of the Cuban coast the
crew Of the Wanda this morning discovered tho
wreck OF the steamer Belvidere. When nrst sgnteo
she was thought to be Spanish gupboat in hid
ing. and approached with considerable eau
ton. But when the small boats were finally put
OFF and the Wanda's crew went ashore most In
teresting condition OF affairs disclosed.
We had passed Cape Maysi light. the eastern
point Of Cuba and were going southwest. All
along this part OF the island the coast Is very
mountainous, revealing here and there great caves
and deep assures made by earthquakes OCCASION
ally a small volcano peak makes itself known by
the darker tint of smoke that minges with the
mist clouds always rising from the deep riffs and
valleys which cut down through the mountain SIDES
to the ocean We had Just been examining one or
the volcano peaks through the glasses when the
lookout from the roof OF the pilot-house espieo
the smokestack of the steamer in the rockbound
The course Of the Wanda was changed and'
steaming closer inshore, were soon able to dis
cover that her was the Belvidere ana tnss
she apparently abandoned.
As the small boats approached her she was truly
the picture OF desolation and silent distress Tnsrs
she lay wedged up against honeycomD cofs'
ledge, listed side with no sign or Ire upon
her decks Flocks OF buzzards were hying all ABOUT
her Several times hailed her. but no answer
came back except the echo from her sides ana
-
the Wanda's climbed up to her decks.
The ship belongs to the Boston Fruit Company
and was heavily laden with bananas and cocoanuS'
which were rafting in the hold and emitting
sickepng stencil. The vessel IL new ana ntteo 10
carry a large number OF passengers. Everything
about her decks and IN the saloons and staterooms
was In the utmost confusion. Clothing OF all az
scriptions toilet articles. papers and letters trunks
and handbags everything which might make up the
belongings Of traveller at sea, were found thrown
about Sucr articles bad been left on the decks
were soaked and ruined but everything INSIDE
the ship the upper decks was dry ana IN sooo
order except those things which had peen 90
stroyed or trampled upon by looters
EVIDENCES OF HAsTY ABANDONMENT.
Strewn all about several Of the stateroons ana
saloon were the spanged suits OF theatrical COM
pany They were Of the finest material and were
apparently costumes for some japanese opera
Champagne bottles and glasses were seen ire
quently about the ship. on the after deck wefe
found a mans waistcoat stained with blood ana
not far from il was q coat with one pocket nlled
with Winchester rife bullets
Everything about the ship showed that It had
been left in great haste and there were many
things which led one 10 believe there might have
been a tragedy connected with the disaster. Tho
captains ogbook was found in companionway.
where it had evidently been dropped suddenly. ana
a letter file of all the ships business was lying OUT
on the deck. where the rain and waves had soaked
It through. The furniture and general equlpmene
Of the steamer had been disturbed very little, but
every trunk and drawer had been broken open ana
rlaed
glassware were in the pantry. some OF tne peos
looked though they had been slept IN ana otn s
were undisturbed IN me sm9hihgaoo ,, On wing
On on'I the I tables s''D' anu f'Ne'
slightly and was probably third full OF water,
The engine-room and boilers were submerged, ana
the freight and baggage were all under water
The upper deck OF the ship was nearly on Ievei
with the broad ledge OF rock that skirts me snops'
had evidently escaped this way. The rope was sun
on the rocks a short distance away were great
heaps Of broken trunks and boxes WIN tnsr cona
TENS thrown aeog pv we're Wing werpns In the
sun fire had been built near this spot
TWO MEN ABOARD THE WRECK.
When the Wandas crew began 10 explore the
boat two Cubans. or Spaniards, darted out OF one
OF the staterooms and swung across 10 the snoro
on the rope. They were commanded TO come back
the ship and when they returned fney o,Stns
trembling With fright rney could eg spe Ss IL Was
understood that the vessel was wrecked there SIX
days before and that all on board were c sayed
pointed toward the mountains in the Interior
There no town or sTeme e he 80 Do int W a
the ship was wrecked. and there is very niue op.
porunity for the un,oIIuhsie }bs omtsi5s world
as all cable ana mail lines from cuba are eut OH
The yesse was ns4 qew engines aRf had been
rSadc nv Workman &, Clark OF Belfast and the
steel hull is evidently of English build From
every appearance the passengers left without saw
Ing anything except the clothes they wore;
II seems quite extraordinary That so stancn =
ship should have gone ashore az that point as the
water IL very deep all about the place, ana even
now only the stern OF the boat is IN swallow
water. -
Tho captains name. according 70 the log was was
az p. m May IS. bound for Port Antonio. ia
maica The log shows fairly favorable sailing un-
III May %. Coing from Bowden 10 hlnss'oh' "hen
the Jog reads IS follows IA.
NAV "A mldngnt-At Morant Bay, loading fruit
a M left tor Kingston. Light breeze; smooth
ran ashore at Port Royal. About 50 feet OF forward
part OF ship grounded on soft bottom Engines full
Port Morant No damage done"
The and last entry in the log Is the foliow-
MAY 25-Arrved in Bowden a. m. Left Bow
don $50 a. N Strong F. y. T. gale and heavy RAIN
10 a m Morant Point abeam
they were wrecked near Cape Maysi. but there Is
nothing in the log 70 show whether they were
driven ashore by storm in some other manner.
or whether mo crew escaped or perisned
The passengers OF the Boston Fruit Company's
steamer Belvidere. numbering twenty-four persons.
among whom was Senior DoningueZ Capote. Pres-
dent Of the Cr5cn Insurgent Government, who Is
now in Washington, and the crew OF tnat vessel
on June by the steamer Kong Erode which
rescued them of Cape Maysi
-
LIEUTENANT-C ROWAN HERE.
HE TELLS or HIS DARING EXPLOIT IN CUBA.
RESULTING IN HIS PROMOTION.