The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-09-10
HUGE SUM OF PRIZE MONEY
SEVENTEEN MILLIONS IN ALL.
The Navy Is the Safest and Best Paid
Work in the Time of War, with
Its Chances for Prizes, AS Few
Are Killed in Battle.

New York, Sept. GA dispatch to the
Herald from Washington says:
At least $l7 100000 in prize money will
be distributed among sailors as result
of the war with Spain. More than half
of this award will be in accordance with
that section of the law providing for the
payment of bounty to persons aboard the
vessels that sunk the Spanish fleet.
Although not penny of prize money
has yet been turned into the treasury
Judge Advocate Lemley and his chief
clerk, Mr.. Hanna, are engaged in consid-
ering the various claims for prize money
that have been filed by the officers and
men, and in passing upon the various
questions which have arisen.
From the official report of Admiral
Montojo, commanding the Spanish fleet
at Manila, there were 1875 persons aboard
his ships. The bounty amounts to $751;
5OO which congress will be asked to APP
propriate during the coming session. One
twentieth of this sum belongs to Rear
Admiral Dewey, commandment chief, and
he will therefore be $3.50 richer than ne
was before the war.
SIMPSONS Big Share.
Rear Admiral Sampson has realized a
snug little fortune as a result of the war.
As communicating chief of the North At
lantic fleet he will get one-twentieth OF
every prize taken by the North Atlantic
fleet and one-twentieth of the head money
allowed for the vessels destroyed off San
tiago and in Cuban ports. 1t is estimated
. that he will finally receive about $4,000
as his share of prize money.
) In determining the amount of head
money due officers and men it will be
necessary for the department to decide
whether vessel destroyed is superior Of
l inferior to her antagonist. If the latter
}, the American ship will be entitled to $20l
for each person on board the enemy. o
I course this will swell the amount of priz'
|. money due the admiral.
l 1t is estimated that, including the Mer
l. cedes, sunk at the mouth of the harbo
l. of Santiago, there were 2492 persons OF
board the Spanish fleet destroyed b.
l Simpsons command, which was superio
to the enemy and the amount of hea'
: money due the fleet will consequently az
i gregate $4,000 Besides these ship
e Spanish men-ofwar were sunk at Mama
Milo, Nipe and other points along tn
> Cuban coast, the destruction of whicl
Il each means a prize for the officers AM
men participating in the work.
Many Questions to Settle.
Legal officers of the department vii
be requested to determine whether mel
+ chant vessels carrying guns in their hol
n like the Santo Domingo, which was sun
n by the Eagle, come within the meaning c
n the section providing for the paymen
of bounties for persons on board. Thes
question may delay the adjudication c
% amounts due officers and men interested
d The department was notified few day
= ago by Judge Locke of Florida that Ii
e would turn into the treasury the ne
J. amount resulting from the sale of tn
$ cargo of coal on board the British tram
d steamer Restormel. The notification w5
d subsequently withdrawn.
Is The Restormel's case is the furthest az
d vanced of any prizes. Owners of til
great majority of the captured vesse
le have taken appeals from the courts whic
+ have condemned their ships as prizes an
he it will be many months before the 81
e preme court of the United States is alb
h to pass on them.