davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25
The Little Gloucester and Her Commander, Whose
Brilliant Work Has Excited the Admi-
ration Of Experts Everywhere.

they could see the effects of their shells
on the enemy. The reports that have
been sent to the navy department by
the officers who were in charge Of the
several divisions during the fight show
that the Gloucester at times was with
in $50 yards of the larger ships of the
Spanish fleet. She was never for
moment outside the battle line.
1T was miracle that saved u.s. said
Chief Quartermaster Charles Bechtold
when spoken to concerning the battle
eff Santiago. I'VE were having spar
deck inspection when the ships started
out. We went right up to them as
soon as they came out Of the harbor
Our guns were kept working all the
time, and the way We pumped ard s
pound shells into them was a wonder
We gave it to the Vizcaya. She tried
to do US, but-well, you know what
happened Those fellows did rot know
how to shoot. We got one of the sights
from the forward tn ret Of the Vizcaya
after she went aground, and the wind
gauge was over fully eight or nine
points. They must have thought they
were firing at something that was go
ing about 20 knots an hour. | don't
know what their elevation was but
their shots went way above us. We
fought the big ships until the torpedo
beat destroyers came cut, and then we
went for item. They 10 ked pre- ty and
trim as they came out, firing their
small guns and getting on good head
Of steam. We just sailed into them,
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25
ENGLISH PLAYS IN GERMANY.

Some English plays find favor In
Germany. believe Charley's Aunt en-
loved a fair success. and ] had the
pleasure OF seeing the Geisha for tho
first time in small German town not
long ago. The audience laughed and
appIauded Just as they did in London.
and the singing and acting were i'm
pregnated with life and enthusiasts m.
True. IL seemed odd that Jack Is the
how for me-" should be rendered as
ship ahoy, away to the sea, on. my
sweet girl" that Chin Chan China
man" was turned into a topical song
about bismarck, Cuba and the lola
trial that the Star Of Asia air was en-
tirely omitted. and that the English
miss should be represented by stall
wart Young German with a very square
waist, a small sailor hat. short white
frock. and a pair Of very large feet.
clothed in black. heelless slippers--oth-
erwise the Illusion was complete. ana
one might have believed ones self IN
the presence Of a good English proyin~
cial company. Ii
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25
ANDREW WALSH,
HUMBLE HERO.

Andy Walsh had been in a drunken
stupor several days. No one on the
ship had seen him in such a condition
before, and they wondered what had
happened TO make him go ''off and fill
up. He was one of the best men in
the navy and had seen service in the
early sixties. He could, do more work
than any other two men on the ship,
but there was something thet had
botheredi Andy since he was detached
from the receiving ship and sent TO the
battleship 1t was the first time
In all his long service in the navy that
Andy was sent for duty on board of,
as he put it, "a tin ship. with nothing
but engines and not yard Of canvas
anywhere. Andy was lost, and when
he was given liberty he went on shore
and partook of the cup that cheers"
until il got the better Of him. He was
taken back to the ship in disgrace, and,
although the officers paid no attention
to him, he considered himself under
arrest
While making a tour of inspection
of the vessel one day the captain no.
ticed the condition of Andy and asked
an officer why he had rot been reported.
The officer tried to make some excuse.
but It was no use. He was reprimand-
ed, and Andy was put In the brig"
He remained there several days and
was then brought before the court TO
be tried for his serious offense." When
told that he was going to be court
martia,ed. Andy worried. He had sew
era, medals for good conduct and was
rpCrrlI Of +horp % Sl-QI Of tho
younger officers what they were going
to do with him and when he learned
how serious the charges were against
him asked the officer 10 act as his coun-
sell This he agreed to.
The day of trial came, and in or
der to make a good impression on the
members of the court Andy was told
by his counselor to appear in his best
uniform he had and also to wear his
medals.
Some of the sailors have medals of
hCror for bravery. There are so few of
them, however. that 1t is safe TO say
that half the officers in the service
have never seen one.
Several minor cases had been dispos-
Cd Of by the court, and the recorder
called Andy Walsh
The orderly usheIedhthe old seaman
into the officers Quarters where the
court was held. He was nertFrs ana
trembling. hut saluted as he answered
to his name On his clean blue shirt
were pinned his good conduct medal
and the badge of the Grand Army Of
the Republic. while between them hung
an odd-looking bronze medal suspend
cd from an eagle with outstretehed
wings. None Of the officers had ever
seen ore OF these medals, and it was
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25

use. They were riddIed with shells,
and the boilers exploded, SO that there
was nothing but a tangled mass of iron
and steel. We took Lieutenant Ar
deria and eighteen men from the Furor
and Commander Vasquez and nineteen
men from The Pluton. Admiral Ger
vera and e lot Of other officers were
also taken en- board, and for a time we
had q full house. Yes, we felt sorry
for them. They fought hard; but, as
said,- they don't know how to shoot.
Just thiE : of a vessel like the Glouces-
ter tacDing ship of the size and pow
er of the Vizcaya! Our largest gun is
a 6 FOUNDER, while she carried 9 inch
guns, and shot from one Of those fe.-
lows woulo have blown US out Of the
alter. Our shells were too small TO
do much damage to the big ships, but
they were big enough TO knock out the
torpedo beat destroyers. When those
vessels went down "a number of the
men jumped overheard. The New
York came up at just about that time
and passed a lot Of Spaniards swim
ming about We picked them up and
then took Admiral Cervera of the
shore. 1t was terrible, and, while there
was some excitement at the time,
don't like to think CT the suffering and
the dreadful sights We saw. Out of
our crew of 70 men there were but 35
regularly enlisted men. The rest were
one year volunteers, and most of them
had been apprentice boys. Now we are
ready to so home, as there is moth
ing left for US to do. Spain was
whipped, and We helped do it and are
ready to 50 back 10 WORK.
Ii al the e. 5eT.ents in which the
Glouces ,er participated, and she took
part in nearly every one that occurred
during the war. she was struck but
few times. NoLe of the shots caused
any damage. During the battle eff San
tiago, despite the fact, rs already sta
ted, that she was nearer the Spanish
ships than any other vessel and en-
gagged the two destroyers at close range,
she came out with no casualties and
without having been struck once.
EitEer of the vessels she destroyed was
mere powerful and capable. if handled
properly, Of easily demolishing the lit
tie ex-yacht
The officers and men Of the Glouces-
ter deserve ali the praise that can be
bestowed upon them. They have proved
beyond any Doubt what kind CT ma
terial Uncle Sans navy is rlade Of.
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25

battle6 so successfully. There are three
chrOnometers-one each from the Ma
ria Teresa, Cristobal Colon and Almi-
rante Oquendo. Besides these there are
several Spanish flags, some taken from
the ships and others from the shore
batteries.
All the relics did not, however, find
their way into the oficerse' quarters.
The men got a goodly share of what
was found on the vessel. When the
writer visited the ship the jackies were
lounging On the main deck, telling OF
their experiences, while some were be
Low" packing UP their "ditty boxes" and
clothes bags, for most of the men, now
that the war Is practically at an end,
are anxious to go home to resume their
former occupations. Most of them and
not a few of the officers who helped to
fight the Gloucester came from "prl-
vate life"-that is, the officers had re-
signed from the service several years
ago, while most of the men, who were
apprentice boys, took their discharges
when their turns of enlistment had ex-
pired. When war was declared and
Uncle Sam was in need of competent
persons to handle the ships, they all
returned to their first love and, as is
well known, gave a good account OF
themselves.
Most of the men since their arrival in
New Y Gfk flave-beeE busy sending their
souvenirs to their homes, winch are IN
all parts of the country. They have
told the story of their fights so many
times that when one asks them to give
a description they look up in woebe-
gone way and usually say, 1T was the
hottest thing l ever saw, and | would
not have missed it for a farm in Kan
sas" They were everywhere, and their
ship did about as much work as any
vessel, including the large battleships.
1t was the Gloucester that fired the
first shot in the bombardment of San
Juan, Porto Rico, and it was the same
vessel that not only sank the Spanish
torpedo boat destroyers Pluton and
Furor at the battle off Santiago harbor,
but first engaged the cruiser Vizcaya,
which was one of the largest and most
powerful vessels of the Spanish feet.
1t was at the battle off Santiago that
the little craft showed her worth and
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25
THOUGH BUILT FOR PLEASURE,
SHE PROVED A REAL TERROR.

world and have also shown what kind
of men Uncle Sam has to back him up
when some other nation tries to knock
chip off his shoulder.
There does not seem to be much use
in relating what the Gloucester and her
brave officers and crew have done. The
daily press has fully chronicled her ex-
ploits, and from the day the vessel was
converted from pleasure craft into a
fighting machine almost up to the time
she came to anchor in the harbor of
New York something has been said to
the credit of the officers, the men and
the boat herself until the names of
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
and the Gloucester have become as
much household words as those of
Dewey, Sampson and Schley.
The little vessel has completed her
work and is now ready to be taken
from the active list of the service. Just
what will be done with her is not
known. She may return 70 TIE peace
full occupGtien from which she was
taken or be sent somewhere for special
duty. 1t was expected that when hos
tilities ended the converted yachts
would be sold. This will probably be
done with some, but the record made
by the Gloucester has endeared the yes
sci to the department and the public
generally, and as she has shown that
she is just as we'll fitted for fighting
purposes as for flying the flag of some
yacht club it is not at all unlikely that
she will be retained in the service In
his report to the navy department
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
has recommended that the vessel be
used as training ship for the engineer
division of the cadets at the Naval
Academy at Annapolis, and it is be-
lieved in many quarters that his recon-
mendation will be favorably acted up
On. In fact, board of officers was ap
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25

have got there?" he grufly asked the
old seaman.
Andy pointed to the medal and tried
to say something, but it was useless.
His voice failed him.
Before the captain could repeat his
question Andy had taken the medal on
and placed 1t on the table before theJ
officers of the court All looked at it. ,
but none seemed TO know what 1t was
Finally Andy's voice came TO hih
and, saluting the captain, he said, ft
was given to me by Congress during
the war" That was all, and those. few
words had an effect on that court that
was surprising. Andy did not have to
stand trial, but was sent to his quar-
tiers and ordered to return to the court
room with the certificate that was given
him with the medal. 1t was handed TO
the captain and read as follows.
Andrew Walsh. seaman, belonging
to the U. S. S. Metacomet constituted
one of the boats crew which. in charge
of an acting ensign In the{United States
navy, went to the rescugof the officers
and crew Of the U. j. S. Tecumseh
when that vessel was SINK by torpedo
in passing the forts in Mobile bay, Au-
gust 8, 1864. This boats crew, under
their brave leader. went within few
hundred yards of one OF the forts under
fire which Admiral Farragut express
ed as one OF the most CALLING he ever
saw and succeeded in reseuing from
death ten of the crew of the Teeumseh.
Their conduct ELECTED the admiration OF
both friend and foe"
When the captain had read the certi-
ficate, he turned to Walsh and shook
hands with him and told him he was
excused. After Andy left the court
room the captain turned to the mem
bers of the court and said. "Gentle-
men, there is man who has received
the highest gift the department can
give, and there is no doubt that he de-
served it, | believe there is not one
of you here who would not be willing
to lose an arm for the privilege or
wearing enc of those medals.
Andy had been out of the service for
some years, but when Uncle Sam CALI
ed for volunteers TO help whip Spain he
was one of the first to respond. The
age limit, however, kept him out. The
captain who once tried Andy never for
got the incident of the first medal OF
honor he ever saw and never tires OF
telling how it nearly broke up the
court.
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25
(Copyright, 1881


Tugging easily at her cables and
surrounded by several of the big fight
Ing machines, whose large guns frown
down upon her, the auxiliary gunboat
gloucester, the hero of many battles,
lay Tor several weeks at anchor in New
York harbor, the wonder of the entire
naval world and the freak warship of
the United States navy. Everybody
has heard Of this little ship and her
deeds of desperate daring. The vessel,
formerly "a pleasure boat and fitted
out. with every comfort and luxury
that veal th could purchase, was as
beautiful land stately craft as ever
unfurled 3 club bprgee at her mast
head There was no yacht better known
than ]. P3erpont Morgan's Corsair. She
was not (only thing of beauty, but
her construction was such that she was
one of tHe best heavy weather and deep
water boats in the world.
When it became necessary for the
go hent to increase the number of
ships IN the naval service, many small
vessels to be used as dispatch boats and
coast guard vessels were purchased.
This fleet was composed Of some of the
pleasure yachts owned by our wealthy
citizens. They were taken to the navy
yards, where much of their splendor
was removed. They were to be used for
a widely different purpose from that
for which they were built. The inter-
ior decorations were taken out, and
plates of toughened steel were placed
on the sides of the vessels and over the
vitals. The long, sweeping bowsprits
and the stately masts disappeared
Guns were mounted on the decks, and
short signal masts were put in.
When the vessels had been overhaul
sd and made ready for service, they
looked like toy men-of-war, capable of
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25
THE EARTH GROWING HEAVIER.

As people grow old they usually grow
stouter, and in this respect our planet
is very human indeed. for the earth IL
growing stouter and heavier every year
by some ten thousand tons.
Z The food on which our planet Is thus
fattening herself consists of meteors or
shooting stars. Though we have only
one great shower of shooting stars
In November-still every day the earth
is crossing the paths of N teors aud
catching shooting stars In her atmos-
phere, which acts as a net. Shooting
stars are pTsces of stone, varying y
size from a maTnN
revolving round the sun T
attracts them by her weight, al
rush towards us at tremendoql
On plunging into the atmosph
become heated by the friction Z
encounter, and so become white
ard are finally driven on into
Every minute the earth Is being
iected to this fusilade. though mos
the meteors are too small to be seen
the naked eye The gas eondenses
to dust and slowly sinks TO the ca
At the very lowest estimate 400
lions of meteors fau into our atm
phere every day, or over l4u,oVo II
lions a year.
The dust into which all these shc
ing stars are dissolved sinks TO
earth. and II the dust of each mese
weighs but a single grain, this amour
in the aggregate to 22.ooo.OoO pounds
or 10 600 tons BY this amount eartnl
increases every year, and as she never
narts with a single grain. she is grow
ing rapidly heavier. But large as II
nav seem in the mass 1t is really
trifie compared with the weight OF tho
earth.
II this annual increment Of meteor
dust were spread evenly over the entire
surface Of the earth 1t would form a
Iaver less than Observation-Disclosures
part Of an inch in thickness. But when
the twentieth century opens, our httle
globe will be 100000 tons heavier than
Il was when the nineteenth century
dawned.
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25

The men without exception spoke mod
estly of the battles they were In as
they saw them, and even then they pre-
ferred not TO talk of the little affairs
The officers persistentiy refused to dis
cuss what had happened, and when
spoken to Of the behavior OF the ship
and the crew they would simply say,
It's way we have In the navy
The modesty and reticence of the
sloucester's crew are Of course az COM
,endable as they are characteristically
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25

and 1 tell you we could see where our
shells were tearing holes into them
every minute.It was a horrible sight
when we got near them after their COL
ors were struck. The poor devils were
burned up and shot TO pieces. We
went alongside and took everybody on
that was alive It was little after 10
O'Clock when the Pluton gave up, and
then We concentrated our fire on the
Juror, and ake d1d not last long. We
tried to save the vessels. but It was n,
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25

the medal that saved Andy from severe
punishment
After being sword and the charges
read TO him the president of the court
was about to proceed when one OF the
junior officers leaned forward and
whispered something to him The old
skipper adjusted his glasses and looked
at the old sailor. who thought his
doom was sealed.
What kind Of : nedal Is that ron
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25
THE LITTLE LOUCESTER SINKING THE SPANISH DESTROYERS

the grit and determination of her Off
GERS and crew. They fought from the
minute the Spanish ships came out CT
the harbor until the enemy lay On the
beach masses of flames and twisted and
molten metal. She was nearey. the en-
envy than any Of our ships during that
engagement 49,.
According to .1ome Of the men who
were on board Tho Gloucester. they were
90 near that ~ commands Of the Span
ism omelze e6ul1 be heard at times. and
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25

American, but if our public were asked
to express its estimate of these men it
is certain that it would in substance
be
AS brave band of heroes as ever plowed
the Main,
And just the sort of fellows, too, to polish
of old Spain.
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25
THE LARGEST HoTEA

The Sultan is said TO have nearly
comnleted the largest hotel In thu
world al Mecca. This establishment II
10 lodge 5000 pilgrims at once. with,
presumably. their camels and othef
beasts OF burden, and promises 10 b
ore OF the most picturesque places 4
stay AT In the world. althoun6
course infdel dogs are not al
approach IT, It's vast size
attention to monster resid
largest dwelling house In
IN Vienna. where there Is
house with 1900 rooms
by more than 1900 peopi
ing has 81 staircases. Il:
and $50 windows on thf
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25
wcuLD-BE 81

He-There are two
life when be never 7
.Yndeed-snd wnf
.sBefore he i q
-x1ifo.
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-31

Hut 1t Gave Patsy an Ugly Quarter of
nm Hour Aftcrwnrd


AT amusing inc.defft was witnessed in
a Ger AIN rneaagerle The other day Here
and there between the ga gas a number ~
the wel.-known trick m rios were placed
An ir.shman. after critical survey OF
the monkeys, had wandered away from MS
better ha.t. and suddenly found himself
n front az ore OF these mirrors After
one glance a. his distorted rejection he
rushed back 10 his wife. who was st.u
Watching the antics ofihe monkeys
Come away w!d We. Bridget" ne ex-
claimed Owe found a digger trate than
iaat-the ugiies. haste IN tire show. Hes
n : Ettie cage in the corner
Bridget offered no objections Two or
three o. the hysranders who had heard
Patsy 5 remark were eQgslly anxious %
cnta.u 4 peep - the ''4gi est haste" AID
t4ete vas quiz procession - the TITLE
cage j1 The corner Palsy. as me orig
snA d.scovsrer. secured arst place ara
dragged rs wife n front Of the mirror
10 ais aston-shmen' there was more n
the 'Cage' snan ne expected
hesorTa, BRIDGET" ne suddenly ex-
claimed there's i pair Az 'ern:''
Palsy rad 4 lively sine 81 Z when some
one explained the situation 10 Bsidget-
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-31
WILLIAM AND AUGUSTA
ENTER JERUSALEM
The German Imperial Couple Go On
Foot. Through Crowds Overflow
ing With EnthusiaSm

JERUSALEM Oct. 3A--The approach OF
their German imperial ma jesstias to the city
yesterday was made through triumphal
arches and amid banners, garlands and
evergrowing crowds displaying in every
way their enthusiasm and delight The
formal entry through the Jaffa gate was
heralGed by the roar of guns at the citadel
where the Turkish band played the Ger
man anthem. From the tower of David
Emperor William and Empress Augusta
Victoria. preceded on foot amid w.ld
cheering, TO the church of the HOLY
Sepulchre where they were Received by
tbs Catholic, Greek and Armenian clergy
whose patriarchs presented addresses elIio-
'lZing the devotion of emperor William
Their majesties then proceeded to the
Garnan Evangelical church. where the Das-
tor presented an address
Al O'Clock in the evening Saturday a
reception was held al the German consulate
ana later there was general illumination
OF the city with n display OF fireworks.
Today the imperial pair attended service
at the Evangelical church in Bethleher EN-
afterwaTd paying 4 visit 10 the church OF
The nativity The weather today has been
beautiful and everywhere the greatest on
thusiasm has been displayed After the
excursion TO Jericho, Dtevad Pa~na former
grand v,zier. recently Turkish governor az
Crete, and now attached TO the sultan will
leave the imperia. suite. Il is rumoreI
that this Is due 20 some unD,e santness
Emperor William has sent his uortrai,
IN brilliants to Tewflk Pasha, Turkish am
eaNsador 10 Germany. who was among +he
high Ottoman diCnitaries that received the
emperor and empress in Constantinoula