Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-03

OF the Spanish sailors might do ana then I
snoulc be held responsible for what hap
pened. TIE Americans would hold the cap
tain responsible for all the sailors Educa-
ted Spaniards understand IL all. but tho
Spanlarc who is ignorant is hard to con-
troll
No doubt. Captain Bill spoke with much
TRUTH for among the crews of each vessel
there were faces dark and cruel As the
officers grouped about the Americans dis
cussing for the release of The prisoners the
sailors stood apart and watched Tho
strangers with cat-like fierceness Half
clad sallrw or swarthy. with eyes dark,
sunken cleaning with hatred and cruelty,
they were indeed unfriendly looking fell
lows
At o'clock the call for dinner was
sounded, and the captain took his place at
the head Of the table. better dinner
would be difficult TO Obtain at any table on
the American continent. 1t consisted Of
seven courses. with three kinds of wine in
Guiding the best champagne: the finest
brand oil cigars and Spanish cigarettes.
Many of the dishes We're Spanish and de-
liciously pala table. After dinner was fin
ished DR.. Gomenz went to the piano and
played for half an hour. Ii was a strik-
irg picture Here sat these proud Spanish
prisoners in their own floating palace.
Their guests who sat with them Were their
captors and their enemies. With the soft
light of the tropical sunset streaming i'll
through the cabin windows. they sang to-
gether the national airs of Spain. while
hundred yards away the black guns Of a
United States battle ship frowned down
upon them. Perhaps It was their last song.
Hi ,-l.s
of them was home: they did not know.
The song ceased and the American visitors
arose in silence to go. As they left the
cabin the venerable commander Of the
ship gave each a hearty grasp of the hand.
AS TIE little party were about to leave the
dock The old captain turned to his inter-
prefer and said:
Thankful for Kindness.
TELL them / thank them for the kind
ness they have shown us. We are their
prisoners. but they have treated ms as gen.
tlemen. and Spaniard knows how to APP
preciate such consideration. Say to them
that the Spaniard in Spain is ore man and
the Span I'm Cuba quite another man.
We are sorry for this war. We are not to
blame for 1t. nor are these American gen.
tlemen We have met 1t is the fault of our
If We lose our ship We will give it up like
men. Ask the man Of the press 10 send a
message to Barcelona telling our families
Christian gentlemen"
With moist eyes and trembling lips the
old captain bowed to his guests and disap-
peared within the cabin.
1t is a very perplexing question with the
United States authorities what to do with
the Spanish sailors in case the vessels are
to be held as prizes.
Nearly all of them are penniless. and de-
clare that they are, and they seem to
fear that they cannot get money from
Spain or England to pay their passage
across the Atlantic Since their capture
they have been kept on their ships under
guard OF deputy United States marshals.
Attorney General Griggs has issued an
order from Washington to have them prop
erly cared for but inasmuch as lney are
not prisoners OF war. the government will
not likely provide for their sustenance for
any great length Of time.
Dangerous to Put Them Ashore.
There has been some talk OF removing
them to the island. Key West. but this is
Regarded by the authorities as a dangerous
thing to 10. Key West can provide no
possible emplo. ment for them, and besides
the town being filled as It is with Cubans,
there would no doubt be serious trouble
before the Spaniards had been on shore
twenty-four hours. That the Cubans would
almost certainly make violent trouble for
the Spaniards is proved by one condition
which has existed here for several days.
Since the Spanish vessels were captured
and brought here the water front has been
daily and nightly fringed with Cubans ours
ing and muttering all kinds of vengeance
upon the imprisoned seamen out on the
ships. Were the Spaniards actually on
shore 1t may easily be imagined what would