The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-04-27
CAPTURE OF THE PANAMA
THE MANGROVE PUT THREE SHOTS
ACROSS HER BOW.

Lieutenant-Commande Everett Threat-
ened to Sink the SpanIard If She Did Not
surrender-The Battleship Indiana Was
Near Enough to Witness the Capture
The Panama Makes Five Steamers AL
ready Captured.
Key West, Fla, April 26-1:30 p. H.
The lighthouse tender Mangrove, the
baby of the navy, puffed proudly into
Key West harbor this morning with the
richest prize of the war thus far, ves-
sci four times her size, trailing in her
wake. The captive was the Panama,
Captain Quevedo, a big transatlantic
liner and an auxiliary cruiser of the
Spanish navy, which has been
plying of late between New York and
Havana. She had twenty-nine passen-
gers, including three women, one
Frenchman and one Mexican, and a
crew of seventy-two.
AS the Panama carried two twelve
Founders she could easily have ami
hilated the little Mangrove, and as the
latter came into the harbor with her
prize there was not craft but saluted
her with rousing cheers. The Man
grove, under Lieutenant Commander
William M. Everett (formerly of New
Haven), who came down from the hy-
geographic office few weeks ago to
take command of her, was cruising
along the Cuban coast, navigated by
Ensign Palmer, shortly before o'clock
last evening about twenty miles north
of Havana. At 5:45 p. m. she sighted
the Panama. The only other ship of
the fleet in sight was the battleship In
diana, three miles to the rear. Lieu
tenant Commander Everett scented a
prize and scudded toward the stranger.
When the latter came within range a
shot from the Mangrove's twelve
FOUNDER was sent across her bows; but
| the Spaniard ignored the challenge and
went on. Another shot followed, with
out result; but the Mangrove was
drawing nearer the stranger, who
calmly proceeded on her course, ap-
parently with the intention of running
| away.
When the third shot was fired the
Mangrove was within hundred yards
of the Panama, and Lieutenant Com
mander Everett shouted to the deck
officer that if she did not surrender he
would sink her. The Mangrove's Off
GERS admit that they expected the en-
emy's 12-pounders to open on them in
response to the threat, but the Spaniard
promptly came to. Ensign Dayton, the
senior officer Of the Mangrove, boarded
the prize. The battleship Indiana had
| seen the capture and meanwhile drew
| up to the Mangrove, giving her a lusty
cheer. Lieutenant Commander Everett
reported to Captain Taylor of the bat
tleship, and the latter put a prize crew
on board the captive, consisting of Ca
| det Falconer and fifteen marines. They
| then proceeded to the flagship, where
formal report was made, and Rear
| Admiral Sampson ordered Commander
Everett to convey the prize into Key
| West.
| The Panama is about $500 tons bur-
den; and her passengers were mainly
| Spanish refugees fleeing from New
York and other points in the United
States to Havana Captain Quevedo
| was grief stricken and greatly humili-
ated because of the capture. The pass
engers declare that they knew nothing
| of the blockade and that when they
saw the searchlight ofthe Mangrove
| they thought II was the light of a
Spanish man-of-war. The first shot
changed their joy to apprehension, the
second and third created panic. The
women ran screaming for shelter from
the enemy's guns and the aptain lock-
ed himself sullenly in his cabin.
The Panama carried av aluable cargo
of general merchandise, including a
large quantity of corn. Much of it was
meant to provision the suffering Span
iards in Cuba. and the cargo with the
ship itself, undoubtedly makes the
richest trophy thus far taken. Under
the regulations, howeter, the battle
ship Indiana will share in the prize
money, as she was in sight when the
capture was made This makes five
steamers thus far captured, in addi-
| ton to number of schooners and
smaller craft. The entire fleet has been
| on the lookout for the Panama for sew
eral days, as she was due at Havana
yesterday or to-day.