The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-07

On Board the Associated Press Dis
patch Boat Kate Spencer Cvia Key
West. Fla.), May 6.-The Lafayette Of
the French General Transatlantic com
pany's line, a vessel of 1894 tons, gross
register, bound from Corunna, Spain, on
April %, for Havana, was captured yes
terday evening off the latter port by
the United States gunbOat Annapolis,
Commander John Jacob Hunker, while
trying to run the blockade, after having
previously been warned off. She has on
board large number of passengers
and valuable cargo, possibly contain
ing contraband of war.
The Lafayette. which halls from st.
Nazarre, France, is a fine vessel of the
old type. She is BAL feet long, has A.
foot beam, and is IS feet deep. She was
built in 1864 at GreenOck, of iron. Her
capture was effected shortly before sun
down last night in the following man
ner:
The Lafayette was heading for Ha-
vana, and was boarded by an officer
of the Annapolis and warned not to en-
ter port. She afterwards made an at
tempt to do SO, and was captured, af-
ter an exciting chase. The Wilmington,
Newport and Morrill, took part in the
capture of the Frenchman. After an
examination of the Lafayette's papers
had been made, a prize crew from the
Annapolis was placed on board, and
she was sent to Key West escorted by
the Wilmington.
Previous to this step being taken
Commander Hunker of the Annapolis,
the temporary flag officer, and Com
mander c. c. Todd of the Wilmington
exchanged signals for over an hour. An
International question is thought to be
involved, but it was seemingly finally
decided. to send her to Key West. The
fact that she left a Spanish port, Cor
unna, on April %, after the declaration
OF war. which occurred on April q.
seems to warrant holding the Lafay-
cite.
On the question of contraband of
war, the officers of the Wilmington
seem reticent, but it hardly seems pos
sible that the steamer could leave
Spain with so many male passengers on
board and not have cOntraband of war
in her cargo.
1t is reported that the Lafayette, in
addition to being a French mail
steamer. is a French naval reserve YES
sei mounting guns and carrying crew
sufficient to make her ready for active
service at short notice. This, it is
said, adds considerably to the gravity
of the international aspect of the case.
The Annapolis did fine work and the
stranger was Overhauled two miles
ahead of the Morrill,. There was a
flash a puff of white smoke to the lee.
followed by the boom of a gun fired
down the wind. which announced that
Uncle Sam had ordered the stranger
to heave to, and the lirar Obeyed. A
boat from the Annapolis had boarded
the Frenchman, as the stranger proved
to be. On board the liner a crowd of
excited passengers pressed anxiously
about the vessels side. Up from the
south the wicked. gray hulk of the Will
mington, with her men at quarters, and
the delicately lined Newport. were
coming up rapidly. A moment or so
later the three warships lay by until
the boat from the Annapolis started
back from the liner to the gunboat.
Then. suddenly, to the astOnishment
of all on board the warships, the
Frenchman blew a long, querulous
whistle. and put on full steam, pointing
straight to the entrance of Havana
harbor.
\. sharp word of command rang out
on board the Annapolis, and in less
time than It takes to pencil these words.
her crews were At quarters, and the
muzzle of every gun of her starboard
broadside was pointing in deadly ear
nest, straight at the runaway. The big
after gun roared forth a hOarse order
from over her starbOard quarter, while
the crews of the other guns looked up
anXiOusly, eager to follow suit.
But the warning note had its effect.
The big liner again stopped her engines
and put them astern, While columns of
steam from her escape pipes told of the
high pressure below, pleading for re-
lease.
The Wilmington and the Morrill, had
already started across the Lafayette's
path. but their services were not neces-
sary, for the Frenchman no longer
dared to make a run for it.
Ensign H. II. ZiegOmeir, of the An
napOlis. who was in charge of the prize
crew on board the Lafayette, says the
latter's commander denies that he has
Spanish soldiers on board. The French
commander, however. admits that he
left Corunna on April %. after the de-
claratiOn of war, and that he took on
board many male passengers. He feiens
ignorance of the nature of his ships
cargo, and says he will be unable to
ascertain what she has on board until
he examines her manifest.