The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-04
OUR SPANISH PRISONERS.
They Are Fairly Comfortable, and Are
Learning English.

annapolis Letter in Baltimore American.
Captain Eulate, Of the Vizcaya, to-day
appears in better spirits than at any time
since he has been here. He has partially
recovered from his gloomy spirits. His Tlel-
ancholy has been attributed to his wounds
together with the fact that his family is
III Porto Rico towards which the American
forces are now moving. He has ordered
dress suit to be ready for him by Monday.
1t is reported that during the hostilities
some of the Spanish sailors were shot by
officers because they could not stand by
their guns. This is considered act OF
cowardice in actual warfare and the shoot
ing down of a man for cowardice or mutiny
on such occasions is said to be permissible.
Captain Eulate is one of the officers on
whose ship some of the men were said to
have been shot for refusing to work.
Seaman Groseppe, of the Colon. interpret
says that Captain Eulate shot none of his
men during the fight of July 3. He was,
this sailor said, one of the kindest of men,
did this bloody work. Captain Eulate is not
tabooed by his felow-officers at ALL He is
very fond of the children in the academy.
Mrs. McNair, wife of Admiral McNair,
superintendent of the Naval Academy, will
entertain at dinner on Wednesday evening
next Admiral Cervera Lieutenant Cervera,
Captain Eulate and the other Spanish cap
tains here-Commander White and wife and
Lieutenant Commander Edwin X. Moore
and wife. This is the first formal social
function given in honor of the distinguished
prisoner.
All the sick prisoners are improving. The
younger officers, who arrived on the Har-
ward last Wednesday, and now in quaran-
tlne are getting along finely. They nave
been given the use of the piano that the
naval cadets used when here in the new
quarters, and have merry times in their I'M
prisonment. All the prisoners are busy
learning the English language The older
officers, not in quarantine, are exchangirg
Spanish for English with the children of the
Naval Academy, and the younger officers,
corralled in the new quarters, are applying
to orderlieS and sentrieS in their quarters
for interpretations of the English bulletins
they find posted on the walls.
A Spaniard who understood French and
spoke it very well, was in a stationery store
In town desiring to purchase something ne
understand. A young lady from town, near
at hand offered her services as interpreter,
and politely asked the Spaniard, in French,
what he desired to purchase. Immediately
the clouds rolled away when he said the OBJ
ject over which there had been so much
difficulty was portfolio.
After making their purchases at the stores
in town, the Spaniards always take off their
hats and say goodbye to the clerks. 1t
is custom among the Annapolis ladies to
go about in summer without hats, carrying
parasoS and umbrellas a protection in
lieu of headgear Several of these hatless
ladies', making purchases at the same stores
with the Spaniards. have been mistaken for
clerks, and the SpaniardS have Saluted and
said goodbye to them.
A special request has been sent to the
ladies who reside in the Naval Academy 10
forego visiting the lower part of the acad-
envy grounds where the prisoners are To-
Gated. In spite of this several of the ladies'
walk in the neighborhood of the Spanish
quarters. One, a little less timid than
others, engaged in conversation with Eulate,
much to the discontinue of the latter, who
appeared restless and uneasy at the lady'S
presence She, not in the least daunted,
button from his coat. Eulate became in
dignant, but with the taunt that you got
your deserts the lady walked off, tri-
umphantly bearing her souvenir button.
The Spanish prisoners were given a sight
of the academy fire drill recently, which
they much enjoyed. During the absence of
employees of the academy practice in the
fire drill, to keep their hands in. A notice
of this is the shrill sound of a big whistle,
which at the moment it is heard, all hands
drop work. rush to their posts with reels,
hose, etc, man the plugs and turn the
stream of water on that part of the acad-
envy presumably on fire. a few DAYS ago
the whistle sounded, the Spaniards were
startled, and it was no little fun to watch
their amaZement as they gaZed at the men
rushing about and each performing his part
of the fire drill. The prisoners did not know
what TO make of it, and looked as though
they anticipated a battle right then and
there, but their feelings were relieved some
what when the true nature of the excite
ment became known to them.
One of the sailors having a $40 note which
he wanted to change for two So notes. asked
one of the employees: "Maka ten, two
smaller five, you sabe?' which caused him
to think quite little before he understood
what was meant.
the Spaniards spent the day pretty much
the same as usual. stroling around the
grounds and visiting the city. Admiral
Cervera was seen strolling through the
grounds to-day in company with couple
of Catholic priests to whom he was explain
ing the different points that interested him.
One of the men, seeing a scythe lying
upon the ground, picked it up and began
trying to cut the grass with it. 1t was quite
amusing to see the awarkwardness with
which he handled it. Upon being asked
what he thought of it, he replied that he
had never used one before, but he was
good cook
The Spaniards wear silk underwear, but
were not fortunate enough to get this costly
article in town. A fashionable dressmaker,
who supplies her customers with silk under
garments, and frequently has large orders
sent from a New York firm, regrets that
she not informed of the prisoners de-
sire for silk underwear as she could have
readily filled an order for the same.