Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-26
SAVED THE SPANIARD
DESPERATE BATTLE WITH PIRATES
OFF THE ISLE OF PINES.

How an American Man-oE-war. tho En- ySEs
terorise. Slaughtered the Floodshirsty
Black Flags and Rescued the Spanish q
Gunboat Toridor. ~
In tho beginning Of the present century a
the gulf of Mexico swarmed with pirates, -
preying on the commerce OF every nation !,
In 1894 an English brig from Jamaica, 9
bound home. was taken of Cape st. An u
tome, her crew massacred and the vessel :
beachcd on the coast of Cuba Her cargo q
y-as valued ut over 100000 The British
government started an investigation, and
Il was found to be the work of a Spanish
Irishman named Cain, who had a fast top
sail schooner called the Esmeralda, with q
crew Of 200 men OF all nationaltt'es. 4t
was also found that in disposing of the
plundcr q Spanish coastguard vessel had
conveyed most of it to Havana for sale
and that many Spanish officials were IN.
| tcrested in the affair, getting share OF
| tho plumber.
The British government went for the
| SpuniarGs in u vigorous manner, demand
ing indemnity for the past and security
for tho future. The Spuninrds yielded and
agreed to equip Il force to cruise on the
south coast and search the keys for ma
rau,tcrs A fast sailing brig Of war, Ell
Toridor carrying ten guns, was put IN
commission under Captain Hermann Az
| this time the United States had fleet OF
, small vessels doing police duty in the quiz,
one of which, the Enterprise commanded
l by lieutenant White, had captured several
: pirate craft and cut up their crews 1t
: was on tho same station as the Iorldor.- /
/! and Lieutenant White arranged with Gap
IL tain Iicrnuni to co cooperate with MN anu
5, if in want of assistance ut night to show
10 light Mt the manmast head as a signal
l, Information had como to the Spanish
e, CAPTAIN that u consort Of the Esineraldn,
II fast sailing schooner called the Bonita,
III commanded by negro named Pinto.
Of would try and get into the Largo Key at
10 night She had been on u cruise away
TO south and was reported full OF plunder.
N The negro captain was a bloodthlrsty ruf-
III dan, about 50, and was badly wanted oy
he the Spanish authorities, US he had muir
W lcrcd Il brother of Captain General Galvlz
as in one Of his raids ashore. So the Toridor
m Inv ont about three miles away from the
PASS between the isle Of Pines and Cayo
,ht Largo On the night Of Aug. 10, 1929,
va the man ut the wheel was the only one on
no the alert. Suddenly from the northwes,
led cnro bright flash and then the boom o.
4he n gun, and u shot whistled through th'
ere rigging and then cry from the helms
tch man: :. Alloy, tI,ercl Here's two boat
the alongsidc!"
wn In those days muskets were kept II
csc racks under tho break Of the poop over
the head covered with tarpaulin, and Ia
out boarding pixies were dashed to the mar
way boom To these tho startled crew rushec
nan and tho sides We're alive with men comm
and aboard yelling, XIII, kill!' There IS II
2 to want OF courage among Spanlards' an
urg the crew fought desperately. The capt'si
was on deck and at once sent n man to u
masthead to light the signal lantern, ar
with his officers and marines pitcheu i
4. but the shore party had got 1rst ploo
ada and they fought like tigers, while Il
frey heavy shots from q big schooner not ov
,tcr 800 yards away came fast Inc Ior1oo
,rso- rctrcatcd to the quarterback ana, cncou
UNI aged by their officers, made u oespefa
lilies fight but it was evidently y losing gam
won Tho seb>.e!..Nss. .-.a her sweeps out anu II
'stfn watch had been chanEsd anb4F lg Guy VT.
49,, 800 LOOKOUT had just gone aloft when he cal
- out: = Deck ahoyl There goes a gun ris
'e e, nor'east off the starbonrd bow. y
~, In minute alEwas in commotion. O
1890 OF the officers sprang into the rigging w
'A' a night glass and hailed: tThere it o.,
again! / hear the boonI'
'o'''4 The commander was on deck sTha
-, fortune, here comes tho wind from
~ west Make all sail, Mr. Hamilton. We
49, run down and see what it is. That 8
some heavy gun. The Toridor has only
sc' Founders They would not make a f,a
~ ~ IKE that Beat to quarters and cast
Is no tho stnrboard battery. Ram in a rou
you shot over gravel,
,r of Tho hraoya Ma r-o.h,
'po' tcrprlse fairly walked. The flash of gu
uoto was now seen from tho deck and the loo
p OUT nailed that he saw n masthead light
pun tropic dawn is something to RENE,
lu' Der Long before tho sun rises there CON
,.,.ro peautitul rosy light, making the sea
IS s'lect or gold, and thus everything w
this Tho Snanish hri,- w. ~ .1tu liei oie
, t,n ana the noise Of the conflict was plain
-ao heard Tho schooner was sweeping up
III board her deck. alive with men.
The American Yves 900 yards ava
right across her bows, and then came t
order, Give her two divisions-rake b
,!lly fore and aft.
butt IN, off,.t x-,,
ting Of Wells md scrno,,,s 80. - cnof
Iip' down came her forcmast and maintop,nas
49,, ulFe IL TO en- again." and her dec
We're clear. Backing her mansail. in
- - minute moro the bowsprt of the . nt.
80 PRISE was forking over the bow of ii
~. Iorldor and the cry was, "Boardcrs away
: -, mo man-o-w wars men made short wol
nr ol inc pirates IN the waist, and, all esca
az ing, got into their boats and pulled. Fl
,n,, shorc. PrlEning carronade with a pist
,,.S cartridge, the Yankee sailors discharee
NV, IT, cutting one boat in two and in a M,
,od fheliG the water was alive with sharl
~ taking care of tho crew.
w. The schooner was Mt once boarded b
49,, three boat crews. The decks were deser
s' Ell, but all at once there came a dead
rolley of musketry from the cabin, KILN
tnree men, and then a rush, headed b
Pinto q tall, grizzled negro, powerful
:, built. He shot Lieutenant Hamilto
n.a through the body and WAS attacked by th
ND wardroom steward Of the Enterprise,
wv giant mulatto from Baltimore He, toe
d;, got bullet, but struck Pintos right arr
~, OH with cutlass stroke, and the yillai
as was taken alive the only survivor of h!
crew. %