The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-04-30
NO SPY ON THD PURITAN
a Harmless Sailor Who Caused a
Big Excitement. y.
MISS BARTON NOW AT KEY WEST.


Society Are on Board the Relief Ship
State of Texas, Which Will Soon Sail For
Cuba With Food For Reconcentrados.
Key West. April 30.--There is abso-
lutely no foundation for the sensational
reports cabled from here to the effect
that q case Of treason has been dis
covered on board the United States
monitor Puritan. The rumors arose
from the strange actions of fireman.
with Spanish sounding name. now
under restraint on the warship because
of his eccentricities. The officers of the
Puritan declare there Is no thought of
trying the man by court martial, and
that all the talk about treason is ab-
surd.
According to the officers the story
arose from the fact that in the Puri-
tan's crew Is Spaniard. or Cuban. by
the name of Yglesias. eccentric and
trife unbalanced, but who never was
suspected Of anything but the heartiest
loyalty to the United States, in whose
navy he has been for seven years. He
was seen the other day In one Of the
turrets by a fellow seaman who re-
ported an attempt to break open the
magazine door, adding that cotton
waste and rockets had been found on
Yglesias. The latter was Immediately
put under restraint, and a court of in
quiry has been appointed to make an
investigation. No court martial has
been ordered or recommended. The
crew Of the monitor Immediately be-
came excited, and declared there was a
Spanish traitor on board. Through this
the extravagant stories were concocted.
The officers of the Puritan believe
the man. who is fireman. Is Cuban,
and they assert positively that he has
never given evidence Of any sort of
sympathy with Spain. but they add,
on the contrary, when the Puritan was
off Matanzas the man was frequently
heard to say he would like to get
ashore to join the insurgents.
The actions of the officers of tha.
monitor in placing the man under re-
straint were guided solely by the dan
ger of allowing an unevenly balanced
man to be at large
Captain B. F. Harrington, COM
mander of the United States monitor
Puritan, the commanding officer of the
Cardenas fleet. who has just come
from there, specifically and emphat-
icaly denies the story of the alleged
bombardment of that port by the mon
says there are no Spanish batteries
there, and that the entire story is un-
true.
There are many nervous people in
this semi-Cuban city, and apprehension
Is not confined to the less intelligent
class. The timid aver that Key West
IS sure to be the first point of attack by
he Spanish fleet, and the whereabouts
of the latter they place some at Porto
Rico, others off Bermuda, while some I
Will almost certify that the hostile !
,ruisers are less than hundred miles |
lway. As reasons for their belief that |
Key West will be selected many say |
Spain has an especial grudge against |
The place, as having been for many |
'N"rs a hotbed of tree son to the crown,
- the coal and naval stores belong |
ng to the United States, and now here |
% supply the fleet, would lie of incal- |
'uable benefit to the Spaniards, and |
hat the Viscaya and OQuendo alone
'ould capture the place in few hours.
)f course all this Is regarded as begot-
en- Of fear by those best posted In
laval matters. None the less not a !
ew women have left Key West, and
'thers will soon follow.
The chief incident of yesterday was
he arrival Of the troop ship Panther
With nearly 700 marines on board.
She comes from Hampton Roads In
onvoy of the Montgomery. Lieuten-
mt Colonel Huntington is in command
# the marines. He said the only event
# the trip was a squall on Tuesday
light which lasted IS hours. The men
TODD it well.
The Fern arrived from Tampa with
for the fleet, and the An
apOlis returned after a brief absence.
Where she has been is not known, ex-
ept to the authorities and those
board. The Amphitrite is still coalng
ere.
A statement is made by Lieutenant
IcKiney, in charge of the harbor de-
ances, that Key West viii be practi-
ally closed to vessels between the
might.
A load Of anxiety was lifted from the
avail men here by the arrival late yes
.rday afternoon of the little Spanish
ehooner Three Sisters, with Paymas-
II George +. Simpson and three sailors
the Terror, aboard. The vessel had
most been given UP for lost. The
.hooner, loaded with sugar, while
Jund from Havana for Cardenas was
tptured off the latter place Sunday
'ternOOn by the torpedo boat Foote.
aymaSter Simpson and his compan-
ms were put aboard as a prize crew,
I'd started for Key West that night.
hen only a few hours out she was
.calmed, and when the winds did come
ey were contrary and blew the little
hooner far out of her course. She
.xt encountered gales and had to
ave to for "a hours. I
The Mascotte arrived here yesterday
ternoon bringing Miss Clara Barton |
ID corps Of Red Cross workers. The
Lssengers did not come ashore, but .
ere taken down stream to the Red
'oss ship State of Texas, which has 6
en- awaiting their arrival. The State 7
Texas. under Captain Young has c
ur other Red Cross workers on J
ard and 1.4OO tons of provisions, !
,thing, etc. She will await instruc- T.
ms from Washington before pro- !,
ading to Cuba. The State of Texas 9
Ii probably serve as hospital ship
: the feet and troops. v
small Spanish sloop, the Engracia {!
ptured by the United States gunboat !
wport, Captain Il. F. Tilsy, off Cab
as Thursday, was brought in here /,
sterday in charge of prize crew. "A
? had on board crew of seven men h
! cargo Of fish. The men on board p
prize had been in the Spanish navy. z