The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-05
OUTRAGE BY THE SPANISH


Schooner Lone mbarded by =
Ganbo~s While ON the High Seas
According 20 the story tod by the
captain Of a.schooner thai arrived N
port at an early hour this morning.
the Spanish have not waited for a de-
~claration OF war ID begin ho5tilities.
but have already started out on
campaign OF snhIaman cruelties such as
were practiceI in the early ages. and
are being practiced in Cuba today. 10
be waged against ~inoffensive American
citizens on the high seas.
The schooner was the Lone Star, and
the captain stated that he sailed from
Vera Cruz on March /. Everything pro-
ceeded well until Within the vicinity OF
the northeast coaS OF Cuba. when
what was soon distinguished % be a
Spanish gu1boat was seen to be APP
preaching under a full head Of steam
The Stars and Stripe were flying at
the masthead of the Lone Star, but
without warning Of any kind. there was
suddenly a puff Of smoke on board Of
the gunboat, and a shot plowed its way
through the fo'castle OF the Lone Star.
1t was seen that to attempt to pro-
coed meant total destruction, 50 the
Lone Star was brought aibout" and the
gunboaL teamed alongside. The cap
ain states that the SpaniardS came
aboard like a band of pirates. with
drawn swords and pistols ready for
use. Resistance was useless as the
Spaniards outnumbered the crew of
the Lone Sbtar ten to one, and when
the captain and his me- were COM
manded to hold UP their hands, they
promptly obeyed. One sailor who was
a little slow about obeying had a sword
plunged through him because of his
h~esitancy, and he dropped lfelesS to
the deck.
The captain states that he attempted
to explain that they Were not filibus-
tiers, but that he was unable to talk
Spanish very we'll, and the Spaniards
could not talk English
THEY WE'RE AMERICANS.
'sThey said that we We're Americans,
and tina was enough for them" said
the captain. We've blown up you
battleship Maine, and your boasted
American government hasn't done any
thing, 50 we've got no fear of YOU was
I what they saiid," stated the captain.
After binding the captain and his
men land and foot, the Spaniards pro-
| ceeded tt ransact the vessel, but when
they found nothing of great value, they
apparently became greatly incensed
and determined to give vent to their
feelings by ~tOrturing and abusing the
crew of the Lone Star. The captain
states that a Spanish officer drew his
sword and proceeded to cut off h ears
of ONE of the sailors, who was of course
tied and unable ITO offer resistance.
Sheets of iron were also heated red
| hot, and the cook was compelled to
walk across these. His feet were burn
! ed and .charred, and he was left in his
agony.
One sailor was strung up by his toes,
| head downward, while another was
placed beside him hanging by his
thumbs. The sailors Were allowed to
remain in this position until they were
exhausted and tainted away
The captain also states that aboard
the boat were several boxes of venom
! GUS ~serpents that were being brought
to the United States to he placed in
the Central Park museum at New
York. These were released In the hold,
n a sailor was thrown down in there,
!, and the matches closed down again.
The captain has not dared to open THE
hatch since her
TROD ON "HOLD GLORY"
ftOld Glory (which was floating to
the breeze ait the masthead of the
Lone Star, was torn down by the Span
iards, who first rod upon it uttering
vile oatths, and afterward set it on fire.
The captains himself Was badly used
up, having been kicked and beaten by
the Spaniards, and he says that he
scarcely knows how he escaped alive.
The Spaniards remained aboard OF
the schooner for several hours, and
finally left. After steaming off a little
distance, they again opened fire on the
schooner. The first shot brought down
the mainmast.- Following this came
a broadside of all the guns on the Span
5sh boat, with the result that the Lone
Star was limos entirely dismantled.
IA great hole was orn in her bow,
and the schooner appeared to be about
to sink. This Spanish gunboat,, appar-
emily satisfied with the work of de-
struction, then steamed away. The
captain rallied his men, and succeeded
in getting a big piece of sail over the
hole i'm the bow, and it was determined
ceedingly slow, but he finally reached
the st. Ohn's bar. He crossed tine bar
last evening, and then came UP to the
city IN a tug, reaching here shortly
after midnight. He said that he did
this in order to communicate with the
owners of the vessel as sOon aus pos
sible.
REPATRIATION TO BE DEMANDED.
Just what will be done to resent the
suffrage remains TO be seen, but it is
stated that the facts will be laid before
the authorities at Washington, and if
the story related by the captain be
true, not only will heavy indemnity
be demanded, bu it will serve as a
further cause to bring Spain to terms,
and to a recognition OF the fact that
such atrocities as these must cease IN
stanter or Spain Will be wiped from thu.
map.
The captain staked THAT his schoo :
er would be towed up the river this
morning. and tied to the wharf at II
rot OF Market street Tt can be easily
recognized by its disnzantled condition
and hole in the bow. The vessel also
flies a yellow flag at haf-mast. The
sailor with the missing ear wifi be in
evidence, and can be seen by those
who wasn't to know what Spanish cruea
ty fs.-~JaclSonvilEe Tfmes-Uurtun,
April I.