The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-05
LIFE ON. THE PRIZE CRAFT.
SOME OF THE CAPTURED VESSELS
ARE VERY FINE.

contains and Crews Live Well, and
Are Polite and HOspitRbIe-The
lovers Marble Cnbin-CaptOrs ana
CoDtured Dine Together.
Copyrighted, 1898, by the Associated Press.
Kew West, May 2.-Some of the Spanish
ssamen detained here on the captured YES
ssls live like princes Of large inheritance
and entertain their guests with all the Ella
horate poIiteness and generous hospitality
nj their race They give course dinners,
have the choicest of Spanish wines ana
cigars and treat the United States oficisis
who visit them as if they were petted
friends instead of dreaded captors.
Through The courtesy of the United
State district attorney, ]. M. Stripping,
the associated Press correspondent was
permitted to visit all the Spanish prize
ships and dined with the captain and Off
GERS Of the elegant merchant steamer MI
euel lover. This vessel has a cargo of
rice and other food supplies from the trop
les ard is owned in Barcelona, Spain. She
hailed from New Orleans on the Hst in
slant her crew being ignora<t of the fact
chat Rear Admiral SIMPSONS fleet was
prarolling the Gulf Next to the Panama
she is the most valuable prize and is es-
tmated TO be worth 100000 BY far, she is
the best equipped vessel in the captive
fleet and the elegance and richness of her
cabin and officers quarters can scarcely
be eXcelled by any merchant ship afioat
Her cabin is finished in Italian marble
with the finest OF mahogany furniture,
beautiful and expensive carpets and drap-
cries, elaborate electic light fixtures A
piano. and in brief, the best of everything.
The representative of the Associated
Press was received by the captain and his
officers with great courtesy and polite well
come. The crew numbers fifty-eight men.
and all of the officers of higher rank are
men of education and refinement Cant.
Juan Bill is apparently about s. years of
age, Stern, dignlfied and with an excep-
tionally strong, determined face The first
officer, Vincente Terol, is a bright genial
little Spaniard, bubbling over with good
nature and politeness, and talking inces-
sanity, with gestures and broken English.
of the beauties of old Spain. Joseph La
wares, the chief engineer, is a shrewd. dip
fomatic man of about 3d. dark, handsome.
and speaks English perfectly. Jose Co
menz, the ships surgeon, from his general
makeup, might be taken for an artist or
n
lie and diffident, and an accomplished
pianist.
The old captain had very little to say.
except in way of protesting most vigor-
ousy against being sent ashore Leave us
here he said to District Attorney Strip
ling, through the chief engineer, as inter
prefer, for if we go ashore nobody knows
what may happen. Spaniards and Cubana
might not be friends over there"-and he
Cd h
the island.
NO one would injure you," said District
Attorney Stripping.
Il do not fear that so much, said the
old captain. but nobody knows what
some of the Spanish sailors might do, and
then l should be held responsible for what
happened. The Americans would hold the
captain responsible for all the sailors Ed
ucated Spaniards understand it all, but the
Spaniard who is ignorant is hard to con-
troll"
No doubt, Capt Bill spoke with much
truth, for among the crews of each yes
sci there were faces dark and cruel As
the officers grouped about the Americans
discussing for the release of the prisoners
the sailors stood apart and watched the
strangers with cat-lilxe fiendishnes. Half
clad, sallow or swarty with eyes dark
sunken, cleaning with hatred and cruelty
lows
AT o'clock the call for dinner was
sounded and the captain took his place at
the head of the table. A better dinner
would be difficult to obtain at any table
on The American continent 1t consisted
OF seven courses with three kinds OF wine
including the best champagne, the finest
brand of cigars and Spanish cigarettes
Many of the dishes were Spanish and de-
G1xr A,I.1
finished DR.. Gomenz went to the piano
and played for half an hour 1t was a
striking picture. Here sat these proud
spanish prisoners in their own floating
palace. Their guests who sat with them
We're their captors and their enemies
with the solf light OF the tropical sun
set streaming in through the cabin win
COWS they sang together the national airs
OF SPAIN while hundred yards the black
guns OF q United States battleship frown-
ca down upon them Perhaps it was thel1
last song, their last night in the ship which
10 many of them was home; they did not
Know. The song ceased and the American
VISITORS arose in silence to 60 AS they
4eIt the cabin, the venerable commander
Of the ship gave each a hearty grasp of
the hand. AS the little party were about
10 leave the dock the old captain turned to
ms interpreter and said:
- tliSiu tudHh lHSIl LOT tue kt0O-
ness they have shown u.s. We are their
prisoners, but they have treated US as
gentlemen and a Spaniard knows how 10
appreciate such considera ton. Say to them
mat the Spaniard In Spain is one man
ana the Spaniard in Cuba quite another
man. We are sorry for this way We are
not to blame for it, nor are these American
sshtlemen we have met. 1t is the fault
OF our unwise leaders in Cuba and we de-
pore It, If we lose our ship we will give
IL Up like men. Ask the man of the press
TO send a message to Barcelona telling our
iamllies that we are all right and in the
hands of Christian gentlemen"
WIN moist eyes and trembling lips the
oid captain bowed to his guests and dis
appeared within the cabin
IL Is very perpleXing question with the
United States authorities what to do with
the spanish sailors ia case the vessels ere
70 be held as prizes.
Nearly all of them are penniiess, and de-
care that they are. and that they seem to
esar that they cannot get money from
9paAh or England to pay their passage
afross the Atlantic Since their capture
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