Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-06-02

| bHIIIHW hIhtAW Eh 'AFANMND
sho Was Loaded with Coal and Tried
10 dot Into Santiago IInrbor.
Key West, Fla, May 3l,-rhe Brit
ish steamer Restormel was brought In
here yesterday morning, under her
own steam, by prize crew. She was
captured while trying TO put into
Santiago de Cuba with cargo OF
coal The steamer was bound from
Cardiff to Porto Rico, As the Re-
stormel came In the British flag was
flying half way down her main mast.
She was leaking badly. Newspaper
men were not permitted to approach
within u hundred yards OF her.
The ST, Paul had been lying of San
tlagp for six days, and early last We'd
nesday morning the big collier was
sighted, making at full speed for San
tiago harbor The n, Paul fired a
blank shot and the Restormel came
to- four miles from the Santiago forts
The forts did not fire on the cruiser
A prize crew, in command of Lleuten-
ant j. A, Pnttson, was put on board,
and 1lspossessed the British crew,
who made no protest, Not line was
found among the ships papers rela-
tive to the destination or conslgnee OF
the cargo. The Restormel was head
ed at once for Key West. She was
leaking badly when captured, and Is
still in d serious condition,
The Restormel now lies In the harbor
near u wharf. The british flag Is Ay-
ing at her stern. Marines patrol the
prize and will allow no one aboard
The members Of her crew nre not
even allowed to take newspapers Of
fered to them from launches that
come alongside.
The steamer cleared from CNrdllT
for San Juan and is believed to have
touched at that point and TO hNy
been ordered to Santiago, II Is r.
mored that she has Spanish officer
on board.
The hearing Of the case Of the Re-
side Santiago establishing n dednt
court this afternoon, and her com
mander will not be allowed to com'
muncate with the British authorltie.
until after the hearing,
The Restorme was built in New
Castle in 1882, She has n gross tom
mage of 1920, is 2S6 feet long, has &c
feet 3 inches beam and is % feet I
inches deep, She is owned by the Re-
stormel steamship company, limited
81. Cory g. sons, of Cardiff,
According to Lieutenant j. A'Patt-
son, who is In command of the prize
crew that brought in the Restormel,
her capture was a very commonplace
affair. Lieutenant Pattson says;
"About o'clock last Wednesday
morning the ST. Paul, scouting oil
Santiago harbor, sighted the Restor-
mel twelve miles away, apparently
heading for the port, She was going
in openly and honestly and no sulk-
ing along the shore. The st. Paul
took u course to cut her Off and when
within hailing distance, fred blank
shot, The pursued steamer paid no
attention. but she hove TO immedi-
ately when solid shot as fred across
her bows.
"About o'clock ! went out with a
prize crew and took possession with
out protest, The captain talked
frankly, saying that he was bound for
Santiago, though he had sailed from
Cardiff on April 81 for San Juan.
This as before the declaration OF war
was received. At San Juan he was
ordered to proceed to Curacao and
from the latter place to Santiago de
Cuba
There never was any possibility Of
her escaping from the ST. Paul, as her
best speed was only eight knots. She
was leaking badly and her boilers
were out OF order. In fact. according
to her captains account, she had
been leaking for twenty days, because
Of sprung plate, and the leakage
wv increl sing.
"The capture was made less than
four miles from Moro castle. but the
forts ere silent and perhaps asleep.
like the San Juan Notifications when
Admiral Sampson began his attack.
The only exciting part OF the advent
ure came after we LETT Santiago for
Key West. The leaking increased
constantly and all hands manned the
three pumps night and day-crew,
marines and officers.
II have not taken of my shoes or
been in bed since we started, five days
ago At times we were about to give
up hope OF keeping the Restormei
afoat and thought Of saving ourselves
II she went down. We were all very
glad when Key West was sighted. The
story that there were Spanish officers
aboard the ship is false, but there is
no resisting the conclusion that the
Restormel's coal was intended for the
Spanish feet. for the captain told
perfectly Straightforward story about
his voyage"
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