The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-04

lOAL OhbN.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.
Key West, April 29.-Some Of the
Spanish seamen detained here on the
captured vessels live like princes of
large inheritance, and entertain their
guests with all the elaborate politeness
and generous hospitality of their race.
They give course dinners, have the
choicest of Spanish wines and cigars
and treat the United states officials
who visit them as IL they were petted
friends instead of dreaded captors.
Through the courtesy of the United
states district attorney. ]. NJ. strip
ling. the Associated Press correspond
ent was permitted to visit all the Span
ish prize ships and dined with the
captain and officers Of the elegant
merchant steamer, Miguel Jover. This
vessel has a cargo of rice and other
food supplies from the tropics and Is
owned in Barcelona, Spain. She hailed
from New Orleans on the 21st inst.
her crew being ignorant of the fact
that Rear Admiral SIMPSONS fleet
was patrolling the gulf.
A FLOATING PALACE.
Next to the Panama she Is the most
valuable prize and is estimated to be
worth S500000. BY far, she is the best
equipped vessel in the captive fleet
and the elegance and richness of her
cabin and officers quarters can scarce"
ly be eKcelled by any merchant ship
ahoat.
Her cabin is finished in italian mar
BILE. with the finest OF mahogany furni-
ture, beautiful and expensive carpets
and draperies, elaborate electric light
fixtures, a piano. and, in brief, the
best of everything.
THE JOvER'S CAPTAIN.
The representative of the Associated
Press was received by the captain and
his officers with great courtesy and
polite welcome. The crew numbers
fifty eight men, and all of the officers
of higher rank are men of education
and refinement. Captain Juan BIZ is
apparently about 65 years of age, tall.
dignifed. and with an exceptionally
strong, determined face. The first Of
6eer, Vincente Terol, is a bright gent
al little Spaniard. bubbling over with
good nature and politeness and talk
ing necessarily, with gestures and
Spain. Joseph Lavares, the chief eng-
neer, is a shrewd. diplomatic man Of
about 35, dark, handsome. and speaks
English perfectly. Jose Gomenz, the
ships surgeon from his general make
up, might be taken for an artist or
writer of aesthetic poetry. He is gen
tie and diffident, and an accomplished
pianist.
AFRAID OF HIS MEN.
The old captain had very little to
say, except in way of protesting most
vigorously against being sent ashore.
Leave us here" he said to District
Attorney STRIPPING through the chief
| engineer as interpreter, for if we go
| ashore nobody knows what may hap
| pen. Spaniards and Cubans might not
be friends over there" and he moved
| his hand toward the barracks ON the
| island.
mo one would injure you," said Dis
| trict Attorney Stripping.
| II 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 respon-
sible for what happened. The Ameri-
| cans would hold the captain respon-
sible for all the sailors Educated
Spaniards understand it all, but the
Spaniard who is ignorant is hard to
| control"
A PIRATICAL CREW.
| No doubt Captain Bill spoke with
| much truth, for among the crews of
each vessel there were faces dark and
| cruel. As the officers grouped about
| the Americans, discussing the release
| OF the prisoners, the sailors stood
| apart and watched the strangers with
cat-like fierceness. Half clad, sallow
| or sWarthy, with eyes dark, sunken,
| cleaning with hatred and cruelty,
! they were indeed unfriendly looking
! fellows.
AT o'clock the call for dinner was
| sounded, and the captain took his
| place at the head of the table A bet
| ter dinner would be difficult to obtain
| at any table on the American contin-
| ent. IT 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-
| liciously palatable.
A STRIKING PICTURE:
| AFTER the dinner was finished DR.. Co
menz went to the piano and played for
| half an hour. 1t was a striking pic
/ ture. Here sat these proud Spanish
prisoners in their own floating palace,
Their guests who sat with them were
their captors and their enemies, With
the soft light of the tropical sunset
streaming in through the cabin win
| dows they sang together the National
| airs of Spain, while a hundred Yards
away the black guns of a United States
| battleship froWned down upon them.
| Perhaps it was their last song, their
last night in the ship which to many
of them was home; they did not know.
The song ceased and the American n
visitors arose in silence to go, AS they
| left the cabin, the venerable comman-
der 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 10 his Interpreter and
| said:
| THE CAPTAINS FAREWELL.
"Tell them thank them for the kind
| prisoners but they have treated US as
gentlemen, and a Spaniard knows how
To appreciate such consideration. Say
to them that the SpaEiard i'm Spain is
one man and the Spaniard in Cuba
| quite another man. We are sorry for
this war We are not to blame for it,
| nor are these American gentlemen we
| baVa met II : the fnulf nf nttt, %