Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-05

vicinity of the part that the newspaper
men have played in it, and most inter-
esting feature will be eliminated. To
begin the story from the end. or from the
| most recent happenings in which the re-
| portorial fraternity have figured. the cases
| of Hayden Jones and Charles II. Thrall,
| artist and war correspondent. respective
| ly, present the most thrilling features.
| The names Of these men will live In his
tory as those of the first prisoners Of the
war to be exchanged with the enemy
after capture.
If 1t were not for that the fact that
the American newspaper man in his full
weight of burning, never-tiring zeal to
serve his employers, whatever the risk,
Hayden Jones and Charles Thrall would
not have allowed their enthusiasm for
their chosen professions 70 land them
in the hands of the Spaniards. and after
wards into a Habana dungeon. with the
prospect of a speedy trial and quick
death in the morning. Thrall. a Yale boy,
Jones, an ex-man-of-war's man, globe
trotter, and all-'round good fellow, hap
pened to be on hand when an expedition
Of United States regulars was about to
start on an adventurous attempt to land
on Cuban soil.
The first impulse. obeyed without Sc
cond's hesitation, was to get aboard and
go along. The newspaper Thrall served.
and the New York newspaper and syndi-
cate Jones represented, was the first con-
sideration, and the fact that they had
stumbled on an expedition that promised
TO be a dangerous one was regarded as
special favor from Providence. So they
went along, and all the world knows that
the expedition was a failure-not through
any lack Of intrepidity on the part OF the
attackers, but simply because it was fool
ish TO attempt to force landing against /
an overwhelmingly superior force or
Spaniards. The expedition came off in
good order, except for the fact that Jones |
and Thrall allowed their zeal 10 carry |
them too far, and fell into the hands Of |
the Spaniards, the first prisoners captured |
by the enemy so far during the war. They |
were taken to Habana, "jollying their |
captors en- route in the inimitable fashion (
of newspaper men, who have been too /
long accustomed 10 finding themselves /
among all sorts and conditions OF men and
in all manner Of queer situations to allow
a reverse of fortune to dampen their
spirits or make them look at the dark
side OF a picture that had unknown and
therefore uncertain features. What would
the capture result in? This was ques-
ton that might reasonably be supposed
TO occupy their thoughts What was the
status of a newspaper man captured dur
ng war time while accompanying a raid
IN the enemys territory? II the Span--
ards took II into their hard heads to treat
he prisoners as spies, and shoot them
forthwith, what influence had their en-
,loyers TO bring to bear on the subject
when the captives were not army men,
md therefore not subject, to the rules
md amenities Of war?
Whatever was before them, however.
ZONES and Thrall kept their spirits up TO
concert pitch and their eyes open, max
ng a mental note OF everything OF inte-
est seen on the way TO Habana and
Lfter their arrival there. For hope
prings eternal In the journalistic breast.
n Habana the great Captain-General
imself did the newspaper captives the
onor to tell them that they would be
ried at once and would know their fate
v the morning. Blanco declined 10
pecify what that fate would be, but :
leanwhile he made the newspaper men
articuarly uncomfortable, and remem-
ering that the condemned man usually =
yes royalty the Jay DtIOTc tHo cASSu- |
on, the two captives looked upon the s
indy treatment OF the Spaniards as .
.ther ominous Of what was in store for Z
lem.
But the newspaper OF to-day Ii
,werful institution. and electrical COM 4
unication flashes its wishes around the h
orld in a twinkling From the ONCE OF
eir employers to the Washington off,
ais, from the Washington officials to
adrid, was q connection established q
Ith very little expenditure Of time. I'm s.
n the seas to Premier Sagasta went Il
70 plea for an exchange OF the two u
wspaper men for two military captives q
the hands Of the Americans. They u
Tue newspaper men highly In Spain. or o.
least they place high value on the =,
nerican variety. They have learned q,
at lesson In Spain. Artist Jones and
sporter Thrali were balanced In the
ales with the brother-in-law Oft
-Wsyler. q Spanish doctor. and II