The herald., 1898-04-28
A PRIZE COURT SESSION
UELD TO DISPOSE OF VESSELS
CAPTURED
The Men Decline to Be Turned Loose
in a Hostile City and Prefer
Imprisonment
Associated Press Special Wire

ASSOCldtcQ ITeSo OpcCldl Wk0
KEY WEST, April 27.-The Prize Court
of Inquiry appointed by United States
Judge Locke at Jacksonville on April "a
to adjust the questions relating to the cap
ture of prize vessels, met here today.
G. B. Patterson of this city presided and
the proceedings were conducted in secret.
The findings will not be announced until
the entire matter has been disposed of.
The case of the Catalina which was cap
tured by the Detroit and valued at $780,
900 was the first to be heard.
There is considerable speculation as to
what disposition will be made of the crews
and passengers who are aboard the prizes
when captured. They number about 23O.
United States Attorney Stripping says
that the crews and passengers are not
prisoners although the officers are de-
tanned as witnesses before the court.
District Attorney Stripping was in COM
munication yesterday with Attorney-Gen-
eral Griggs, who informed him that the
War Department has assumed control of
the question, and the Attorney-General di-
rected that all possible consideration
be shown to captured Spaniards.
The crews Of the captured vessels have
been offered liberty, but as many are with
out friends here, they do not care to land
in a hostile city despite assurances of pro-
lection. They will, therefore, probably be
brought ashore here and quartered in bar
racks under guard of Federal troops,
where rations and all possible comforts will
be provided for them.
A report from Washington to the effect
that the prizes will be returned to Spain
has caused keen disappointment among
naval men here.
A Cargo Of Coin
KEY WEST, April q, 1:1O p.m.-The
Spanish steamer Ambrose Bolivar, cap.
tured by the monitor Terror, had $6O, 900
in Spanish silver aboard in addition to a
cargo of bananas. The silver was taken
on board the Terror.
The steamer was bound from Port Limon,
Costa Rica, for Havana when captured off
Cardenas by the monitor. She was brought
in here by Gunner Martin and prize crew.
The fact that the cruiser Detroit came in
to coal at about the same time led to the
report that she had conveyed the Bolivar.
A Spanish Prize
MADRID. April 27, 10 a.m.-An official
ippine Islands, says the governor of Iloilo.
Philippine Islands, announces that the
Spanish gunboat Ell Cano has arrived
there, having captured the American bark
Saranac, Captain Bartaby, from New
Castle, N. s. W., on February 26, for
Iloilo. The Saranac had 164O tons Of coal
on board.
The dispatch also announces that the
Spanish fleet has sailed to take up it's
position to meet the United States SQUAD
ron. The latter had not been sighted when
the cable message was sent, but the
American warships were expected at any
moment.
Not Prize
CORK, April 27.-The British coasting
steamer Killarney, which arrived here to-
day from Bristol, reports having spoken
the American four-masted ship Shenan-
doah, Captain Murphy, yesterday evening.
The Shenandoah is bound from San Fran
cisco to Liverpool and was reported to
have been captured by the Spaniards.
Captain Murphy announced that all was
well on board the Shenandoah.