Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-27

Vessels.
Kew West, Fla, April 26.-The light
house tender Mangrove puffed proudly
into Key West harbor this morning
with the richest prize of the war thus
far The captive was the Panama,
Captain Quevedo, a big transatlantic
liner and an auxiliary cruiser of the
snsnish navy, which had been plying
of late between New York and Havana
She had % passengers, including three
women. one Frenchman and one Mexi-
can. and crew of ".
As the Panama carried two twelve
Founders, she could easily have annihil-
a,ed the little Mangrove, and as the lat
Ter came iaro harbor with her prize
there WAS not a craft but saluted her
with rousing cheers.
The Mangrove. under Lieut.. Com
ma&er VIM. H. Everett, who came
down from the photographic Office a
few weeks ago to take her. was cruis-
ing along the Cuban coast, navigated
BIZ Ensign Palmer, shortly before s
o'clock last evening, about twenty miles
north of Havana. At 5: 45 p. M. she
sighted the Panama. The only other
ship of the fleet in sight was the bat
tleship Indiana, three miles to the rear.
Lieut. Commander Everett
SCENTED. A PRIZE.
and scudded toward the stranger.
When the latter came within range, a
shot from the Mangroves II FOUNDER
was sent across her bows, but the Span
lard ignored the challenge and went
on. Another shot followed without re-
suit but the Mangrove was drawing
nearer to the stranger. who calmly
proceeded on her course, apparently
without any intention of running
away.
When the third shot was fired the
Mangroye was within a hundred yards
Of the Panama and Lieut.. Everett
shouted 10 the deck officer that if she
did not surrender he would sink her
The Mangroyes officers admit that they
expected the enemy's u FOUNDER to
open on them in response to the threat,
but the Spaniard promptly came to.
Ensign Dayton, the senior officer of
the Mangreve, boarded the prize.
The batthship Indiana had seen the
capture, AMI meanwhile drew up to the
Mangrove. giving her lusty cheer.
The Panama is Of about $500 tons
burden and her passengers were main
ly Spanish refugees fleeing from New
York and other points in the United
States to Havana. Captain Quevedo
was grief stricken
AND GREATLY INUNDATED
because Of the capture. The passen
gers declare that they knew nothing of
the blockade and that when they saw
inc searchlight of the Mangrove they
thought it was the light of a Spanish
man of war. The first shot changed
their JOY TO apprehension, the second
and third created panic. The women
ran screaming for shelter from the
enemys guns and the captain locked
himself sullenly in his cabin.
The Panama carries a valuabue cargo
OF general merchandise, including a
large quantity of corn. Much of it was
meant to provision the Spaniards in
Cuba and the cargo, with the ship itself
undoubtedly makes the richest prize
thus far taken Under the regulations,
however, the battleship Indiana will
share in the prize money, as she was
IN sight when the capture was made.
This makes five steamers thus far
captured in addition to a number of
Schooners and small craft. The entire
meet have been on the lookout for the
Panama for several days, as she was
u'Ie at Havana yesterday or to-day.
The United States gunboat Newport,
captain r. F. Tilley. has brought in
'ae Spanish sloop Paquete and the
spanish schooner Pireneo. Cuban coast
ing vessels. which she captured off Ha-
'ana this morning.
I.A NEST, EROAI THE Ell EET