Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-07

HE SENDS A REAssURING MESSAGE
TO HIS FAMILY.
The MONTGOMERY WAS In DANGER.
Son Of the COnsuI-General Tells
About the Exciting Experience of
Her Crew In Habana Harbor-Why
She Was Moved.

Mr.. Fitzhugh Lee, Jr., who contem-
plated leaving Richmond yesterday to join
his father. Consul-General Lee, at Ha-
bana, Cuba received about noon a cable
gram from his father, advising him to
hold the fort for further orders" He, OF
course. gave up his contemplated trip to
the war-clouded island, and now awaits
further messages from the popular Vir-
ginian.
| When the Dispatch reporter visited Mr..
Lee, he carried with him the information
that the General had been ordered TO re-
| turn TO this country. Mr.. Lee was well
pleased with this news, and by his sub
sequent conversation evidenced the anx-
iety he had felt concerning his fathers
| delicate position. He spoke of the dan
| ger that might threaten his father if any
! very decisive message was sent to Con-
| gress by the President. while the Consul
| General remained on the island, and ex-
| pressed the hope that his father would be
allowed to get away from Cuba before
the message was sent i'm.
Mr.. Lee was somewhat i'm doubt con-
corning his fathers course of action, not
withstandng the order for his return,
and expressed himself as confident that
the General would not leave Cuba until
he had looked personally after the safety
OF all the Americans there. In event of
his return. the young man said he did not
think he would come to Richmond for
some time. "He will i'm all probability"
he said, remain in Key West for some
days and then his movements will be
guided entirely by the orders of the
President. He will certainly come to
Richmond, though, if his services are no
longer needed by the government"
MONTGOMERY's EXPERIENCE.
Mr.. Lee. after discussing the safety of |
his father and his probable movements, |
told the reporter something concerning |
the unique happenings In Cuba while he |
was down there in March. 1t will be re- |
membered that he visited his father with |
a view to allaying his mothers fears for |
the Generals safety, and that he re-
manned down there for several weeks |
on the night of his arrival there the |
United States cruiser Montgomery cast |
anchor in Habana harbor, and on the |
morning Of the succeeding day he visited
the ship and spent some time i'm CONVEX
saton with it's officers. They told him
of their experiences of the night before
which, while not exactly thrilling, were
to say the least exceedingly interesting
The Montgomery was assigned 10 a
berth very near TO that which is now
occupied by the sunken Maine. and the
sailors. having viewed the wreck of
what was one OF our finest warships,
were naturally somewhat wrought mp.
Darkness had hardly settled over the
harbor before the officers and men We're
startled by a rapping against the side of
the ship.
THE SPANIARDS SUSPECTED.
Something was knocking there at a
rate OF 40 raps per minute. and the
crew conceived the idea that some Spa
nish deviltry was at work below the ship
Captain Sgsbee. Of the Inflated Maine
who had just passed through one Of the
most trying experiences that can well
fall 10 the lot of man, aS-abOard and
at his suggestion divers were at once sent
below 10 ascertain the cause of the rap
ping. They went TO the bottom OF the
harbor and explored carefully every inch
Of territory below the ship They were
unable TO locate submarine mine or
anything that seemed to threaten damage
10 the vessel. Their report did not, how
ever, allay the fear Of the seamen, and
an order was issued stopping every piece
If machinery on board the boat. IL being [
thought possible that the raps were pro-
.eeding from the dynamo. Within the :
ship all was made as quiet as death save
or the rappings that continued at the
iame rate of l4O TO the minute.
The rappings had a metallic sound 7
ust as would have resulted from soma
In.
des OF the vessel, and small-szed
'anic prevailed among the men, The n
Ulcers, too. felt somewhat affrighted. n
'ut in order to set a good example to the e
nen they went below and turned in. and =,
many Of them the next morning express ,
a themselves as having been exceedingly II
ratified when they were able to get to
leep. p
CREW SLEPT IN SMALL BOATS. Il
The example set by the officers was not "
ollowed by the crew. They would have -
lutinied before they would have gone -
Glow that night. Instead of seeking -
heir hunks these gallant seamen. who ~
re willing and ready TO face a foe in q,
ront Of them, but dread 10 meet an in a.
isible one, piled one upon another in ~
he small boats hanging from the davits
the ship, and there they spent the :,
light. The rappings ceased about ] -
clock in the morning, but the men con- -.
nued to doze in the small boats until 4
iyight. when they arose and busted
about the ship.
One of the most interesting stories I'm 90.
with the visit Of the Mont
emery TO Habana was her departure %
lerefrom. 1t was known TO General Lee st
-cording TO stories printed some weeks al
90, from the day that she cast anchor oI
'ete that there were mutterings among "a
he Spanish volunteers I'm Habana against ~
~ and finally, when these mutterings ID
came louder and more emphatic. he y,
ds given an intimation by the Spanish ~
oyernment officers that unless she was 81
moved from the harbor by specified y, w
me she would share the same fate of "
e Maine. 81
TO PACIFY THE MOB.
This, it is understood. was done TO br
city the mob In Habana. and General ST.
~ recognizing the exigencies of the
casion, forthwith communicated this
timation to Washington and recon- ol
ended that the boat be ordered back 10 -
nerican waters. The department AT III
ashington seemed TO agree with the -,
and as result an order -,
~ issued removing the MONTGOMERY o. o.
d she set sail az once for Key West.
"The Middle of the Road
4 close personal friend of General Lee
ceived letter from him yesterday. in &c
lich the Consul-General stated that he
)uld stop at Habana until tina clouds