River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-06-09
A DEED OF COURAGE.
Sinking of the Merrimac an Exhi-
bition of the Rarest Bravery.
Lieut.. Hobson and Crew of seven
Block the Channel at Santiago
Under Heavy Fire-Ceryera
Recognizes Their Courage.


Recognizes Their Courage.
Santiago de Cuba, June 4(yia Kings
ton, Jamaica, June 6).-Rear Admiral
Sampson during Friday morning de-
cided to close up the narrow harbor
entrance of Santiago de Cuba by
sinking the collier Merrimac, loaded
/ with coal in the channel. He called
for volunteers to go TO almost GER
tain death and 1000 men offered them
selves. Lieut.. Hobson and six men were
chosen and at three o'clock Friday morn
ing the Merrimac, under her own steam,
entered the channel under a terrible
Spanish fire. The vessel was riddled
with proieetiles, but she anchored and
swung around. Lieut.. Hobson then set
off an internal torpedo with an electric
attachment. There was an explosion,
the Merrimac sank, the channel was
closed up, and, apparently, Admiral
Cervera will be unable to escape.
How the Heroes Were saved.
Kingston, Jamaica, June 6.-Hobson
and the hero crew of the Merrimac were
saved in the following manner: Unable,
after the sinking of their vessel, to make
their way back through the storm of
shot and shell, they rowed into the har-
Dor to the Spanish flagship and were
taken on board unframed. The Span
ish admiral, under n flag of truce, on
Friday sent word to the American adj
miral that he offered to exchange the
prisoners, adding that in the mean
while Hobson and his party would be
treated with the greatest kindness.
The News at Washington.
Washington, June G. - Washington
rings with praise for the gallantry of
Lieut.. Richmond p. Hobson and the
seven heroic seamen who joined him in
facing death at Santiago de Cuba while
sinking the collier Merrimac in the
channel just before daybreak Friday
morning. The gallant eight went to
what seemed certain death with the
apparent GOODNESS of men performing
quiet daily duties
Heroes of the aMerrimac.
LIEUT.. r. b. HOBSON.
DANIEL MONTAGUE.
GEORGE CHARETTE.
J. f. MURPHY.
OSCAR BEIGNAN,
JOHN p. PHILLIPS.
JOHN KELLY
RUDOLPH CLAUSSEN.
The officer hero of the Merrimac occasion
is an assistant naval constructor, and
hence attached to the staff, and heretofore
not ordinarily engaged in line duty, lie
entered the naval academy from Alabama
in May, 1856, and is now Is years old. He
graduated in 1889 at the head of his class,
and as a consequence of this distinction was
sent to France by the government TO take
q course in naval architecture. When
the war broke out he applied for active
duty, and was sent with three naval ca
diets under his charge to the flagship of
Admiral SIMPSONS squadron. He is de-
scrihed as tall, athletic build, very quiet
and unassuming manner, and would
not be picked out ordinarily as having the
high bravery his intimate associates knew
lay beneath his modest manner.
A DIFFICULT Task.
As to the prospect of the Merrimac
being removed by the Spaniards, as is
reported to be under way at Santiago,
the officials at the navy department de-
clare that this is likely to be a difficult,
dangerous and time-consuming opera
ton. The hulk could be blown up by
The use of dynamite charges, which
would not be difficult to place in the
shallow water where the Merrimac lies,
for the reports say the top of the fun
mel is above water, indicating depth of
about 40 or so feet, but it is believed
that the wreck lies in sight from the
sea, and it is not doubted that Sampson
will post some of the heavy iron
cIads in such position as to be able to
command the site with her heavy guns
and prevent the Spanish wreckers
from working. AT night something
might be accomplished by the wreck
ers, but even that work would be full of
danger.
Substantial promotion is in store for
the gallant men who took the Mer-
rimac in.
Cervera's Tribute 10 Bravery.
With the Fleet Off Santiago, June 3,
via Kingston. Jamaica, June (De-
layed in Transmission).- All the mem
bers of the Merrimac expedition are
safe. Two are slightly wounded, but
Lieut.. Hobson escaped without
scratch. This almost incredible good
news was brought out to Rear Admiral
Sampson by Admiral Cervera's chief
of staff, under flag of truce. Admiral
Cervera," said Capt. Bastemonte
Oveido, lis so touched with the bravery
of your men that he felt it only right
you should know they were alive. They
are prisoners of war and are being well
treated"
Praised in London.
London, June 6.-All the papers refer
in terms of the highest praise to Naval
Constructor Hobson's daring exploit at
Santiago de Cuba, but some doubts are
thrown upon the statement that the
Merrimac SO completely blocks the
channel as the American reports assert.
Two Negroes Lynched.
ST. Louis, June "A special to the
Dispatch from Clarksville, Mo-.
says; An excursion boat from Quincy,
H., and Hannibal, Mo, arrived here
with about 300 negroes on board. After
the boat had tied up, Curtis Young got
into a fight with a colored woman
named Lena Bryan, of Hannibal. 1t
became general and City Marshal
Mclean went on board TO quell ii. He
put Curtis Young under arrest, when
somebody in the crowd shot the mar
shall in the back and he died in Is min
utes. a posse of so men went on board
the boat and arrested Sam Young, Cur
It's Young, Bob Taylor and Charles Tay-
lor, all colored, aud took them 70 the
city Jail, where they were all locked
up pending the arrival of the prosecut-
ing attorney from Bowling Green, the
county seat. When he arrived he found
that Curtis and Sam Young Ind been
taken from the Jail and hanged 10 con-
yenient tree.
Bombnrdment Renewed.
Port au Prince, June 7.-Advices from
Santiago de Cuba say that Monday
morning about 7;45 a lively cannonade