New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-22
STORY OF CARDENAS FIGHT.
TOLD BY A SEAMAN ON THE TORPEDO
BOAT WINsLOW.
HOW ENSIGN BAGLEY AND THE OTHERS KILLED
MET THEIR DEATHS.



copyright: 1898. The Associated Press
Key West Fla. May 2l-For an hour Thursday be
fore the passenger steamer Key West left her dock
for Tampa a man wearing the uniform OF a naval
seaman sat YEARLY against great bale OF cordage
looking out past the harbor and the distant keys
toward the Gulf. hundreds Of people were hurry
Ing and scurrying about the wharf IN hasty prepa-
ration for the boats departure. They gave no
attention 70 the sobcr-faced seaman. and he did not
seem TO see those who moved about him. Had any
Of the busy crowd observed the lettering on his
cap ne would have received attention enough; more
no doubt. than would have suited his melancholy
mood. He was William O'fIearn, Of No. 20 State
st. Brooklyn, and OF the survivors Of the
torpedo-b boat Winslow's crew which had passed
through the storm OF shot and shell that poured in
from the Spanish batteries In the bay OF Cardenas
last Tuesday. He going home furlough
for rest. Beside him in bright tin cage was the
Winslow's parrot. which made himself famous on
the day OF the hattie by shrieking and chattering
like a demon during the whole engagement But
he very solemn and silent bird as he APP
peared to-day. He picked and chewed lazy at a
large banana. hut no amount OF coaxng or poAing
could induce him to utter sound
He has been mighty quiet since the hght," said
O'Hearn. "and I sometimes think the poor 'cuss'
IS mourning for the boys who were killed. lie
very fond OF the black cook. Josiah Tunnel.
and when the poor fellow lay dying on the deck
calling for water the parrot screamed and shr.ekod
as II no were mad Tunnel used to feed him
every day. and | believe that he actually under
stands what has happened"
What Is his name?" vas asked
He has no name" said OHearn. putting his
hand the cage in an aTec'ionaie way i
bought him on one OF the South American fruit
boats just before We went into the blockade but
! think shall cali him Josiah, in memory OF poor
Tunnel"
BY degrees and after much questioning. O'Hcarn
told the whole story Of the battle. and no doubt
his account Of the engagement is the most correct
in detail Of any given yet.
From the very beginning" he said. Il think
every man on the boat believed that We could not
escape being sunk and tnat is what would have
happened had It no; been for the bravery Of the
boys the Hudson who worked for over an hour
under the most terrific fire. TO got us out Of range
Were you ordered to so in there" he was asked.
Yes Just before fired upon the order
was given from the Wilmington.
WAS IL "A signal order
NO. we were near enough 10 tho Wilmington 30
that hey shouted to us from the deck through tho
mega phone"
"Do you remember the words Of tho command
and who them"
THE ORDER FOR THE FIGHT
II don't know who shouted the order bat N"
words as remember them. were. Mr.. Bagl'y. 20
In there and see what gunhoats those are We
started at onc~ toward the Card'ras dock ana the
firing began soon after"
What WAS the frst you Of the hring?
The FIRST ihing saw was a shot fred from
window door In the second story % ~" store
house Just back OF the dock where the spanish
sunboats were lying ! "a" inc n"Sn "nu W.,
smoke and the same instant n shell went kissing
over our heads Then IN. nring began from ih'
sunboa,s al The wharf and from the shore.
don't think any man can forget the SOUND ana IN"
effect q shell and heavy shot the hrst time b" T.
under FIRE II is something terrible when 'n,'
passes close oy you you 'Ts ,s s9' near BY You
..~,' e, 49,, ,,le, van, hesa on Flr.t
you near WA. ~ D"--'"s s.s,,',,' 60. 70
strike you on the face and head. ! noticed ihai
day when tho shells FIR, began to rs about Us
mat the boys 'h''" '"'' ""..'s ~ -
so'fy '' , 80 S ro.o ma, was roar,nr shrek
- 49, 80 - ~. ,. ,, o,t.o- w.
The sailor stopped taking AMI remained snen,
un,u asked where ne was stationed IN the nsht
"''''' 80. ,,,,,,.u
EXPLOSION OF THE hoiLEH
= am ihe waief-i'naer' h' '"''' ana NY '"''
was below but everybody went on deck when the
battle hogan. John N"rV"t'S' Inc '''' '''"
Denfee and John Neck the hr'n"n' were '''" %"
watch with M" and had they remained '.Io" 'hey
would p'""'"'' ""' -, . 49,
firing began went o''"" "s"'" 10 ",'''' ~ ~
boilers and ie" minutes .''er S"'' s'"' I'm
- @s'''''e 1901 o,a ,o..,o,.a s.,o,,, ~
"'' . a.. .. ,..os . ,,.h., tho
'"' -, ..,,a. :, .,-.,. ,,, ,n, ,,,,,cc
Sor orcn ana tho fusc from the shell struck my
feet Two pieces Of the shell also cam" our of
the door ana an t"h''f uo ,nr,,,Io crash
"a rennri together and tho bolcr-room was
filled with duet ard steam For several seconds
was parualy stunned anu III! ~ 80 IA. - , -,
Itsu,ensnt pernadou
What did you to him
u "a" MN n'hl VI, ~, -, 80, ,' IL 80
about WIN u to"el hpout n ,r' 's ~ H.
shoutne ana Wv ,.o'. -, a., "a esbnnteJ ,hc
cohllflupuH 'it.ati1d sbcu bos gone
forw"rd ool"f - "'a'"''"' - ''''' ' @
tnfoush M a.. .o.o. -, s,,d and ,rr,ed ~ 81,
m W" o,o to- vent back INTO the bollor-roorn
gun "t".', .i',,.aa ~, IN nj, .hc arck again
ana IN " le" n n ~ 80, H. ',.,
Gnu 81 IN ,n.n weTc missing ana looked
several OF me mn % 81, e',r d't ~,
around. Lying All III H'Hp Oh INV lll'I-N'.H ill