Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-25

patch Boat Dauntless Key West, Fla,
April 24.-The Associated Press dis
patch boat Dauntless appeared in the
harbor before midnight having in tow
the first sailing vessel prize OF the
campaign, the schooner Matthilde, OF
Havana, sixty tons, loaded with rum
When the Dauntless left the main fleet
under Rear Admiral Sampson at 3:lo
o'clock on Friday afternoon, what
seemed a thorough blockade of Havana
had been successfully effected.
The fleet ranged from eight to ten
miles from the shore, along which they
are extended for fully twenty miles
in the following order, running from
west to east: Mayflower, Iowa, New
port, Detroit Marblehead, Indiana,
New York and Wilmington, with the
torpedo boat Porter attending the flag
ship.
Moro Castle and the city of Havana
are in good view from the flagship
with glasses, but the coast, as is al
ways the case, is covered with haze.
No news of what is occurring in
THE BLOCKADED CITY
has been obtained, and the newspaper
men are equally in doubt as to the
intention of Rear Admiral Sampson
ITxit Ctntn u0r.y,y,
Soon after o'clock yesterday morn
ing the Amphitrite, Puritan, Cincin-
natl, Castine, Machias, and three tor
pedo boats, after much interchange OF
signals, parted company with the flag
ship, sailing in a northeasterly dlrec-
ton, presumably to blockade Matan-
zas, Cardenas and Sague la Grande.
When the flagship New York started
off at a twenty-knot clip to capture the
Spanish steamer Pedro, the Dauntless
veered and followed and was in at the
death Soon after came the stirring
incident of the capture of the Mathilde,
followed by the determination to re.
turn to Key West with dispatches.
The Dauntless was asked through
the megaphone to tow the Spanish
prize Mathiide to Key West, which was
a fitting ending for the day. 1t was an
example of the grim irony Of fate
which gave to the Dauntless, the most
famous ex-filibuster. the first oppor-
tunity to
TOW A SPANISH PRIZE
to the United States The hawser was
frightened on the Matthilde and the
Dauntless, with her prize rushed
through the water towards Key West.
The passage To this port was a rough
one, of course, but it was no worse
than usual and without any special
event to chronicle.
fishing schooner which was cap
tured just off Havana. was towed to the
flagship New York and Captain Samp-
son receiving satisfactory reply, the
vessel was released The Spanish
coasting schooner Matthilde, which was
lowed to Key West by the Dauntless,
was captured by the torpedo boat Por-
ter. Two schooners were sighted in
shore and the Porter was signalled to
go after them The Porter as she ran
fired shots from her six-pounder across
the bows of both schOoners. One Of the
vessels came about Immediately, but
she proved TO be fishing boat and was
released. The Matthilde was more OBJ
stinate, and not until
TWO MORO SHOTS WERE FIRED
did she come about. The Porter then
run alongside, informed her she was
seized by the United States. and
promptly took her prize in tow, and
took her to the flagship.
Nearly the entire crew of the New
York assembled on the deck, and as
the Porter came up with her prize. they
gave her great cheering. The Daunt-
less was about ready to AVE for Key
West, and Admiral Sampson asked the
despatch boat to tow the prize TO that
port for him, which was done. prize
crew from the New York being placed
on board the Matthilde The sailors
and marines from the New York sat
on top of the schooners cargo. each
man ready with his rifle to prevent
any attempt that might be made BY
the schooner's crew to cut loose from
the Dauntless. The latter made the
run of so miles, from off Havana, to
Key West with her tow, in eight
hours.
Ensign Christy. with crew of six
teen from the cruiser Detroit and four
from the flagship, brought into port
this afternoon the captured Spanish