The record-union., 1898-04-24
CAPTURE OF THE PEDRO.
The Spanish Craft Brought to by
Shots From the New York.

NEW YORK, April 23.-The New
York Journal" prints the following
from Key West to-day: The Journals"
dispatch boat Echo arrived this morn
ing with the following dispatch:
Friday, April % con board Anita,
fifteen miles east of Havana, off Cuban
CoasD.-One of the first shots fired in
anger from the gun of an American
ironclad across the bows of an enemy
ship since the close of the Civil War
was hurled from the deck of the New
York as a signal to the Spanish freight
er Pedro of Bilboa to heave to shortly
before 6 o'clock this evening. The hltle
Pedro. scurrying like scared rappit
close in shore and favored by the clos
ing in of foggy, misty day, was sight
ed by the New York and Immediately
brought about with solid shot across
her bow.
It was shortly after ; o'clock that the
New York signaled the feet to halt,
and scudded away like greyhound
along the coast of Cuba. Far off against
the dim. vague background Of CUBAN
hills. half-seen, half-guessed, coulh pe
traced a faint film Of grayish SMOKE
the one visible evidence of a Spanish
freighter striving vainly to race OUT
the day without being discovered py
the great gray monster that hcheheu
the sky to the west in one solid mass
of black cloud from the tunnels OF
roaring furnaces Vainly the Spanlard
raced. Charging along at trial test
sneed the New York soon lay across
the bows of the Spanish ship and the
crashing challenge biaZed from the deck
Of the cruiser.
A huge puff of white smoke rolled out
from the side of the flagship, and tar
off. Just in front of the Spaniard,
mountain of white foam leaped into the
air. In a moment the course of the
strange Spaniard was changed, and 3he
hove to- Shortly after the New YORK
led her prize further out from shore,
and laid her to. Grew and Captain
could be seen rushing about the deck or
the ship like nest of ants, hldlnS
their valuables and striving to avert
some impending fate they could only
guess at in ignorance. AS she came
around her name could clearly be read
on her stern. She is the Pedro OF BIZ
boa, a Spanish freighter, two-masted,
with a black funnel and single yellow
stripe and hull black above red
AS soon as she was laid alongside the
Pedro was boarded by Ensign Frank
Marble of the New York prize crew,
consisting of file of marines and sea-
men. With great formality the Ensign
swung aboard and assumed command.
A burly bare-footed American tar SHOW
ed the Spanish quartern.aster away
from the wheel and began to set the
course of the Spaniard The Spanish
crew gathered in a terrified huddle near
the forecastle and awaited develop
ments.
Hardly had the prize crew been put
on board before another freighter was
seen going down the coast to the east
ward The New York, leaving the cap
tured Spanish craft in charge of the
prize crew, drew across the bows OF
the stranger and sent a shot into the
water directly in front of her bows.
She paid no attention to the challenge,
but kept steadily on and few seconds
later another shot was sent hurting
across the water in front of her. After
this hostile demonstration she halted
up, and was soon following the New
York out to sea. 1t was ascertained,
however, that she flew the German
flag. and consequently she was permit
ted to proceed.
AS this was carried from the scene Of
the occurrence by the Echo, the Pedro
is being headed for Key West to be
used as a transport for carrying United
States troops to Cuba.
THE PEDRO AT KEY WEST.
PHILADELPHIA, April 23.-The
Maritime Exchange" received the fol-
lowing dispatch:
KEY WEST (F1a), April 23.-The
steamer Pedro from Antwerp, etc, for
Pensacola, Fla, reached here this
morning, having been captured by
warship The Pedro is a Spanish
freighter of 1,S23 tons. She left Ant
werp March 23th