The San Francisco call., 1898-08-05
CAPTURES FOUR
 HUNDRED MEN Cruiser Badger Takes
 Three Prizes. RUSE OF SPANIARDS FAILS FLY RED CROSS FLAGS FROM
 
RUSE OF SPANIARDS FAILS
FLY RED CROSS FLAGS FROM
 THEIR VESSELS.
Excellent Work of the Auxiliary Warship While on Guard Of the Harbor of
 Neuvitas.
Special Dispatch to The can.

KEY WEST, Aug. 4-No confirma-
 ton has been received here of the re- 1 port that Neuvitas, the chief port of
 the province of Puerto Principe, has
 been evacuated by the Spaniards after
 a bombardment by American warships
 The auxiliary cruiser Badger cap-
 tured three prizes off Neuvitas on July | 26 and left with them that day for the | Tortugas, arriving here this morning. l Captain Snow said that at the time of | his departure all but about 1900 Span- l ish troops had left the city and a gen eral evacuation was expected, but that
 to all intents and purposes the place
 was still held by the enemy and there had been nothing in the nature of an attack
 The Badger was covering the block ade station at Neuvitas on July 2e when one of the Spanish boats slipped stern foremost to the mouth of the har- Dor and took peep at her. The enor- mou- hull of the American ship brist- ling with NordenfeId guns scared her and she scurried back to shelter.
 A little while later three vessels were observed coming out in excellent for nation and Captain Snow thought a good fight was coming. He brought his ship up to the mouth of the harbor and prepared to give the Spaniards warm greeting when it was discovered that instead of gunb pats the advancing ships were a tug, brigantine and a barge, the last two in tow, all flying Spanish and Red Cross flags. couple of shots from a six-pounder was fired in their direction and they promptly surrendered. The tug was the Hum bert Rodriguez. fine and new and worth about $7000 The brigantine was the Safi and the barge was the San Fran cisco.
 A party from the Badger boarded the prizes and found distributed over them about 400 Spanish soldiers who 1t was said had been ordered to Havana by General Salcido. The surgeon in charge asserted that there were six cases of yellow fever among the troops, but a careful examination by the Badgers doctor and afterward by other phy- sicians at Tortugas showed there was no infection among the men and that the Red Cross flags were used as a ruSe
 At Neuvitas the Badger also took aboard eight deserters from the Span ish army who are still on board the ship. They are a sergeant and seven privates of the Twenty-second Cadiz Battalion.
 The Badger proceeded with her prizes from Neuvitas to Havana, where she reported to Commodore Howell, who ordered them to Tortugas. At that place Captain Snow communicated with the Washington authorities and was instructed to send all the prisoners to Havana if one ship could carry them or if not to put some # them on a second ship and send them to New York Tn accordance with the depart- ments instructions Lieutenant Edward M Peters with two officers and two men was put in charge of the prizes and left with them for Havana. He will then proceed with tug load of the Spanish prisoners to New York
 The Badger Is manned by New Jer- sey naval reserves.