The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-01
Seaman Sumner R. E, Coz, Of the Wins
low, In His FavorIte Role.
LIEUT.. BAGLEY SAYS 1T WAS A. FAKE
Declares Cox EEns Sof Hcen A way rr ON
Norioils since the winsiow Came
n leak Found on shc Torpedo Bont
ny she Was BEING Taken from Dry
Dock,

If there Is any one thing which de-
ilShts sailors soul more than another
1t Is to fake the life out Of some guile
less land luther, ana this seems to have
been the ambition of one II. Il. Cox. a
seaman gunner on the torpedo boat
Winslow. now undergoing repairs at
the Norfolk Navy Yard
cox, II seems, struck Norfolk Sat
uraay, and narrated FOR the benefit of
some halt dozen wideeyed listeners a
wild Steve Cranish sort OF a yarn abou;
having D2en sent 10 Cuba to Investigate
Inc cause Of the Maine disaster and OF
having spent seven days proving
around the bottom OF Havana hall,or
discovering all sorts of horrible and
Startling things, among others tina. the
moon Is made OF green cheent, and the
great American public loves dearly to
be jollied.
An entcrprlslng newspaper man
chased himself all over the po.t Sat
ugday night irying to ina the remark
able Cox, but being unable to do so.
go; the story secondhand ard wired 1t
broadcast throughout the North
~ the navy yard this morning Cox
was found chewing the cud of immense
satisfaction. He could not lie Induced
10 leave The W!nsiOw when asked for.
but Lieut.. Hagley, the executive officer
81 the vessel, was TO; so baShful This
oHlcer cou".eouSly but cmrhatically au-
thor!zei the statement that Cox had
not only not been TO Havana since the
Maine disaster. but hal no; been on;
OF Norfolk since the Winston arrived
here several days before the explosion.
lie admitted that Cox. Ike all Seaiuen
gunnSrs, knew something about diving.
but even had he been 10 Havana his
qualifications would no; have been suf-
hcient TO allow OF his being sent down
on such an GRAND, lcqu.rinG as Il d:d
the services of the mos; expert; Fur
;hermGrc, even had he done all he said
he did, he would have thought too much
OF his job 10 50 bllbbng il all ever the
city.
From other sources it was learned
that Cox is one OF the finest novelis;s
In the navy when 1t comes 10 invention
and graphic style.
But II. L. Cox had lots of fun while
1t lasted
The Winslow was 10 have been taken
out of dry-dock yesterday morning
but when the dock was Hooded it was
found thai the vessel was leaking In
two places. The pumps were at once
put to work and the water drawn off
AS large fo:cc as practicable was
then put at work OH the leaks, which
were speedily repaired.
On board the Puritan they are still
repairing that seventh boiler but will
have the work completed by to-day,
when the big monitor will go into dry
dock for good scrapng. Her captain
har1 received no orders of any kind
from the Department. at Washington.
They Will come later, when his vessel
is fit for sea On board the sailors are
being constantly dr.lled. The sigh.
drill was in progress this morning. The
ammunition hoist was alelo being tested
again.
The Puritan was throrged with visit
ors all day. and they We're permitted
access 80 any part of the ship either
with guides or alone, as they preferred.
There were many applicants for work
At the yard yesterday, and the recruit
ing officer was kept busy with aspiran IS
for entrance 10 she navy.
] is learned that orders have been re-
ceivcd to put new Ventilators in the
Puritan, but this oder is provisional
upon her not being called out before the
work can be done. AZ the vessel stands
right now she Is ready for sea service.
but is by no means as III as she can be
made by Gry-docking and scraping.
The new veEtilaio.s, while not abso-
lutely necessary, will be a great i'm
provcment whtn put in.
The sailors on the Puritan are very
much exercised by the appearance ev-
cry night Of 4 small fast boat which
goc,s up 70 the magazine, and returning
several hours later goes on out towards
Hampton Roads. This has kept up for
several nights.