The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-13
HOW CAPT. YILLALON DIED.
AN INCIDENT OF THE DESTRUCTION
or GER YERA,S FLEET.

Capt. Frederick G. Miller Tells How the
Body of the Pluton's Commander Came to
BE Found in n Cave Sitting in an Armchair
A Startling Underwater Adventure.
Capt. Frederick c. Miller, formerly of the Red
d steamship Valencia. who commanded the
press boat Wanda during the late war. was in
New York on Saturday. having Just returned
from the south side of Cuba. where he has
been engaged for five months in preparations
to float the steamship Belvidere. wrecked there
some months ago.
Speaking Of the finding OF the body of Capt.
| Villalon OF the Spanish torpedo boat destroyer
Pluton. which has been reported as found
seated In an armchair in a cave Just west Of FL
Moro. near the entrance Of Santiago harDOr,
Capt. Miller said yesterday:
Il can clear mp the mystery of the fate of
Capt. Villalon. was close in with the Wanda
when Cervera'S fleet was destroyed. When the
Pluton was practically cut in two by a 13-inch
shell and sunk. we rescued the lieutenant.
chief engineer. chief gunner and some Of the
sailors. When had poured a big drink of
whiskey into the Lieutenant and got him some
dry clothes. he begged me to save Capt. Villa
lon. He said the latter had managed to get
ashore. but was badly wounded. ] sent a
boat ashore. and the men found Capt. Nillalon
lying on the beach. but he was too badly
wounded to be moved without n stretcher. |
had no Stretcher. but | had a couple Of steamer
chairs. had one Of these dashed in the boat
and sent the men ashore again. They placed
the Captain O.. the chair and started to carry
him to the boat. The COMPOUNDED Cubans were
firing OH them all the time. Before reaching
the boat Capt. Villalon died in the chair.
There are no caves on the coast there. but
there arc recesses where the softer parts
Of the rock have been worn away by
tho action Of the water. Not wishing
to leave the body exposed to mutilation
by Cuban bullets. the men carried the chair
with the body still dashed upon it into one of
these recesses and left it there. This explains
the mystery of Capt, Villalon's fate.
Il am going to Boston 10 charter n steamer
for the saving Of the Belviderc. which latter is
not very far from the scene Of the battle between
the Spanish and American fleets, and when
get down there r., | am goiRE t& recover that
Can't. Miller in his Work on the BeIvidoro
is doing his own diving, and has had one
even m" keel @T' ." a corr" al l sd,a; + She eyt t%sste 9n an an
rolls, with the m mot Of The waves; The water
full divers suit, using only a jacket secured
around the waist by a broad belt OF leather.
Jacket, One day, I was creeping along byHt he
keel looking for holes in the bottom. I stuck
ny nead IN roi 4 crack cT., Ar ana suddenly felt
found that | was locked tight in what looked
very like the grasp OF death. i realized that
unless | got free quickly the helmet would he
punctured and that | would be drowned In nm
instant, Grasplng my knife / cut away the
leather waist belt and the shoulder straps. and |
with a desperate wrench freed my head and
came W to the surface. There were two negroes
In the boat alongside the ship attending to the
air pumps. while Joe, a colored man who has
beer. with me for sixteen years. was handling |
other side Of the boat. and when l Grasped Tho |
gunwale OF tho boat and they saw me thnv |
thought they saw my spOok and yelled with
terror. I'm not going To take any more
chances ~ looking for cracks under tho keel
Capt. Miller spent yesterday at his home. |
called Maintop Farm. near Wood Gin, NJ
To-day he leaves for Boston, TO get his steamer
to finish up the work on the wrecked steam.
shin. He says that when he next returns to
New York he will bring the Belvidere alonp
with him. This viii not DO his first feat Of Tia
Kind. Several years ago he got of III,
British steamship. Dawn after she had
been, given, up for lost by the regular
wreckers. He ran her for several years 10
Hayti, under the name OF the Caroline
Miller. During the rush to the KIondike
she was. sold here Tor the Pacific coast trade.
where. she was lost. After she passed out OF
Capt Miller's hands she was named the South
PORTLAND She was, famous for carrying con-
traband OF war. and was one time seizedin The
AMMUNITION intended for Crespo. before he be-
came President OF Venezuela. She was finally
released, but the revolution In Venezuela was
over and ,Crespo made President before the
arms reached there.