The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-04-03
4 MERRIMAC HERO
Murphy RecOlnts Some Of His
Experiences.
A PRISONER IN MORO CASTLE
Idoiizes Hobson- HIS Promotion
His Personality A
Type.

]. f. Murphy, one of the Merrimac |
heroes, was here with the U. S. S. Gel |
tic a short time ago While here one
of our prominent citizens had a long |
conversation with him, in the course |
of which the following interesting facts |
developed:
This was not Murphy's first visit to |
Honolulu. He was here three years
ago with the Roanoke, and again as
second mate of the Chapman When
the war with Spain broke out he was
first mate of a vessel then in New
stationed on the Iowa.
When men were called for to face
what was thought to be certain death,
by going with the Merrimac, he was
one of the first to volunteer When
he was informed that he would be
among those making the terrible trip,
he jumped into the air and emitted a
whoop that would make an Indian war
| rior turn green with envy.
| Murphy was stationed In the bow of
|
perilous trip. Clad only in his under
clothes ne stood with a rope attached
to one arm, the other end of which
Hobson held, and an uplifted ak in the
other He was waiting for the signal
to cut away the anchor of the doomed
vessel. He could see Hobson standing,
cool and calm, upon the bridge. In one
hand he held the night glass, in the
other the rope attached to Murphy.
Suddenly the latter felt the three jerks.
He answered with three to let Hobson
know that he was still alive. He
raised }is ak. All at once there was
flash and a crash. The fated Merrimac
had struck a Spanish mine. Murphy
was thrown twelve feet receiving Sc
we're wounds.
Into the water they all plunged,
amidst perfect hail storm of bullets.
Soon the launch with Admiral Cervera
approached them. The desperate heroes
formed the plan of capturing the,
launch. This was. prevented by the
Admiral commanding the men to APP
proach one by one and deliver up their
| fire arms.
| After they were in the launch Muir
ply, who had suffered intensely with
his wounds during the long time they
were in the water, informed Hobson for
the first time that he had been
wounded.
why did you not report the fact to
me sooner" said Hobson, who was dis
pleased to think that one of his men
had been in the water for such long
time with severe wound.
well, 1 thought that we would all
be blown up soon, so l didn't think it
worth while" answered Murphy.
1--WE could have prevented so much
blood being lost" Hobson continued,
flor Murphy's wound had been bleeding
lprofusely.
It's all right We are lucky We old
not lose a great deal more" the latter
Ireplied, and that ended it.
Murphy does not speak in very glow
ing terms of the treatment they re-
Iceived while in prison. They were
lplaced in a dungeon under the sur
lgeon's department. While the prison
ers were asleep the first night the
blood from above trickled down upon
their hammocks This was disgusting
land horrible.
They were fed on sardines and YER
micelli soup, the latter being in such a
condition as not to be eatable. The
scarcity of food was due to the block
Jade effected by the United States yes
Isels. During the bombardment of
MORO Castle by our warships the I'M
fortunates were refused water.
Murphy was the only one of the
lprisOneTs who spoke Spanish. he hav-
ing learned the language while in
ISouth America. He held conversations
with the Spaniards at various times.
One day the guards told him that they
were all going to be hanged. on the
ground that they were not Americans,
but Cuban desperadoes. The men all
reccnciled to their fate and intended
to die game. They agreed to give three
Irousing cheers for the Stars and
Stripes just before the drop fell
Their joy when they learned that
they were to be sent back to the Am
erican lines knew no bounds The re-
ception accorded them by their COM
rades was one of the grandest and most
enthusiastic ever witnessed. Murphy
was crowned hero by the same ship
mates on the Iowa who had been jeal-
Gus of the fact that he had been select
ed.
After his release Murphy received ar