The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-21
story Of The SC|PO
Real Facts Now Revealed for
the First Time.
ONE GOOD STORY SPOILED
But a Still Better One Takes
Its Place,

New York, Sept. 2O.-The Herald says:
Here is new story of the war and one
that rivals in thrilling interest any that
has been told of that short-lived conflict
with Spain.
1t is of the Scipio-"the mystery ship"
the vessel whose mysterious arrival at
this port during the early part of the war
excited SO much curiosity as to whence
she had come and how it was that she
had been permitted to sail for this coun-
try laden as she was with $500 900 worth
of smokeless powder and rapid fire pro-
jectiles. Strict contraband of war that
cargo was, and, the war being then a
month old, no one could conceive how it
was was that the shipment had been
managed. But the government which
needed the ammunition badly kept the
secret of how it had come to be possessed
OF 1t, and kept it so well that a half
PLAUSIBLE theory, which had been inspired
to the effect that the vessel had been
laden with munitions of war by friendly
ity off our coast and there abandoned,
gained credence and finally came to be
believed as true, there apparently being
no other way to explain it.
This story explains it and explains it
for the first time. 1t was told to me by
the man whose ingenuity and skill made
successful the dangerous venture-Lieu-
tenant Charles w. Hazeltine, of the
United States navy, logged by Spanish
spies from London to the continent, he
gave his shadowers the slip, and as an
impecunious American trying to make his
way home, he boarded the vessel which
he had secretly caused to be laden with
that much needed ammunition, ami, al
though the ship cleared for Montreal in
ballast, and all the crew save one be-
Ieved that to be her destination. the
Lieutenant managed by many tricks,
bring her to an American port, the port of
New York The following day part Of
that big cargo was on board the cruiser
New Orleans, vessel which had been
purchased abroad prior to the war and
which had been waiting for her smells
and powder, and she went hurryirg
southwark to join Rear A lmiral Samp-
sons feet.
Under secret orders from the navy de-
partment Lieutenant HazeltIne went to
London early in April, where he had a
secret conference with Lieutenant John
c. Colwell, the then United States navy
attache at the Court of st. James. The
navy department wanted a big supply of
smokeless powder for the New Orleans,
and as many rapid fire projectiles as
could be purchased. 1t depended upon
these two men to supply its needs, but
war was declared before the purchase
could be made, and neutrality laws then
prevented the sale or shipment Of con-
traband Of war to either beligerent
This story does not ell how the pur-
chase was made, nor is it permissible TO
disclose the name of the port where it
was sent ready for shipment to this
country, beyond saying that it was not an
English port. But 100000 worth of the
sort of munitions that the navy Depart
ment wanted purchased and sent to this
port, whose name I must not mention,
nor must it be told what means were en-
ployed to get the shipment there without
exciting the suspicion of the government
officials.
But there it was, safe and sound. and
its nature unsupported. Then arose the
trouble of getting it away. The mere
shipment of it there had been compare
lively easy in comparison TO the diff
Guilty of shipping it away, for all govern
ments then were keeping q strict watch
on all out going cargoes that might be
destined for this country. The two Lieu
tenants thought it over, and concluded
that the only thing to do was TO pur-
chase a vessel and then devise some
means of getting that cargo on board and
getting to sea with it. Inquiry discovered
that the steamship Ravenna. an old yes
SCI belonging to the Peninsular and ORR
entail service. could be had at a reason
able figure. and as she was found to be
suitable for the work the purchase was
made, the sum Of $4,000 being paid for
the vessel The transaction was through
a third party Of course, and the bill of
sale was made out to person who will
be known in this story by the name of
Kavan, though that was not his real
name
Named by an entirely new crew. the
vessel sailed from London the day ar
ter her purchase and under orders froV
her new owner went to the port which
has been spoken Of.
Kavan with the bill of sale in his peck
ct. had preceded her there and had gone
to the consignee. a trusty agent in whom
the neutenants reposed great confidence
and one who had been instrumental in
getting that contraband cargo into pert
without exciting suspicion.