Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-05-28

in an open boat, replied: Il will speak
with you when / board you
AS the Mindoro's boat approached
the strange, NEteamer the same request
was again outed to the Ensign and
he answered,ut as he had done the first
time
At length Ensign McCarty mounted
the strangers gangway and on reach
ing her decks he noticed they were
crowded with frightened and aston
ished F'ilipinos. Tell the captain of
this ship | want to see him upon the
bridge at once ordered the American
officer, and he walked forward. At
this moment a man in pajamas over
took him and introduced himself as
Major Whitley, of the Sixteenth regi-
ment. 81 am Ensign McCarty, COM
handing the United States gunboat
Mindoro," answered the naval officer.
Il am very glad to meet you sir
Major Whitley, Ensign Mccarthy
dAu lHS Spanish Captain VI euo NohA
pania Maritimas steamer Tarlac, for
such the vessel proved to be, then pro-
ceeded to the bridge and the incom-
prehensible matter was explained.
The ,arlac was bound from Laoag,
on the west coast, to APART, on the
north She had on board fifty Filipi-
nos for the latter port, seven American
soldiers and Major Whitley, who had
been but ten days in the islands and
was joining his regiment at APART.
Before the Tarlac left Laoag Major
Whitley heard a story to the effect
that the fifty Filipino passengers con-
templated mutiny and the capture of
the steamer before she reached her
destination. They were, it was alleg-
ed, to act in conjunction with men on
the coast, who, at designated point,
were to board the Tarlac from an
armed raft and help in the fighting. So
Major Whitley was very careful and
watched closely for the promised raft.
When the Mindoro was sighted she was
mistaken for the raft and Major White
ly told the captain of the Tarlac to
steam away. This was done. Later,
it occurred to the Major that it would
be good plan to ram the raft, sink
it and drown the enemy. The Span
ish captain declined to attempt this,
giving as his reason that no raft could
steam eight knots an hour and fire
shells from six-pounder, and he was
not going to try to ram an American
gunboat. This did not convince Ma
jor Whitley of his mistake, who, as an
American officer on a chartered trans
port, was in command of that vessel
and by virtue of his authority, he
made the Spanish captain continue his
fight from the supposed raft until aft
er the eighth shot from the Mindoro.
This was the explanation of the Tar
laos curious behavior.
Ensign Mccarthy explained to Ma
jor Whitley that the Filipinos had no
vessels or boats in which they could
venture an attack by sea and they
certainly possessed no six-pounder
rapid-fire gun, and he warned the
Spanish captain that in future it
would be safer to heave to when or
dered SO to do by any craft on the high
SEAS. To this the captain shrugged his
shoulders and pointed to Major White
ly.
And now may l inquire why three
shots were fired at u.s." asked Ensign
Mccarthy.
Il ordered a soldier to fire Them"
answered Major Whitley, thinking
you were this raft have been speak
ing about"
Very well, sir; that is sufficient"
replied Ensign Mccarthy, and he bade
them good night, expressed his regret
at having interrupted their journey
and was rowed back to the Mindoro.
While Ensign Mccarthy was on
board the Tarlac, Cadet Weichert, sec
ond in command of the Mindoro, had
all guns trained on the stranger and
was ready for action should occasion
demand. A few words from Ensign
Mccarthy explained the situation to
the still expectant and hopeful mon on
his ship and then the gunboat steamed
away to further months of vigilant
watching.
The Mindoro is of 143 tons burden.
She is los feet in length and her draft
is feet. She is armed with one six
FOUNDER, two one pound revolving
cannon, one Colts automatic and one
Calling gun. The crew consists of
twenty-three men, all told.
WOOD COUNTY DEMOCRATS