The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-05
TRlALs OF GOULD,s YACHT.
Out Of Fuel on Trip to Venezuela and
Once Ran Aground

New York. March 5.-The ships COM
pany that left this port on January q,
an jay Gould's former yacht Atalantar
transformed into the gunboat Restaura-
dor, under Venezuelan colors and equip
ped with SNOWY naval uniforms and hope
of attaining Venezuelan commissions,
have returned home on the liner Phil
adelphia- They were gone over moEJn,
although they expected to deliver the
boat TO the Venezuelan government IN
ten days
s.. The yacht was sold to the Venezuelan
government early in January and con-
stitutes the entire Venezuelan navy Her
armament consisted, when she sailed Of
four six FOUNDER HOtchkiss guns three
FOUNDER. and two two Founders, and she
was loaded with ammunition
Captain jeremiah MeritheW was in
command Under him were forty-six
men SisnOr keDrum went along as the
representative of the South American re-
public The men shipped under con-
tract stipulating that months wages
would be paid i'm any event, and their
passage back All that would be re-
quired Of them was to deliver the boat
over to the government at La Guayra-
Then they could return or take service
in the cause of the republic
The first night at sea the ship ran into
storm which damaged her consider
ably and ragged four days It was de-
cioeos to run into San Juan, but the coal
had given completely out before that
port was reached The cabin furnishings,
which had been in the yacht since the
The furnaces; fancy wood paneling. por-
tiers, carpets and tables, and finally the
provisions-such Of them as would burn
rapidly-intO the fires.
IN san Juan the RestauradOr lay from
January TO February 5. being repaired
ana refitted- Here she was Joined by
another agent of the government After
departure from san Juan. according TO
the story OF one Of the crew, the vessel
was ordered to lombard the town OF
Carupano, held supposedly by the rebels.
when 1t was learned from a flag that
the town had been recaptured by the
government Shortly after this a num-
Der or prisoners were placed on board
the little gunboat Among the prisoners
was the insurgent general commanding
in that part Of the country He had been
sentenced TO be shot but it had been
decided to send him to La Guayra and
thence to Caracas. where the sentence
was to be carried out. He was hOpelessly
crushed and spoke to nobody. AS long
as the boat was visible from the town
his wife and daughters stood upon a
high peak OF rocks gazing after him
The vessel ran aground on the island
OF Coche, IN the Straits Of Margarita.
She staid there until early in the morn
ing Of the 18th. She was pulled off by a
rug and a German and a Dutch steamer
that happened along.
On the same day the vessel touched at
three other small ports. two of which
were Wanda and Cumana at which
she took on more prisoners and soldiers.
The ship got mot La. Guayra on F'ebru-
airy Is. The ship was no sooner in port
and the prisoners and soldiers DISCHARGED
than the government put the skipper
his officers and most OF the men ashore.
They were paid in Venezuelan silver
which was eventually exchanged BY the
authorities at eighty cents on the dollar
into American gold.
Captain Merithew said that Presf1 dent
Castro inquired of him about John Jacob
AstOr'S steam yacht NOurmahal and
that he learned afterward from the min
lister OF finance that negotia tions were
IN progress for the purchase OF the yacht
Mr. Aston could not be seen last night