Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-09
SALT LAKER SAW
FAMOUS CAPTURE
Was on Board British Mail
Steamer Trent When Mason and
SIideII Were Nabbed.
STOPPED BY AMERICAN BOAT.
Historic Incident Of Troubled Period
Revived by Graphic story OF a
Local Pluubroker.

It may not be generally known that
Ichel Waters, the well known pawn
broker OF this city, was passenger
on the British mail steamer Trent
when that vessel was held UP Nov. ),
1851. of Cardenas, cuba, by the Unit
ed States warship san Jaclnto. COM
manded By Captain and sfterward Ad-
miral Wilkes, father Of Major Edmund
Wilkes OF Salt Lake.
Nj. Waters aud his brother, res
ident OF South Carolina, were passen-
gers on the Trent enrouto TO ST. Thorn
as, W. l.. from Havana, He had noted
while IN the cuban capital that some
thing was In the wind but couldn't
make out iust what, but found out az
forwards that United states secret SER
vice men had been there watching the
movements OF Messrs. Mason and
Slldell. the confederate emissaries 10
Great Britain, and that Capt. Wilkes
had been communicated with Just as
soon as the Trent left for ST. Thomas.
This vessel was merely a passenger
boat running between Havana and the
Danish West Indies. and the emiSsaries
were intending TO take regular liner
to England from the latter place, They
carried with them valuable state pa
pers which would have been big cap
ture had the United states officers got
them The Trent was sailing under the
British flag. while the captain was a
Nirgnidu and rebel sympathizer, The
insufficient to cope with any man Of
wal
OPENS FIRE.
While tho vessel was sailing along
smoothly past the port Of Cardends, a
suspicious looking vessel was deserted
standing IN from sea, and presently II
was discovered TO be the San Jacinto,
warship flying the United States flag,
The ship presently heayed 10 With open
port holes and fred blank shot No
attention was paid TO Il. Then a solid
shot was sent ucochettIng across the
bows OF the Trent. No attention was
paid to that either Then third shot
was fired and the ball came uncomfor-
tably near the Trent, This brought
matters 10 a crisis, and the steamers
engines were stopped.
THE ARREST.
They're after you" said M Wat
tiers 20 Slidell. who was sitting on deck,
No, that can't be possible" replied
the emissary who seemed much aston
ished al such a suggestion. Tho war
ship sent out a boatload Of armed tack
/ les IN charge Of Lieut.. Donald NJ. Fair
Z fax, and they lost no time In mounting
the steps and dropping down on thu
3 steamers side.
Have you two passengers aboard
named Mason and Slidel?' asked th'
/ lieutenant OF the captain.
I'm not the purser, can't tell VA
! the grun reply.
At that instant Mr.. Sidell stepped Il
the American officer and said, III Il q
Mr. Slidell you want. ! am the party
| your are after"
You are my prisoner" replied the
lieutenant, laying his hand on the
| Confederatc's shoulder.
The latter assured his captor that
no violence would be necessary that
he would accompany him without be-
ing forced.
But" he added please allow me
to 90 10 my stateroom. and make
preparations 10 leave this vessel.
sLIDELLs DAUGHTER.
Permission was granted, and whil'
IN his state room, he quietly and eX'
peditiously gathered Up all OF his
state papers. and handed then
through an inner door leading dow
stairs into the cabin, TO two passen'
gers. one OF whom was Mr.. Waters
The papers were quickly hidden, and
later got safely into the English mai
bags. Miss Sldell, the H-year-olc
daughter OF the emisSary, then TOOK
her stand on the threshold Of III,
cabin and swore that no one should
take her father out 81 there except
over her dead body, The captain OF
the Trent told her she had better get
out OF the way, whereupon she gave
him a strong slap in the face. to which
little matter he dld not appear 10 paI
any attention.
MASON ALSO FOUND.
In the meantime Mr. Mason had
slipped out o. sight. and Il required
some effort 10 locate him. But thi'
was done by Lieut. Fairfax, and th'
twain removed to the san Jacint'
along with their secretaries. As thii
was being done, the Trents captain
called through his trumpet to th'
warship, 10 ask ~ there we're suitable
dellcacies and supplies on the SaI
lacint0 for the prisoners. TO which
| CAPTAIN wilkes trumpeted back tina
there were abundant accommodation
and provisions for prisoners of war
The war ship then sailed away, IN,
lady relatives ~ the prisoners re
naming on the Trent
TRESTs CAPTAIN BLAMED.
The Trent captain Was then rounde,
up by irate passengers and strongly
taken 20 task Cor yielding. and on
OF these Was Mr.. waters. who. by rea
son of relatives living in the south
had become quite a southern sympa
thlzcr. The captain replied b. show
Ink them what ridiculously smsl
armament he had on board, and TIA
he could have made no Showing what
ever
The captain was. however, given q
understand that had he possessed an
courage he would have made hgh
had Il cost him his life
Captain wilkes vas afterward laud
ed "a the skies by thcinorthern press
and thanked BY Congress, but on lh
protest Of Great Britain. Secretary g
, State Seward ruled that Captai
wilkes erred IN not taking tho Trer
IN a. a prize for ajudicauon. an
therefore ordered that Mason an
, Sliden b. turned loose They lost n
. time in reaching English soil