The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-08-21
YOR KIDNAPPED
BY MEXICAN BOAT
Key West Executive Has a
T-illing Experience on
Foreign Warship.
CABLE AND BROMO BOTH
BROUGHT INTO USE AND THE
ISLAND CITY MAN MAKES ES-
CAPE-A TWENTIETH CENTURY
TALE OF ADVENTURE.

special from Havana to the New
York World, under date of August II,
says:
The Mexican gunboat Morelos re-
Gently put into the port OF Key West,
FLORIDA, and her Officers were given
the keys TO the "Conch City," being
wlned and dined by the town officials
until the visiting naval officers de-
cided that the ''gringos" were not so
bad after all. Perhaps, however, they
may have concluded that as the Key
WeSters are less Americans than
~COnchs," this accounted for the fra
ternal greeting extended them .
At any rate, the Mexicans, not to
be outdone, quickly established a reci-
procity of courtesies, and 1t is said
that Key West officials were willing
to quit their homes for the company
of the jolly visitors.
A we'll known ragtime song to that
effect awakened the echoes in the
Mexican man-of-war on various occa-
slons. The engagements and enter
ta1nmentS were made on scale of
progressive competition, each trying
TO surpass the other in giving their
guests high old time.
The Key Westers, being born beach
comberS and ScourerS of the high seas,
always with weather eye open for
wrecks, have had some hardy expert
ences which have thrown them in
contact with some pretty tough prop
OsitionS
They have combed the beaches of
Florida's mainland and the range of
small Islands, or keys, for Jamaica,
Santiago and Hayi rum: they found
pulque; fine wines from Spain and
France are also familiar to them; they
are also acquainted with the red
wines made from South American
lOgwoOd; they have imbibed the Cuban
chain lightning called AguaTdiente,
and all OF these beverages they have
taken in the privacy of their cabins
and on the beaches during the heated
part of the day without ever having
man say that they could not stand
up to the rack Win them.
But the Mexican officers of the
MOrelos have won the spurs from the
Key Westers, though in a manner
which might invoke the criticism of
some of the inhabitants of that little
island
The last banquet given on board
the MOrelOS in tue harbor of Key
West was attended by the mayor of
Key West, George L. Babcock, and
Mr.. Arner, a leading business man
of that place. When they went
aboard of the Morelos they were in
| fine trim and expected to do their
city proud.
The dining room was we'll decorated,
| the array on the table would have
! filled the heart and stomach OF an cpl
cure with satisfaction, and when the
two visitors spread their legs under
the mahogany they were anxious to
begin an assault on the selection of
bottles which they saw being juggled
by the swarthy attendants.
Later in the evening, while the CAP
tain and some of the Mexican officers
were splitting a few extra bottles, an
order was received for the ship to pro-
coed to Havana at once. The two rep
resentatives of Key West were enjoy
ing the MeXicans' hospitality so thor
oughly that it seemed a shame to dis
turb them, and the Mexicans were too
chivalrcus to send them ashore, but
they were too great sticklers for dis
cipline to delay in executing the Or
ders they had received, SO they put
to sea.
The next day, nearer noon than
sunrise, when the two Key tWesterS
wakened they looked out for the fiat
shore of Key West to meet with a
shock which made them think they
had EN-" The high bluffs on which
Cabanas fortress is built loomed up
before them They called a boy and
ordered some bromo, and after taking
it ventured to ask the boy If he saw
anything unusual in the shore line.
The boy told them that he did not,
and explained to them that he had
always found the same scenes in Hav-
ana harbor
Explanations were in order, and the
captain told him of his dilemma of
the previous night, saying that they
could return on the steamer which
would leave within two hours, and he
even offered to pay their return fares.
The horror of the. situation then
dawned on them. All ports in the
States. particularly those in the south,
are quarantined against Havana, and
they could not return without going
through quarantine The mayor had
an immune certificate, but did not
have it with him. He autographed
for 1t.
His companion, however, was not so
fortunate so he had to go into the
detention camp here to stay five days
before being allowed to embark for
home.