Norwich bulletin., 1914-06-04
OTTO WIEpWALD IS
 HOME ON FURLouGH.
Has Seen Stirring Times in Navy
 Service Around Vera Cruz.

Otto wiedwald. U s. N, whose ship Is at the Charlestown Navy yard for boiler repairs, having arrived recent ly from Mexican waters. is at his home
 on North Cliff street for a Is days fur tough. Last October MT. wiedwald went with the battleship to Mexico under forced orders and for three weeks the big battleship lay outside Vera Vruz harbor. Then they took up a position between the beach and
 the old San Juan Ula fort in Vera Cruz harbor where they remained for sometime. One night a light was seen
 in the torpedo room of the old fort in which many rebel prisoners were quartered and at 10.30 o'clock assem- bly was sounded. The jackies were at their posts in an instant all ready for action but as nothing of more alarming nature happened they dis persed the following morning. This precaution was taken because the of ficers feared that some plot was being formed behind the stone walls of the old prison. The following day they took on board two rebel prisoners who had escaped from the old fort and who had been sentenced to be hanged. These refugees were later transferred to the Chester.
 A few mornings after this at reveille which is 5 o'clock. Uncle Sam's jacI<ies witnessed a spectacle that will long finger in their minds. The execution of rebel prisoners was being carried on at the old fort. The rebels. six or eight at time were led from their cells, their hands tied in back of them, and they were lined up side by side with their faces to the grim stone wall Ten or twelve fed erals armed with rifles took up & po- sition about 20 feet from the wall and at a given signal from their command
  onerS with bullets. As fast as the
 men dropped to the ground their
 bodies were carted away to the other side of the fort and there disposed About the middle of November the 1 squadron, New Jersey, Georgia and l Nebraska, were ordered to hurry to , Tampico about 150 miles off The 1 commander of the ship sent word over i to the city that all Americans leave at once and board the battleship for safe tty. The Americans, several hundred | of them. deserted their farms and l homes leaving them at the mercy of l the Mexican marauders and hurried on l board the battleships. Many of them were scantily clad and the generous {! sailors gave up their blankers for 1 their comfort. They were kept on board a week and then were transfer | red to a transport.
 Another incident that caused a few | anxious hours on board ship took 1 place a short while after Thirteen
 men and an officer started out on a | pleasure sail but did not return when l their time was up. It was feared that i they had been captured and a large number of searchers were sent out ir | quest of them. After some hours they were found stranded on a sand bar
 From the battleships the men could plainly see the federal gunboats firins
 on the rebels and several times stray
 shots narrowly missed striking the Chester. and American transport l While at Tampico MT Wiedwald saw | both Carranza and Villa. As the boil. 1 CT was leaking his ship left shortl, ! afterwards for Boston to be repaired MT. Wiedwaid leaves next week tt
 reioin his ship and on July 1 they sai for Cuba for gun practice and they
 then expect to be ordered back to thu
 front. Charles Bentley U. s. N., O Yantic who was recently made turre
 captain is enjoying & furlough at hi shOrfaa herp