An item reported that as a result of the war between the USA and Spain (1) the Dutchman Jaap Eden (2) was arrested while sailing with his friends some days earlier off Key West. A Spanish torpedo boat arrested them believing that they were spies and brought them to Havana. Eden assured the Spanish they were just foreign cyclists. A tiding received from Havana reported later that the Frenchmen D. Lamberjac (3) and Cissac (4), the Swiss Gougoltz (5) and the Dutchman Eden were released by general Blanco and allowed to go back to Charleston with the French ship le Bon Pasteur. The involved Spanish torpedo boat was the Gracia de Dios no. 19 commanded by Penafiel. Eden blamed Gougoltz for the incident while he was wearing a beautifull gold decorated hat causing the Spanish believing he was a high ranked navy officer. Another newspaper Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad dated 29 April reported that they were accused of laying mines.
Notes
1. The Spanish-American War 25 April-12 August 1898 which ended disastrous for Spain causing that Cuba, Puerto Rico Guam and the Philippines were not longer part of the Spanish Empire.
2. Jacobus Johannes [Jaap] Eden (19 October 1873-2 February 1925 Haarlem). He became world champion in speed skating (1893, 1895, 1896)and bicycle racing (1894-1895).
3. The French cyclist Dominique Lamberjack.
4. The French cyclist Cissac
5. Jean Gougoltz (26-03-1875 Küssancht, Switzerland-10 January 1917 Paris, France).
