The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-08 00:00:00

CAPTURED BY BRIGANDS IN SPAIN.

Things have progressed pretty well with the Englishmen
Captured by the brigands in Spain. The news that they
were absolutely set at liberty was premature, but at any
rate it is certain that the emissary sent out by the Spa-
nish Government succeeded in discovering the retreat of
the robbers, that negotiations were opened for their
release, and that Mr. Bonell has been set at liberty in
order to finally arrange the terms. There is at present
no likelihood of a repetition of the Greek affair. It would
appear that the capture was planned in Gibraltar itself.
The precise facts of this remarkable affair have never yet
been stated, and therefore an account given by the
Gibraltar Chronicle may be acceptable. It is from the
issue dated May 23rd, and runs thus :—" Gibraltar was
startled out of its wonted stagnation yesterday morning
by a rumour which turned out to be well founded, that
an imitation of the Greek brigands' affair, happily
at present without its fatal termination had' been car-
ried out within a very short distance of the Rock. It seems
that Mr. John Bonell, of this place, with his nephew,
Mr. J. A. Bonell, went out on Saturday for their usual
afternoon's aide as far as the plain of the Zabal,' where
on the previous day they had been much struck with the
appearance of a mare belonging to a party of five men at
the ventorillo (inn) there. This band was evidently on
the look 3ut on Saturday for the Messrs. Bonell, as when
they were seen riding towards the place the inmates of
the ventorillo, consisting of the mistress of the house, her
young son, and a man servant, were at once placed in `du-
rance vile' in the coal hole, wherethey remained. On the
arrival of the Bonells at the house they were ordered to
dismount, which they did after a little delay, and
were afterwards taken indoors and informed they must
pay $5,000 before they could be released. After their
first alarm was over, the elder proposed that his nephew
should be allowed to go to Gibralter for the
' money, but this was refused, an offer being made
instead that the nephew should remain while the
uncle went, This the latter declined to do on ,
any conditions, intimating that he would go wherever his
nephew was taken, even though he was shot for his pains.
All this time the inmates of the house were shut up in the
coal-hole, listening to what was going on. Theyimagine it
must have been about eight o'clock in the evening when the _
robbers took their departure, carrying off besides their cap-
tives a mule (on which it is supposed young Bonell was
placed, as his pony was found in the stable), and all the
eatables and grain which the inn contained. Fortunately a
small iron crowbar was found in the coal-hole, and the
prisoners, who by this time were nearly suffocated in conse-
quence of the place not being ventilated in the least at
once set to work to effect their own deliverance,
which after some time they succeeded in doing. All
that night they were afraid to venture out fearing
that some of the robbers might still be in hiding in
the neighbourhood, but mustering up courage towards
morning they sent shortly after dawn to the
authorities at the Lines, and also to the Tunara, where
there is a detachment of the Civil Guard, to report what
had occurred. The sister of Mr. John Bonell, finding her
brother did not return yesterday morning, dispatched a mes-
senger in search of tidings, and it is to him we are indebted
for the foregoing particulars. His excellency the governor,
Sir Richard Airey, himself rode out to the Lines on learn-
ing the particulars, and dispatched Colonel Street, C. 8.,
assistant military secretary, to Algeciras, and Captain
Monsell, A.D. C., to San Roque, to communicate with the
authorities at those places. Telegrams have been
dispatched by the Governor of Algeciras to all the mili-
tary posts in the province ordering a sharp look out to be
kept and a pursuit to be at once instituted. Owing to the
`start obtained by the robbers it is feared some time must
elapse before they are taken,"