Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-11-19
THE VIRGINIUS.
Statement of the United States Consul
at Kingston, Jamaica, as TO her Pa
Rers and Character.

Statement Oh TIE SHIpcu StotSS OVnssaA
at Kingston, Jamaica, as TO her Pa
pers and Character.
The Washington correspondent of
the Cincinnati Gazette telegraphs that
paper, under date of Nov. Is, as fol-
lows:
''Thos. III. Pearne, late United States
Consul at Jamaica, has just arrived
here, and brings definite information
in regard to the arrival and departure
of the Virginius at Kingston. The
ship came down to Kingston in charge
of a Capt Williams, Soon after, Capt.
Fry arrived from New York with author
ity from the owners Of the ship, given
in the name of q Mr.. Patterson, of
New York City, to take command and
take the vessel and cargo into a Cuban
port. About half of the crew de-
serted when preparations began for
loading and sailing All the trans
actions were perfectly open, and
the matter of common nOtonety.
Arms, ammunition, and warlike stores
of various kinds were gathered and
shipped. All intelligent persons on
the ship understood the true character
of the vessel and of her mission. Mr..
Pea1ne had two interviews with Capt.
Fry IN regard to his expedition, and
protested against his undertaking it,
and gave it as his opinion THAI if the
Spaniards captured him he would sure
" be shot; that every man on the ship
took bis life in his hand when he joined
the expedition, To these protests Capt.
Fry replied that the Spapiards could
not shoot him, as it only would be 2
case Of blockade running, and as he
had been Confederate blockade run
ner he reasoned that asthe United States
did not shoot prisoners captured in this
business the Spaniards would not do it.
Afterward Mr.. Pearne sought Capt.
Fry again, and again attempted to dis
suade him from sailing. The Captain
replied to him the whole matter was a
question Of bread for his family. If
he could succeed in landing his cargo
where it was wanted, it would give him
large sym of money, and he was de-
termined to MAKE the attempt at all
hazards. There were ABOUT a dozen
Americans or English among the sea-
men shipped, and it is doubtful wheth-
er all these had a very clear idea of the
character of the enterprise. Capt.
Fry's papers were American, ard IN all
respects regular in form, though the
real status of the vessel was a matter
of common 4Qtoriety.
The position taken ~ our govern
ment in regard to the matter, III It's dis
patches to Madrid, is that since the
Yirginius carried American papers al
together. under the American flag, it
was an act Of grave discourtesy, if not
Of positive insult, to try ali GA board,
and proceed with the execution in such
a summary manner, not only without
any notice to the United States, but by
so controlling telegraph lines that no
orders preventing the executions could
be received, It is believed here that
the United States has demanded that
this government shall be made party
to the further trial Of the prisoners
still unexecuted, and to passing upon
the status of the Virginius, and that
we further insist that the conduct of
those ordering the executions shall be
Immediately Investigated by the Span
ish government"
The Washington correspondent of
the Cincinnati Commercial gives a
somewhat different version of Consul
PeaTne's report. He says:
"Thomas H, Pearne, the American
Consul at Kingstoa. Jamaica, passed
through this city yesterday, GA his way
to his post of duty, and had a long in
teryiew with Secretary Fish. He stated
that Capt. Fry appeared before him at
Kingston, the day before sailing, and
made oath to his citizenship, and to the
correctness Of his papers, etc, which,
of course, were captured with the YES
sci. Mr.. Pearne is the only witness
left. lie further stated that the Vir-
ginius had been regularly cleared from
his port seven or eight times before"