Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-01-01
General News.
THE VIRGINlUS CASE
TIE PRISONERS AT NEW YORK :
What They Say About 1t !
some Remarkable lis.
cnpc~
ruEv Arr DpnrpS. YNNNp ANNE |,
THEY ALL PROFESS IGNORANCE
THE yIRGINIUs rRIsoNERs-AS ADDRESS
10 THE PRESIDENT.

THE NIRGINIUs PRIsoNERs-kS ADDRESS
10 THE PRESIDENT.
NEW loRK. Dec. 29,-Large numbers
are ilocking TO the Navy Yard this A. NJ,
To catch sight of the .Juniata and her cap
tiyes. Yesterday the latter. 10 the number
of lo2. drew up an address to President
Grant in which they say: I'VE beg to eX-
tend 10 your kXcelency our most heartfelt
and grateful thanks for the ener yetlc meas
urcs taken by yourself a. head of the Gov
eminent Of the United States for our time
Is rescue and delivery from death. or what
was almost equivalent, sentence TO the
chain gang or Spanish prison. For this
opportune aid and interference in our be-
half, which has been without doubt the
means of saving inany of our lives. we,
the subscribers, will always thank YOUR
Excellency. The constant energy shown
10y Commander ID. l.. Braine of the L. ).
Navy made him one Of the most iu>tru-
mental means Of our rescue. which action.
together with his unceasing kindness and
care. 4. shown towards and extended To
Us both prior TO. aud after, our release.
will always be held in grateful remem-
brance by Us all.
TIE RGISius,
from Bahia Honda, in tow OF the Ossipec,
ilDt seen W lup>t oi Aut ilut-
ing her voyage. and the officers think that
her disabled condition, together with the
very severe weather Of the past few days,
will detain her for several days longer.
Capt. Chandler of the Navy Yard stated
last evening that he should not look for the
coming of the Nirgnins before the middle
OF the week.
REPORTS OF THE SURVIVORS.
'rl. n,rr,,iyas nf th. surv;vnrs
are published this morning. Samuel Gray
a carpenter OF Harrodsburg. Pa, is one of
the most intelligent of the prisoners He
barely escaped the fate of his more unfor-
tunate friends. He was sent to the ''chap-
ell twice. each time being told that he was
to be shot. but was afterwards removed to
the place of Imprisonment much TO his own
surprise. and TO the ainaZement OF all the
prisoners. who had twice hidden him what
they supposed TO be last farewell.
WHAT WAS THROWN OVERHEARD.
Mr.. Gray acknowledges that some things
were thrown overheard from the Virginius
during the chase by the Tornado, but
claims to have no personal knowledge of
| what kind of personal property, or what
amount of il was disposed of in that way.
ANOTHER sARRow ESCAPE.
Another instance of good fortune Is the
case of fireman named VIM. King. an
Englishman by birth. He could not speak
a word of Spanish and was unable To give
any account of himself to the Spanish
authorities. When the 81 who were shot
together were taken out for execution
King was also taken. but when the names
of the condepned were called he was not
among them, and he was returned to the
boat overcome with delight at his narrow
escape. He had witnessed the terrible
slaughter. and himself expected immedi.
ate death when the joyful word was given
that he should live.
SAVED BY SUPERSTITION.
Another of the passengers of the Juni-
alta had a more eventful experience per.
haps than any of the survivors. He was
the 18th man Chat is to say when the de-
tail for execution was made. thinking it an
unlucky number. returned one to prison.
The lot fell OH one of two brothers (Amer-
lean citizens) young and very intelligent
man.
VERY INNOCENT PASSENGERS"
The statements of nearly all the prison.
ers agree in disOwning any knowledge of
the purpose of the officers OF the Virgini-
us. They profess to have embarked as
passengers, to have seen no arms
on board, and. to have seen little or
nothing ttrown overheard. Those Oh the
Juniata. certainly. do not present very
warliKe appearance; many OF them being
very young and of diminutiye size, and
without any very intelligent estimate of
the undertaking which they entered upon.
REMARKABLE INDIFFERENCE.
The fact that the Virginius was advertis-
ed to 90 into Port Lim0nes and then sailed
around among the islands of the West
Indies seemingly without any exact destin-
alton, appears not to have excited any GU
riosity among them IS to her object, but
on the contrary their statements exhibit an
inter indifference to the course Ofthe ship,
or the intention of the officers. One point.