New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-19
TIE VIRGINIUS. G.
THE QUESTION OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or A
FORMER CAPTAIN OF THE VESSEL.

THE QUESTION or NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or A
FORMER CAPTAIN OF THE VESSEL.
Among the papers relating to the Virginius
recently sent to Congress the deposition Of Capt
Charles Smith, who took charge OF tho vessel at Puerto
Cabcllo Venezuela in june 1872. and gave up the
mand at Maracaibo IN tho following November. The
following particulars taken from this testimony. throw
Hight the questiOnof ownership
@. How did you happen to be IN Puerto Cabelo and to
take command of the Virgniusf A. went to LaguaJra
frat az male of "a brig from Phladeip na, ana from
Liguayra went Ia Puerto Clbelo. and there heard
mat this steamer there and that she was without
master, ana applied for the situation and got 10.
@. 10 whom did You first apply. aud with whom did
you contract t. become her maseri A. first applied
to AfiroI tank his first name is Pedro; when saw
AliarO Gen. Mtnuei QueSada was Win hlm ana con
sldcred Aaro as sOrs of business agcntof QucsId
of the ship there consultation held then about the
matter bet~ccn Qncsida and Afaro and Aldro Surned
10 call to-norroy az Liiplst eight" At haIfpast
eight called; did not inl AarO thero AT that time.
IIi Oucda hanael me . letter and asked me To take il
20 Aaro board the ship took tue letter on board.
Alaro opened II ana read H. aid then no stated MS
terms 10 me, ANA asked II would accept them, and
did, auu iOimcd the ship immediately anG took com
O. Have you seen Alfaro since you left the Virgnius
at slarac0o and II so. wherci A. Yes. Sr; saw him
IN Tweut, -.nld-.t NoW-Yoril City, at the house of
O. what all ne say 10 you tho ship. IL anything.
AFTER size eft MarAcaibot A. lie sIid to me- CAPTAIN:
knght IN command Tor tho purpose OF clearing her wan
tnc American Cvu,u! al IirICalDo; but hal to Lav-
gate ship myself aud worked her just the same a'
yOu used 10 show me now
DId reports 10 Patterson, cltner
verbally III writing Ia respect to the Virginus A.
No. sir. 80 49,
in respect to Patterson :. A. Yes, SIR.
q. In respect ~ owners OF tho VrSlniusf A. Yes,
SIR
O. What did Afaro say to you in respect to Pattcr-
sons ownership a. AfdrO ono day d0u't KNOW
rccolecJ 1t quite wei-ae said that Patterson ana not
a dollar OF thc SHIP ana also sald mat the snip
soald .ycr 80 To the Uutei States again: ne ala not
say il exactly In those words; he Snd something else
abous how they got h to 80 on tho papers, 'n1 cannot
toll exactly wntt II was. go 49,,
O. VINO pad you your wagesi A.. Alfaro; all that
got. 49,, ,,,
wnom dd you consider 10 oc her oWhcrSf a. con,
sldrred Gen Quesada and Alfaro as her owners; had
every 10 suppose that they were her owners;
recognized nobody else az the owners Dat AHaio ana
Qlesa1a. -,,., .,., o..,..,,
owners. you that YOU had any knowledge OF
any consideration Delag pad by Qitsadd Tor any in
merely say that because was gwen every Reason TO
suppose they tie owners BY thelr actions ana DJ
the " ~ the business Of the ship WAS carried on.
q. DO you know of any consideration passing rom
AarJ anybody else for ans interest In tho 'eSSe
O. You received all the directions concerning the
ag'ncnt OF the snip from AlarJf A' Yes, SIR. -.
O the first time that You ever heard oi Ma
Patterson Ia connection with the Yhginusi A. When
first saw her papers saw al: name. ,l,,,,...,.
O. Did you ASK anything about nun A. dld not ask
much about hun at tnat time. but afterward asked
Alfaro ABOUT him. .
try to pass IL oil Ia laughing way lac would say Ptt'
tcfson Is all right" something Ike tha heard linn
anything to do with him" or something 10 tBat
effect; would generally bring the conversation out ia
some such way iha
O. You never lad any other Information concerning
Paucrson's connection with the ship Than what Aiaro
gave YOU A. That tue only information had.
Tx INQUIRY INTO THE CAUSE or sINKING-PRoBA-
BILE REPORT or THE NAVAL COURT.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 17.-Ihe Virginius Naval
Court has adjourned. aud the report will probably be
presented to the Secretary OF the Navy to-day. Al
though in advance OF It's presentation the members OF
the Court decline upon the subject, II Is
certain, judyine from the testimony which ha5 been
ELECTED, tnat findings are, that the snSInS Of tue
V.r.gnII. was unavoidable under the circumstances.