The New York herald., 1876-09-04
A SEA CAPTAINS FATE.
AMERICANS IMPRISONED FOR AN INDEFINITE
TINE IN GUATEMALA.

AMERICANS IMPRISONED FOR AN INDEFINITE
TINE IN GUATEMALA.
Captain william Lund, lately commander OF the
Guatemalan man-oi-war steamer, General Barrios,
writes from the scene OF his imprisonment friend
in tnis city as iollows:
You mad a chance to learn the particulars OF the
wreck OF The General Bnrrios You no doubt a
he about the state OF the vesseliha she was old
rotten. not lifted out with things that wero
necessary seaworlhy steamer, and that the loss
OF fourteen soldiers occasloncd by The want of
boats and also o materials from which to construct
raft You Will he surprised 10 learn that my case Is
stu IN stdtu quo
Wcare-lhat is to say, l. tho IN ties and engineers
still
PRISONERS WITHOUT TRIAL
and without hope o. an end To the affair at all Tho
thing is snameiu. IN the extreme, and think great
inju done TO u.s. still the United states
Minister, Mr.. williamson, does not seem 10 do any
thing and lets the mater slip along without nquiring
into all The idea that l. after thirty years Vt
sealaring HE, OF which nineteen were as captain,
should have 10 stay under blanc for neglect OF duty
by people who have no idea OF the sea nor OF The duty
Of captain
During the late between the republics of San
Salvador and Guatemala latter Power had
occasion to steamer Tor the purpose
OF transporting men and material OF war
the of action. Tho government
bought down in Panama old vessel OF American
build, called the Cheniql, She was in wretched
and utterly unseaworthy condition when she became
the property OF Guatemala To navigate this old hulk
a crew, composed OF from several nations.
received INTO service, under definite contract mt the
rate OF SO much month, payable in specie Captain
William Lund, from whose letter the above para
graphs are taken, commanded the Barros and seems
to have been paid NJ the rate OF $3.50 mouth. Lund
is citizen oil the United States and halls from san
Francisco So too, his chief mate While the prn-
cpal engineer was n scochman, who appears 10 have
been Induced 10 ship III lne General Barrios at the
stance o The Brush Vicc Consul Mr. Magec This Is tho
gentleman who was hogged couple OF years ago
IN the port oi san Jose by the Spanish commandant
there. Iund and his hybrid ere" made TWO tr,ps 10
San Salvador, carrying arms, men and munitions OF
The vessel vas lying at anchor the landing
place OF San Jose, when about the 2ith OF May storm
arose which, IN the judgment oil lund nvovcd the
necessity of raising tue aucnor getting up steam and
putting the purpose oil avouing The dangers
OF a lee shore The Storm continued with great vio
cuce Tor the rcod OF three days more during which
time the dictated steamer spIung leak. Every enort
that could be put forth under trying circumstances
made but AL to no purpose. The water continued
10 rise rapidly, the fires In the furnaces were ex
tnsuished there was no means OF making sail ana the
snip had 10 be abandoned the fury oi the tempest
There was "A detachment oi fourteen artilieryn
board commanded BY an Italian suoaI,ern These men
had worked bravey at everything they were put To-;
and when It became apparent that tue ship must ba
abandoned II also became horribly evueut that the
three smalooats with which the Barros was iur-
nished could not hold all Of the upward oil forty per-
board Captain Lund says that ho never gave
order 10 take the boats yet on the morning OF
the 25th some employees ol The government did get
into one, and the second mate, Chiian helped 10
lower 1t from the davts. The mate and engineer,
with some Passengers got into another oil The boats.
winch successfully iaunched: and about the
time Captain Lund took possession Of the Remaining
one. All this the enlisted OF tho artillery
force we're not heard OF nobouy kuew what became Of
them; aware Vi how they were occupied IN
that supreme moment for them, when hc threo boaA
showed of from The ships side and headed for ths
shore. Yet the officer who Commanded these unior-
tunato soldiers sale on board one oil tue boats,
while his UNCONSCIOUS command remained in ignorance,
1t is thought OF The hoirld late which awaited them
The boats and their landed without accident at
San jose but the Old ship. with her cargo OF fourteen
immo tai souls, was heard of ncvermore-
When the news OF the loss ol the General Barrios
reached the capital OF Guatemala the effect which II
produced was one OF deep seated sorrow Tor the loss of
tho unfortunate soldiers Captain Lund rendered his
report, and Minister OF War Senor Samayoa sent Tor
him order TO get further explanations OF how SO
horrible disaster could have happened some OF the
passcngers-government onlcais-who were on the
steamer imputed great deal OF blame to Captain
Lund, saying that he had been very
RENiss HIS DUTIES;
that he took no proper precautions In time tA
savo the ship aud that tho soldiers
who were abandoned 10 their hopeless fate
might have been taken into the boats had the Captain
and his officers properly discharged their duties It
also surmised that the suspicious OF the troops had
boen dsarned by the crew telling Them tnt thrrs
danger, the ship would not be abandoned and they
might go and sleep II is said that they did retire TO
anu while asleep their guns were taken from them
by some unknown persons and thrown overheard
Upon these statements and rumors the Minister OF
War ordered a court OF inquiry to investigate tha
whole affair." during the pendency OF which Captain
Lund the chef and second Mates chief engineer and
the officer commanded the troops we're reduced 10
prison. The investigation lasted some three weeks,
ut tho end of which tho mates and eng
necrs were discharged from CUSTODY, pald up tue
OF their salaries and allowed TO depart irce
men the port San JOSE whore they expected
TO find vessel Captain Lnnd however, not
completely exonerated, and he remained prisones
under bonds.
few days after the ex-ollcers OF the Barrios had
gone 10 osG. and before they had time to embark
OF War again recalled them TO Guatcmals
and they were second time put ander restraint. II
does not appear upon what testimony In the case
the government rcIes. but the mnttcr has now been
dragging along the latter end of May, and Captain
Lund and his officers, ono OF whom IN addition TO hun
sell has been sad Is American citizen, are sur
feriug the penalty Of long Imprisonment before con-