The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-05

SlEeE - Al
e----r-----.--.r---------.
day the remnant of the Seminoles speak
his name. He was looked on with great
favor at home, and the attention of the
crown was called to the wonderful work
he was doing among the savages of the
Land of Flowers.
At about the beginning of the present
century there came to Florida from the
Balearic Islands some seventy farmers
| old friends of the priest, and they settled
on land near the port of st. Augustine.
Among them were two brothers of the
priest. His friends and relatives suggest
| ed that he should have a. grant of land
that he might have home and an ample
income when age and overwork should de-
mand that he rest from his arduous labors
So it was that the Spanish crown made
the grant referred to, which embraced the
tract of land now claimed by young Segnl
| of Long Island.
The missionary priest continued his
work year after year with the same en-
ergy that he entered upon it, but when
! the influence of the United States was
felt throughout the peninsula and the Pro-
! testant faith was carried there, a change
came over Father Segui. For the first
time in his life he lost courage.
As Protestant mis- Aonaries neared, he
went further and further into the wiIds,
| but showed less energy than before. He
| felt that all of his good work was being
] undone. For months and once for two
! years, his old friends about St. Angus
| tine saw or heard nothing of him. Then
| he disappeared
| He was diligently sought for, but no
| tangible clew to his whereabouts could be
| found. 1t was reported that Indians had
| killed him; that rival missionaries had
murdered him; that he had gone north
ward into the new republic but all of
| these theories We're set aside, and it was
! finally learned that he had gone to Ha-
1 vana. The information came through one
of his brothers, who had become a sea
! captain.
But at Havana all traces were lost of
| Father Segui. Where he went from there
or where his neglected grave is no one
| knows. All that he left was the Spanish
grant in Florida, and a beautiful pearl
cross that he had blessed and given to
one of his brothers some time before his
mysterious disappearance.
The brother who had the pearl cross
| returned to his Spanish home, and sue
cessfully embarked in business. About
1920 he had a son, whom he named An
tonic, and while yet a young man this
son sought his fortune in the new world,
| coming to this city. He brought with him
| the pearl cross that Father Segui had
| blessed.
A few years afterward Antonio Segui
met a Spanish girl, whom he woed, won
| and we'd and as a marriage present gave
| her the pearl cross. Six years ago his wife
who had become the mother of the pres
| ent Antonio Segui the claimant of the
| Florida land died, and now lies buried on
| Long Island, with the pearl cross In her
! lifeless hands.
Before mother died." said the claim
ant when saw him at Maspeth last week,
4 4f.v ,.,f0 rAl ora
tune that l would one day have, but never
| gave particulars or the source from which
| it was to come. All that l knew was that
| she appeared in some way to associate 1t
with the pearl cross that Father Segui
| had blessed l was too young at the time
| to think much about it, but when, rev
| years ago, my attention was called to a
notice in a Spanish paper. printed in Bar
| ceona, that inquired after the heirs OF
| Father Segui, 1 began to investigate, with
the result of learning that l am righttul
| heir to the grant.
"Of course, L have to establish my heir
ship to Father Segui, and for that purpose
l am having the old civil and church re-
cords in the Balearic Islands searched,
through counsel, who is now active in the
matter There is trouble in getting at the
records, because of the confusion that re-
suited in moving the capital from Cludu-
della to Mahon, a few years ago, but am
my descent from Father SegufS brother'
who was his heir
IAN of the old friends of the family
knew of Father Seoul when they were
young, and had heard of the estate IN
Florida. to which, no doubt, my mother
referred when she spoke of the fortune
that would be coming to me some day.
"As soon as ] have copies of the rec
ords will investigate the claims Of those
who may be in possession of portions of
the land inquire into the rights of all
pretended heirs, ascertain the exact boun-
daries of the grant and take legal steps
to gain possession"
The descendants of the two brothers of
Father Segui appear to be numerous,
though the Long Island claimant believes
they cannot establish any right to the
land. The Spanish consul at ST. Angus
tine has had numerous inquiries from
persons claiming to be heirs to Father
Segui, but he Is able to give no further in
formation than that such a grant was
made by the Spanish crown, and that
persons pretending to be heirs to the
priest are now in Florida.
The consul at Galveston, whose consul
ate once included Florida, has also been
inquired Of, and has searched among the
old records and documents of his office
without finding any evidence of whom the
rightful heirs are.
"I have had numerous letters and per-
sonal inquiries in relation to the Segui
grant" said Arturo Baldarsano, Spanish
consul to New York, when 1 made inquiry
of him. but can give no satisfactory in
formation, as the records of my office
make no reference to the matter. There
was such a grant, and there are appar-
emily number of persons in this coun-
try and Spain who believe they have an
interest in IL. have referred them to the
consul at st. Augustine and to the home
departments.
FREEMAsONRY EXPLANATIONS. ~