Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-06-16
Shanghai have been the points from which
these reports have emanated. and the fact
is regarded as significant.
AN IMPORTANT PRISONER.
Collier which the st. Louis
Captured.


Captured.
KEY WEST, FLA, June 15-Jamie
Fernieres, who says he Is the first officer
of the Spanish hospital ship Alicante was
brought in here this morning as prisoner
of war on board the British prize steamer
Twickenham, captured by the cruiser st.
Louis, on June 10.
Conflicting stories are told concerning.
the Spaniard's presence on board the
Twickenham, and there is strong suspicion
that he Is a more important capture than
superficial circumstances might indicate.
The Twickenham was captured at
o'clock in the morning of June TO-. when
about ten miles Off the south coast Of ia
maica. The St. Louis, which took her. OF
course without a show Of resistance, was
the only ship of the American fleet in or
about these waters at the time. The Brit
ish steamer had been picked up in West
Indian waters about n month ago, and was
warned to avoid the blockade vessels.
Recently it was learned that she was at
Martinique, where the Spanish hospital
ship Alicante, under command OF. Captain
Antonio GEMS, has been lying for some
time. There was report that the Alicante
and other ships of the enemy had been
securing coal from the Twickenham. and
upon learning that the latter had left that
port. ostensibly for Jamaica. the ST. Louis
secuted for and eventually found her The
auxiliary cruisers information was that
the Twickenham had sailed on Aprii"2i
from 'Newcastle-on-Tyne, for st. -Thomas'
filed to her capacity of $500 tons of coal.
At st. Thomas, the cargo appeared 10 nave
passed, according to papers, into the charge
of a person named Clark, to whom the
Twickenham had been chartered py the
owners. the British Steamship Company.
x
for fort de France but Captain Goodrich,
of the ct. Louis, could find no papers to
indicate to whom the ship and cargo were
consigned. -.
On June 5. the United States consul at
Ct Pierre. Martinique, wired to the state
denartment at Washington that the TWICE.
en;,ams cargo of coal was consigned TO tne
Spanish consul in that island, but thas
the local government refused permission 10
that official to land it. On the same Gay
the Twickenham sailed for Jamaica ana was
picked up off that coast nVe Gays ta.er "
the st. Louis, Captain Robinson, OF the
Twickenham. professed complete ignorance
concerning the ownership of the cargo. and
could produce nothing tending to f1x this
boint. He said that at Martinique ne was
Informed by a man named Lebat tnat ne
aebatr was the ships broker but captain
Robinson added that Lebat had kilograms
relating to the Twickenham which he dio
not show.
CAPTAIN Goodrich put on board the
TWickenham prize crew consisting OIL Eli
sign F. r. Payne and hve marines anu
after reporting the capture to the squad
ron at Santiago de Cuba he sent the Brit
ish vessel here. Ensign Payne says it was
not until after the ship was bound for Key
West that Fernieres, the mysterious Span
lard, was discovered slowed away IN the
hold.
On the other hand Captain Robinson de-
clares he took him aboard as a passenger
| at Fort de France at the request OF Cap
tain Genis of the Alicante. Fernieres. who
is an imposing-looking person Of about "
years, is much worried Spaniard and tears
stood in his eyes as he told his story,
| through an Interpreter, to representative
| of the Associated Press. He said he was
going, by order of Captain GEMS, from Mar
tiniuue to Jamaica, where he hoped to
board a steamer for the Pacific coast in
! order to transact business with the agents
of the Spanish Transatlantic Company.
He was also to see the company's agent
| at ,Jamaica: but, strange to say, he did
! not even know this agents name, and was
to secure all necessary information from
| the Spanish consul there. -
Captain GEMS. said the captive, had as
| sured him there was no element of danger
| in his mission, yet here he was, a prisoner
| Of war involved in an International affair.
The agitation of Fernieres, taken in con-
nection with the unlikely phases Of his
story, leads to the belief that he may be
an important prisoner. He will have an
l. opportunity tomorrow to tell his story to
| the United States officials. when Captain
| Robinson will also be examined and the
entire case will be thoroughly investigated.
| Thus far Captain Robinson has had no
| opportunity to make representation to
| British Vice Consul Taylor. Mr.. Taylor
went out to the Twickenham this after
| noon. but was at first refused permission
| by Ensign Payne, in command of the
| prize, to go aboard. Payne later Invited
| Mr.. Taylor. aboard. but the latter refused
and wired the British consul at Savannah
| an account. of the affair. -