The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-16
AN IMPORTANT CAPTURE.
The spaniard Captured on the Twick'
enhaur Seems to be OF Consequence

enhaur Seems to be of Consequence
KEY WEST, FLA. June 15.-1;45 r.
M.-Jame Fernieres. who says he Is the
first officer of the Spanish hopsital ship
Alicante, was brought In here this
morning as a prisoner OF war on board
the British prize steamer Twickenham
captured by the cruiser ~. Louis on
June 10th.
Conflicting stories are told concerning
the Spaniard's presence on board the
Twickenbam and there is strong suspicion
that he Is a more important capture
than superficial circumstances might In
dicate
The Twickenham was captured at ,
o'clock on the morning OF June 10th.
when about ten miles off the south coast
Of Jamaica. The st. Louis which took
her, of course. without a show OF resist
ance was the only ship OF the American
feet in or about these waters at the
time.
The British steamer had been picked
up I'm West Indian waters about month
ago and was warned to avoid the
blockade vessels.
Recently it was learned that she was
at Martinique. where the Spanish hospi-
tai ship Alicante under command Of Cap
tain Cents has been lying for some time.
There was a report that the Alicante and
Twickenham and had left that port
The auxiliary cruisers Information was
that the Twickenham had sailed on
April 2lst from Newcastle-on-Tyne for
st. Thomas. filed TO her full capacity
with 300 tons Of coal. At st. Thomas
the cargo appeared 10 have passed., ac-
cording to papers into the charge or
person named Clark, to whom the
Twickenham had been charteded by the
owners. the British Steamship Company
She LETT St. Thomas on May 18th and
sailed for Fort de France. Martinique,
but Captain Goodrich, OF the 81. Louis,
could find no papers TO indicate to whom
the ship and the cargo were consigned.
On June 5th the United States Consul
at ST. Pierre. Martinique, wired ito the
state Department at Washington that
the Twickenham's cargo Of coal was con-
signed 20 the Spanish Consul In that
island but that the local government re-
fused permission TO that official 20 land
II. On the same day the Twickenham
sailed for Jamaica and was picked up Off
that coast Eve days later by the st. Louis.
Captain Robinson, of the Twickenham,
professed complete ignorance concerning
the ownership of the cargo and could pro-
duce nothing tending tOiiX this point. He
said that at Martinique he was Informed
by a man named Lebat that he QLebaD
was the ships broker. but Captain Rob
inson added that Lebat had kilograms re
lating 10 the Twickenham which he did
not show.
Captain Goodrich put on board the
Twickenham a prize crew, consisting OF
Ensign F. r. Payne and five marines,
and after reporting the capture
to the squadron at Santiago de Cuba, he
sent the British vessel here.
Do coz ttrqe M the
ship was bound for Key West that Fer
nleres. the mysterious Spaniard, was dis
covered slowed away in the hold
on the other hand, Captain Robinson
declares he took him aboard as a pas
senger at Fort de France at the request
Of Captain Genos. of the Alicante. Fer
nieres. who is an imposing looking per-
son OF about fifty years Of age. is much
worried Spaniard, and tears stood in his
eyes as he told his story, through an IN
terpreter TO u representative OF the AS
ISOLATED Press He said he was going, by
order of Captain GenOs. from Martinique
10 jamaica, where he hoped TO board a
steamer for the Pacific coast in order to
transact business with 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 Genes. said the captain. had
assured him there was no element of
danger in his mission. yet here he was a
prisoner Of war involved in an interna-
tional affair.
The agitation of Fernleres, taken in
connection with the unlikely phases Of
his story. leads 10 the belief that ne may
be an important prisoner. He will have
an opportunity later in the day or to-
morrow TO tell his story to the United
States officials when Captain Robinson
will also be examined and the entire case
will be thoroughly investigated.