Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-07-12
TO BE PITIED.
Sad Scenes at the Landing Of
Spanish Prisoners.
'''-clad and Fed They Are Amazed at
New Quarters.
AHect'ng Parting Between the Men and Their
Popular Captain Moreu.

Louis, from Santiago, numbering 692 of
the men VINO Termed part of the crew
ol Adtnlral Cervera's squadron, are, to-
hlSht' sleeping peacefully and in com
pafatiVe comfort in the barracks cree
TED Tor them on Seavey's Island.
Around them is guard of 125 ma
rines.
The work of debarkation was accom-
plished in just two hours under thes di-
rection of Col. Fnrney, L. 5. NJ. c.. who
WIFI have charge of all the prisoners
brought here.
1t was just 2.45 o'clock, this after
noon, when the first barge loaded with
spanish subjects left the St Louis and
We're taken to Greeley's landing-the
landing so-called from the fact that
1t was here that Lieut. Greeley and the
survivors of the Inflated Lady Frank
lin BAY expedition set foot on Ameri-
can soil for the first time after they
mad been brought back from the frozen
North by Captain, now Commodore
Schley, in 1884.
An hour later, 357 prisoners had been
landed and were marched to the high
est part of the island, where on a plot
of ground each man deposited under
the eyes of the marine guard whatever
few belongings he possessed.
1t was pathetic sight from begin
ming to end, and such as would bring
tears to many eyes. The poor, wretch
ed creatures struggled up the hillside
clad IN the most part in rags, some of
the men being covered only with frag-
ments of table cloth, or a blanket.
while others had portions of what was
once uniform. When the men landed
some of tham We're 50 weak shat they
could not stand and laid on the ground
until stretchers were brought and, by
the aid of their comrades We're carried
to the main road where they were
placed on the grass.
Here the rays of sunshine, and the
cool refreshing breezes from across the
Piscataqua seemed to strengthen them.
and most of the exhausted ones were,
a little later, able 10 follow the Others
TO the place where they We're mustered
Many of the prisoners had wounds thai
We're still unhealed, and their heads
and arms showed the effects of the
terrible battle in which they fought
The crew Of the Cristoba! Colon Were
anded in 4 body. They We're better
lad and evidently better fed than the
other men. for they bore a resemblance
| of the Spanish sailor in makeup. They
| brought ashore with them bags filled
With clothing and mary articles which
| go to make up the outfit of a sailor.
| Thirty members of the Colon's crew
We're. however. severely wounded, ami
| mad to be carried on stretchers.
The unloading of the motley croW'i
was witnessed by thousands of people
on shore and in boats, and it is re-
marked with all sincerity that during
| the two hours occupied With the task,
not a sheer or a jeer was heard, or an
act performed which might have given
Offence to The poor men.
The most interesting part of the
landing of the men was the duty per
formed by Capt. f. Diaz Moreu Of tn
Cristobal Colon. the once hearty AMI
iov;al officer. the favorite captain of
the Spanish navy. Standing on the
height of land near where the men
came ashore. clad in a tattered uniform
Of white duck trousers and blue coat,
book in hand, the mastering officer Of
the Spanish prisoners. His heavy
voice called cut the names of the pris-
oncrs and credited each TO the vessel
} of which the individual was once Il
member
| When the muster out, as it seemed
to be. was finished, the men were
formed in line and We're marched INTO
the temporary barracks which Will
serve as a prison for them. OF the
l,,,
the hospital, suffering from the most
part from wounds, while not a lew
are victims of minor ills. OF the OH
| cnrs. there We're 10-foW lieutehah'S'
| three surgeons, two ensigns ana one
navoaster-and these through some
| misunderstanding over orders lroiii
WASHINGTON. were returned to the 81.
| Louis.
| # is understood. tonight, however.
nat tbase same officers will be landed
again tomorrow of these officers TWO
| surgeons. Acone Muircy ana uaiilp'i
| NonsosincS, OF the Coloh' WIZ
r,arfered at the naval hospial anu
viii assist the regular staff in chafse
of Dr Henry Derr All the petty OIL
| 6co,s who are with the prisoners VIII
ren,oin to assist in maintaining as
c;nline The line officers Will pe
,uartered at the marine barracks.
# was an interesting sight to wa'ch
the way in which the Spanish pr's-
oners accepted the fortunes OF val
their Imprisonment on seaveys islahu,
After breaking ranks they looNe.
ahont and saw mattresses ana
couches and many oher conhoi -
which had not been Their iol Tor hans
wears. in the barracks. ana as my
looked them over they appeared to AZ
cent the situation with nlach cheeriui
ness. They walked aroum with Wiz
anneared to be a dignlhea ar anu
seemed to grow happy as appetiAns
odors were waited to then from .i'e
large kitchen. After teif evemhs
meal they seemed to nave setu.0
down to enjoy their enforced M
prisonment. ..h;nn ;nci-
One of the most toWhihg lne'
dents of the day was the laleWeH y,
cant. T.. Diaz Moreu of the orlstop'i
colon. with his crew, just before he