The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-17

Steamship Twickenham W hfeh Was
Captured While Trying to Suppiy Ad.
miral Cervera's Fleet With Coal.The
spaniard,s Improbable sStory-Sup.
posed to be an Important Prisoner.
Trying to Conceal the Facts.
Key West, Fla, June Lifts p. M
Jamie Fernieres, who says he is the
first officer OF the Spanish hospital ship
Alicante, was brought in here this
morning as a prisoner OF war on board
the British prize steamer Twickenham,
captured by the cruiser St. Louis on
June 10th
Conflicting stories are told concern
ing the Spaniard's presence on board
the TNickenham, and there is strong
suspicion that he is a more important
capture than superficial circumstances
might Indicate.
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 curse without a
show of resistance, was the only ship
| of the American feet in or about these
waters at the time. The British steam
er had been picked up in West Indian
waters about a month 6 n was
armed to avoid the blockade vessels.
Recently it was learned that she was at
Martinique, where the Spanish hospital
| ship Alicante, under command of Cap
tain Antonio GEMS, has been lying for
some time. There was a report that the
Alicante and other ships of the enemy
had been securing coal from the
TWickenham and upon learning that
the later had left that port, Ostensibly
for Jamaica, the ST. Louis secuted for
and eventually found her. The auxil-
larry cruisers information was that
the TWickenham had sailed on April
21st from New Castle-on-Tyne for ST.
Thomas, filled to her capacity with
| 200 tons of coal At st. Thomas the
| cargo appeared to nave passed, accord
ing to her papers, into the charge Of a
person named Clark, to whom the
Twickenham had been chartered by
the owners, the British Steamship
Company. She left ST. Thomas or
May 18th and sailed for Fort de France,
Martinique, but Captain Goodrich of
the St. Louis could find nc papers to
| llulcdlb 10 WHO'LL tIe snip anu I1lS
cargo were consigned.
On June 5th the United States consul
at st. Pierre, Martinique, wired to the
state department at Washington that
the TWickenham's cargo Of coal was
consigned to the Spanish consul in that
island, but that the local government
refused permission to that official to
land it. On the same day, the Twick-
enhan sailed for Jamacia and was
I 49, &C 4lo+ G-o ,-~ =
by the St. Louis, Captain Robinson, OF
the Twickenham, profesed complete ig-
norance concerning the ownership OF
the cargo and could produce nothing
tending to fix this point. He said that
at Martinique he was informed by {
man named Lebat that he Nebat) wa:
the ships broker, but Captain Robin
son AIDED that Lebat had kilograms re
lating to the T~wickenham which he die
not show.
Captain Goodrich put on board the
TWickenham a prize crew consisting OF
Ensign F. r. Payne and five marine:
n after reporting the capture to the
squadron at Santiago de Cuba he sen
the British vessel here. Ensign Payne
says it was not until the ship wa:
bound for Key West that Fernieres, tn
mysterious Spaniard, was discovered
slowed away in the hold.
vi the OLHer manu-, captain hODl1SOl
declares he took him aboard as a pas
Senger at Fort de France, at the re
quest of Captain GEMS, of the Alicante
Fernieres who is an imposing looking
person OF about so years of age, is g
much worried Spaniard, and tears stoot
in his eyes as he told his story. through
an interpreter, to a representative o
the Associated Press. He said he wa;
going, by order of Captain GEMS, from
Martinique to Jamaica where he hoped
to board the steamer for the Pacifi'
coas in order to transact business will
the agents Of the Spanish trans-Atlan
tic company. He was also to see tn,
cOmpany'S .agent at Jamaica, bu
strange to say, he did not even know
this agents name, n vas to secur
all Necessary information from tn,
Spanish consul there.
Captain GEMS, said the captive hat
assured him there was no element o
danger in his mission, yet here he wa
a prisoner of war involved in an inter
national affair.
The agitation Of Ferneries taken II
connection with the unlikely phases o
his story, leads to the belief that h
may be an important prisoner. He vii
have an opportunity later in the da,
or tomorrow to tell his story to tn
United States officials when Captain
Robinson will also be examined and tn
entire case will be thoroughly investi
gated.