The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-16
II. P.WaSSOn &CO.
SPANIARD in TROUBLE
FIRST OFFICER OF THE '.HOsPITAL
SHIP" ALICANTE A PRISONER.
Found Aboard British Collier TwiciS-
st. Louis, and Now at Key West.

KEY WEST, Fla, June 15-Jamie Fer
| nieres, 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 Twicken-
ham, captured by the cruiser st. Louis on
June 10. Conflicting stories are told con-
| corning the Spaniard's presence on board
| the Twickenham, and there is strong sus-
| picion that he is more important capture
| than superficial circumstances might indi-
cate
The Twickenham was captured at
O'Clock on the morning of June 10 when
about ten miles off the south coast of
jamaica The st. Louis, which took her,
of course without show of resistance, was
the only ship of the American fleet in or
about these waters at the time. The British
steamer had been picked up in West Indian
waters about a 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 Capt. Antonio GEMS has
been lying for some time. There was a re-
port that the Alicante and other ships of the
enemy had been securing coal from the
Twickenham, and on learning that the lat
ter had left that port, Gstensibly for
Jamaica. the ST. Louis secuted for and
eventually found her. The auxiliary cruis-
ers information was that the Twickenham
had sailed on April q from lNewcastle-on-
Tyne for st. Thomas filled to her capacity
of $500 tons of coal. At st. Thomas the
cargo appeared to have passed, according to
papers, into the charge of a person named
Clark, to whom the Twickenham had been
chartered by the owners the British Steam
ship Company. She left St. Thomas on May
L
Unique, but Captain Goodrich, Of the St.
Louis could find no papers to Indicate to
whom the ship and the cargo were con-
signed.
on June the United States consul at st.
Pierre, Martinique, wired to the State De-
partment at Washington that the Twicken-
hams 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
Twickenham sailed for Jamaica and was
picked up off that coast five days later by
the ST. Louis. Captain Robinson, OF the
TWickenham, professed complete Ignorance
concerning the ownership of the cargo and
could produce nothing tending to fix this
point He said that at Martinique he was
Informed by 81 man named Lebat that he
(Lebat) was the ships broker, but Captain
Robinson added that Lebat had kilograms
relating to the Twinckenham which he did
not show.
enham a prize crew consisting of Ensign
Payne and FIVE marines, and after reporting
Cuba he sent the British vessel here. En-
sign Payne says it was not until the ship
was bound for Key West that Fernieres;
the mysterious Spaniard was discovered
slowed away in the hold. On the other
hand Captain Robinson declares he took
him aboard a passenger at Fort De
France at the request of Captain GEMS, OF
the Alicante.
Fernieres. who is an imposing looking per-
son of about fifty years of age, is a much
worried Spaniard, and tears stood in his
eyes as he told his story, through an in
terpreter, to a represseln n OF the Asso-
der OF Captain GEMS, from Martinique to
Jamaica, where he hoped to board steam
er 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 neces-
sary information from the Spanish consul
there Captain GEMS, said the captive, had
assured him there was no element or 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 OPP
portunity later to tell his story to the
United States officials when Captain Robin
son will also be examined and the entire
case will be thoroughly investigated
The hearing in the Twickenham case VIII
be held tomorrow morning. Thus far Cap
tain Robinson has mad no opportunity 70
Taylor on the capture, and the attempt Of
Mr. TAYLOR to communicate with him this
afternoon led to an unpleasant incident. Mr.
TayIor accompanied by United States Prize
Commissioner Otto, went to where the
Twickenham lay at anchor, but their small
boat was summarily ordered away from the
Britisher. AT the request of Mr.. Otto, En-
sign Payne. captain of the prize crew,
was called to the side of the ship, and he
permitted the commissioner TO go aboard.
but refused the privilege to the British vice
consul although assured that the latter de-
sired to introduce himself to Captain Rob-
inson and offer his official services. After
some time Ensign Payne relaxed and invited
Mr. Taylor aboard. but the latter in
dignant at the reception, and vowed he
would not set foot on the ship and hastily
went ashore where he dispatched message
relating the entire affair 10 the British con-
sui at Savannah.
The released crews of the prize Spanish
merchantmen have failed in the attempt
to reach Havana They cabled General
Blanco to ask if a ship carrying them would
be allowed to enter the harbor He replied
that IL the ship displayed a white flag IL
v ould be met outside Havana by a<Spanish
steamer bearing a similar Tag and that
they would be taken ashore. When the
Spanards consulted Commodore Remey he
shattered the whole project. declaring that
the crews might go anywhere except to
Havana.
The government has rejected the bonds
offered by the owners of the Miguel Jover
and Catalina. and both vessels will go to
New York instead of Spain.