Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-12
PRISONERS SLEPT ON SHORE
The Wretohed Creatures Made a Pathetic
Picture as They Landed.
Tear-PrOyOking Farewell by Capt
Morou of His Men Who Were on
the CristobaI Colon.

The Spanish prisoners who were brought
TO Portsmouth, n. H, in the auxiliary
cruiser st. Louis from Santiago, numbering
692 of the men who formed part of the
crew of Admiral Cervera's squadron, were
last night sleeping peacefully and in COM
parative comfort In the new barracks
erected for them on Seavey's Island.
Around them was a guard of 125 marines
the pick of the corps of the marine barracks
on the Atlantic coast. The work of de-
barkation was accomplished in Just two
hours under the direction of Col. Ferney,
who will not only have charge of all the
prisoners brought here at the present time,
but will be held responsible for their safe
keeping
1t was pathetic sight from beginning to
end, and such as would bring tears to many
eyes. The poor. wretched creatures strug-
gled up the hillside. clad for the most part
IN rags, some of them being covered with
the fragments of table CLOTH or a blanket
while others had on portions of what was
once uniform. When the men landed
some OF them were so weak that they could
not stand, and laid on the ground until
stretchers were brought, and by the aid of
their comrades were carried to the main
road, where they were placed on the grass
The unloading of the motley crowd was
witnessed by thousands of people on shore
and in boats, and 1t may be said with all
sincerity that during the two hours &C.
cupied with the task not a sneer or a jeer
was feard, nor an act performed which
might have given offense to the poor men,
The most interesting part of the landing
of the men was the duty performed by Cant
E. Diaz Morou of the Cristobal Colon, the
once hearty and jovial officer the favorite
captain of the Spanish navy standing on
the height of land near where the men
came ashore. clad in tattered uniform of
white duck trousers and blue coat book in
prisoners. His heavy voice called out the
names of the prisoners and credited each
OF them to the vessel of which he was once
a member.
was finished the men were formed in line
and marched into the temporary barracks
which will serve as a prison for them.
OF the number landed, forty have been
fsken to the hospital, suffering for the most
part from wounds, while not a few are vic
tins OF minor Ills.
One OF the most touching incidents of
the day was the farewell Capt E. Diaz
Morou Of the Cristobal Colon took of his
crew, just before he went back from the
island prison to the st. Louis.
When the mastering was over Capt. Mo-
rou turred to the American officer and
asked permission to say a few parting
cords to the men who had stood by him
SO nobly. The request was readily granted,
but Capt. Morou. instead Of making q for
NAL and eloquent address to the long line.
walked UP TO the man at the head of it.
and. taking him warmly by the hand ten
DERBY kissed the grim sailor on the cheek
when the men saw the action of the COM
mander they wept as If their hearts would
break, and as the captain walked down
the line, shaking each by the hand and
kissing each sunburned cheek as IL 1t had
been that of the most beautiful senorita in
Spain, each man threw his arms around his
commanders neck and gave }iim most
hearty embrace.
As Capt. Morou came to the Colon's ma
rfne guard one of the men, the captains
orderly, In an outburst Of grief. sprang
from the ranks and threw his arms about
his masters neck like a child
When, finally, the captain reached the
end Of the long line he turned and in a
voice shaking with emotion said a few
words of farewell to the crew as a whole
As he finished the half-ciad men surrounded
him, grasping his arms and legs, all trying
for one last embrace