The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-12
SPANISH PRISONERS LANDED
NOV UNDER 4 M1RINE GUARD ON
 SEAVY'S ISLAND.

Beginning to End -The Prisoners Very
 Scanti1y Clad-Many So Weak They
 Could Not Stand-Wounded Carried
 on Stretchers.
 Portsmouth, N. H., July 1.-The Spanish prisoners who were brought to this port on the auxiliary cruiser St. Louis from Santiago, numbering 692 Of the men who formed part of the crew of Admiral Cervera's squadron, are to- night sleeping peacefully and in com parative comfort in the new barracks erected for them on Seavy's Island. Around them is guard of 125 marines, the pick of the corps of the marine barracks on the Atlantic coast. The work of debarkation was accomplished of Colonel Forney, U. s. M C., who will not only have charge of all the prison but will be held responsible for their safe keeping It was just 2:45 p. m. when the first barge loaded with the Spanish subjects left the St. Louis and were taken to Greely's landing. An hour later 357 prisoners had been landed and were marched to the highest park of the island, where on a plot of ground each man deposited under the eyes of the marine guard whatever few belong ings he possessed.
 1 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 for the most part in rags, some of | the men being covered only with the 1 fragment of a table cloth or a blanket, ! while others had on portions of what was once a uniform. When the men landed some of them were so weak that | they could not stand and laid on the 1 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.
 l Many of the prisoners had wounds that were still unhealed and their heads and arms showed the effects of the ter
 rible battle in which they fought. The l crew of the Cristobal Colon were land 1 a1 i<, a hat oIoI 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 many articles which | go to make up the outfit of sailor. | Thirty members of the Colons crew
 were, however, severely wounded and
 had to be carried on stretchers. The unloading of the motley crowd was wit
 messed by thousands of people on shore
 and in boats, and it may be said with
 all sincerity that during the two hours l occupied at the task not sheer nor
 a jeer was heard, or an act performed 1 which might have given offense to the
 poor men.
 The most interesting part of the |
 formed by Captain Moreu of the Cris- tobal Colon, the once hearty and jovial
 officer, the favorite captain of the Span
 ish navy, standing on the height of i land near where the men came ashore,
 clad in a tattered uniform of white 1 duck trousers and blue coat, book in 1 hand the mastering officer of the Span
 ish prisoners. His heavy voice called
 out the names of the prisoners and
 credited each to the vessel to which the
 individual was once a member. When
 the muster out, as 1t seemed to be, was
 nished the men were formed in line
 and marched into the temporary bar
 rtclSs which will serve as prison for | them. Of the number landed, forty have been taken to the hospital, suf- fering from the most part from wounds | while not a few are victims of minor 1 ills