The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-06-18
IMPORTANTCAPTURE
A Mysterious Stowaway on the
Prize Steamer Twickenham.
GREAT AGITATION ON DISCOVERY.
WEI Have An Opportunity to Tell His I'm
likely Story to United States on
cisIs-Chase and Capture
of the Twickenham.

KEY WEST, Fla, June 16.-Jamie
Fernieres, who says he is the first Off
Ger of the Spanish hospital ship Ali
cante. was brought in here yesterday
morning, as a prisoner of war, Oh
board the British prize steamer Twick-
enham, captured by the cruiser st.
Louis on June 10.
Conflicting stories are told concern
ing the Spaniard's presence on board
the Twickenham. and there is strong
suspicion that he is a more important
capture han superficial circumstances
might indicate.
The Twickenham was captured at
three o'clock in the morning of June
10. when about ten miles off the south
coast of Jamaica. The st. Louis,
which took her, of course without i
SHOW of resistance, was the only ship
OF the American feet in or about these
waters at the time. The British
steamer had been picked up in West
Indian waters about a month ago, and
WIS warned to avoid the blockade YES
sells. Recently it was learned that she
was at Martinique. where the Spanish
hospital ship Alicante, under command
of Capt. Antonio Genia, has been lying
for some time.
There vas a report that the Alicante
and other ships of the enemy had been
securing coal from the Twickenham
and upon learning that the latter had
left that port. ostensibly for Jamaica,
the St. Louis secuted for and evcntu-
ally found her. The auxiliary cruis-
eriS information was h Il the Twicken-
ham had sailed on April p from New
castle-On-Tyne for st. Thomas. filled TO
her capacity of 5000 on of coal. At
st. Thomas the cargo appeared to have
passed. according to papers, into the
charge of Il person named Clark,
to whom the Twickenham had been
chartered by the the British
Steamship Co. She left st. Thomas on
May IL and sailed for Fort De France,
but Capt. Goodrich Of the st. Louis
could lind no papers to Indicate 10
whom the ship and cargo were cor
s.-ned.
ga June ). the United States consul,
n, -. Pierre. Martiuqrt vi:td TO til.
State department at Washington that
ti. Twickcnham's cargo ~ coal. Va,
consigned to the Spanish consul in tina.
island. but That the local guvc"n neG
re. used permission to tina OH cial tn
land il.
GA the same day the T~wicirnham
S led for Jaihaica and WAS picked up
on ti!at coast five days later by the ST.
LoGi>.
'dp!. Robinson of thc Twickenham
p:'fr>Sed complete ignorance concern
ing Inc ownership of the cargo. ana
could produce nothing lending to fix
til,~ point. He said that at Mar
t.:.ipwc he was informed by q man
nH,mrd Lebat hat he tLcbat) was the
Ships broker; but Capt. Robinson
added tina Lebat had telegram, ~
lat.ng to the T~wickcnham which he
did not show.
apt. Goodrich put on board the
TTickcnham Il priz. crew consisting
OF Ensign +. K. Payne and tivs ma
riIrrS. and after reporting the capture
to The squadron at Santiago de Cuba
he sent The vessel here. Ensign Payne
90. : = Il 40 liOl uIlllI JhC sup WIS
bound for Key West that Fernicrs. the
mysterious Spaniard. was discovered
stnvcd away in the hold.
GA the other hand, Capt. Robinson
declares he took him aboard rs Il pas
sengcr at Fort dc France. at the ".
Gus. OF Capt. GEMS OF the Alicante.
fcrnicrs. who is an impuSing-loOkinm
person of about 80 years. is IL much
worried Spaniard, and tears stood in
his eyes rs he told his story. through
an interpreter. to Il representative of
the press. lie said he was going. by
order of Capt. GEMS. from Martinique
To Jamaica, where he hoped to board IL
steamer for the Pacific coas in order
to rausact business with the agents
OF 'he 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 necessary inforna-
tiOu from the Spanish rpH>ul there.
apt. GEMS. the c:p.;r. said. hal as
surcd him there was no element OF
Danger in his mission. get here he was.
a prisoner OF wan involved in an Inter
~na,ionai affair.
The agitation of F'crniers. taken in
connection with the unlikely phase OF
his story. leads to the belief that he
may he an important prisoner. Re
viii have an opportunity later in the
dav. O II tomorrow. TO tell his story To
the United States OH .iais. when Can't.
Robinson will also be examined, and
the entire case will be thoroughly in
vcntigated.
SACRIFICED TO JEALOUSY.