The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-16

PRISONER MAY BE BIG PRIZE.
CAPTIVE sPANIARD POSSIBLY M
PORTANT PARSONAGE.

Claims He Is only First officer on
the spanish Hospital ship Alicante.
Conflicting Stories Told Concern
ing His Presence on the T,vicken-
ham Now at Key West as Prize
of War.
Key West June Is. 1:45 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 priso-
ner of war on board the British prize
steamer Twickenham, captured by the
cruiser st. Louis on June TO-
Conflicting stories are told concerning
the Spanlards presence on board the
Twiekenham, and there is strong suspi-
cion that he is a more important capture
than superficial circumstances might indi-
cate.
The Twickenham was captured at 3
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 a 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
Antonio Gents. 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 latter had left that
port ostensibly for Jamaica. the St. Louis
secuted for and eventually found her.
The auxiliary cruisers information was
that the Twickenham had sailed on April
81 from Newcastle-on-Tyne, for st. Thorn
as, filled to her capacity with $500 tons
of coal.
At st. Thomas the cargo appeared to
have passed, according to papers, into the
charge of person named Clark, 10 whom
the Twickenham had been chartered by
the owners, the British Steamship Com
pany. She left st. Thomas on May 10 and
sailed for Fort de France Martinique, but
Capt Goodrich of the St. Louis could find
no papers to indicate TO whom the ship
and the cargo were consigned
On June 5 the United States consul at
St. Pierre, Martinique, wired to the state
department al Washington that the
Twickenham's cargo of coal was consign-
ed TO the Spanish consul in the island but
that the local government refused permits
sion 10 the official to land il.
On the same day the Twickenham sailed
for Jamaica and was picked up off that
coast five days later by the St Louis.
Capt. Robinson of the Twickenham pro-
fessed complete ignorance concerning the
ownership of The cargo, and could produce
nothing 10 fix this point He said that al
Martinique he was informed by a man
named Lebat that he QebaO was the
ships broker, but Capt. Robinson added
that Lebat had kilograms relating to the
Twickenham
Capt Goodrich placed the Twickenham
in charge of a prize crew, consisting of
Ensign f. ID. Payne and FIVE marines, and
after reporting the capture TO the squad
ron at Santiago de Cuba, he sent the Brit
ish vessel in.
Ensign Payne says II was not untf the
ship was bound for Key West that Fer
nieres. the mysterious Spaniard, was dis
covered slowed away in the hold.
On the other hand capt Robinson de-
clares he took him aboard as a passenger
at Fort de France at the request of Capt.
GEMS of the Alicante Ferneres, who Is
an imposing looking person of about SO
years Of age, is a much worried Spaniard,
and tears stood in his eyes as he told his
story, through an interpreter, to a repre-
sentative OF the Associated Press He said
he was going by order of Capt. Gents from
Martinique TO Jamaica, where he hoped TO
board a steamer for Martinique In order
10 transact business with the agents Of the
Spanish Transatlantic Company. He was
also to see the company's agent at Jamai-
ca, but strange to say, he did not even
know THE agents name and was to secure
all necessary information from the Span
ish consul there.
Capt. GEMS said the captive had assured
him there was no element of danger in his
mission, yet he was a prisoner of war in
volved in an international affair The
agitation of Fernieres taken in
connection with the unlikely phases of his
story, leads 10 the belief that he may be
an important prisoner. He will have an
opportunity later in the day or tomorrow
to tell his story to the United States Off
Gals, when Capt. Robinson will be exam
ined and the case win be thoroughly in
Vestigated.