The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-05-27
LEFT TO PERISH.
Shocking Brutality Of Capt. Fernan-
dez of the Bark Vera Cruz.
HE DESERTED HIS PASSENGERS
Without Water and Food. They
Were Crazed and Dying When
Rescued by 4 Revenue


: Were Crazed and Dying When
Rescued by u Revenue
Cutter.
All the resources Of the secret SER
vice of the treasury department are
being brought into play to capture
Ca otaH Fernandez, the master Ct
bark era Cruz III that was beached
near Ocracoke Inlet, n. c.. more than
week ago, with All starving immi-
grants on board.
The story of the voyage Of the Vera
Cruz III remains one Of the days OF
the slave ships.
The immigrants are natives OF Cape
Verde Islands. They were induced
to come to America by the fact that
there is large and prosperous Portu-
guese settlement in eastern Massachu-
setts. The brig of which Captain
Fernandez was master, WAS owned in.
the Cape Verde islands. is a very
old vessel and unseaworthy.
The captain got his cargo Of immi- .
grants by sailing from point to point
around the islands. Most OF them
paid exorbitant passage money, and
when they went on board deposited.
all the funds they possessed in the
world with the captain for Satekeep-
ing. The brig was inadequ .tely pro-
visioned, had scanty supply OF water;
and the immigrants were packed to-
gether like cattle. The ship uade
bad weather most Of the time, and the :
captain was intoxicated during the.
trip. The destination of the brig s
was New Bedford and the vessel had Z
small cargo of oil. She met adverse 3
winds and was blown out of her
course and the provisions which had
been scarce at the start, soon ran so
low that the immigrants were put on
one meal day.
Water also ran out and for several
days prior to the beaching Of the Vera
Cruz in Ocracoke Inlet, nota man, &
woman or child among the immi-
grants had drop to drink. The cap
tain said that he would run into Ocra-
coke to get food and water, and would !
then proceed to New Bedford.
When the ship went ashore he i'm :
mediately disappeared, made his way
to the mainland and no trace has Z
been had OF him since. He took with
him the seamen's wages, the passage
money paid by the immigrants and
more than $4,000 in cash that had :
been intrusted to his care by the pas :s
sengers.
When the life saving service went
to the assistance Of the Vera Cruz
last Sunday scene was presented i'm. \.
possible OF description. Scarcely s.
soul on board the brig that was able
to stand. They were almost skeletons !:
from the lack Of food, their tongues
were swollen with thirst, most Of them
were crazed from drinking salt water,
and all were violently i'll. In the 4
emergency quick action was necessary
and the revenue cutter Boutwell,, at
Norfolk, was sent to the assistance OF :
the crew and passengers.
When the immigrants received food
their stomach refused to retain it,
and the whole All had to be carefully
nursed back to life. They were finally
removed to NeWborne, where they
were housed in a large building,
which was inadequate for their ac-
commodation, and many were sent to
the hospital. There they have re-
NAMED for several days, while the
treasury department. has been busy
trying to solve the problem what to
do with these aliens cast away on the
shores Of United States.
Bertram NJ, Stump, an immigrant
inspector, and Surgeon Glover, OF the
immigration service at Baltimore,
were sent to the assistance Of the inn
migrants, and Mr.. Stump made
report suggesting that the tax Of
So head on each immigrant be Waiv-
ed, and that they be transported to
New Bedford, where most Of them
have friends. Inspector Stump, in
his report received at the treasury de-
partment Wednesday says:
THE manifesting Of passengers was
false, the captain took all the money
be could lay his hands on, and, from
the statements Of those examined,
half starved them, was intoxicated
most of the time, and they find them
selves here in most pitable condition.
Assistant Surgeon Glover and myself
are still Of the opinion that the best
thing to do is to have these people
transported, preferable by sea, to
some point in Massachusetts,, where
they can communicate with their rela-
tives and friends. The crew are also
absolutely without funds, and with no
possibility Of shipping from this point.
I respectfully urge that you make
some arrangements, by Monday next
to have them moved from here. The
head tax money and fines for not prop
erly manifesting aliens cannot be set
tied at present for the reason that
there is no representative Of the bar
kentine here. The agents IN New
Bedford disclaim any responsibility.
The treasury department author
lied Inspector Stump to make arrange
ments for the all-rail transportation
of the immigrants to New Bedford,
and the treasury department. Will pay
the bills. 1t is quite likely that the
whole matter will cost the government
at least $4,000
a Serious Charge.