The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-22
Highest Mexican Court Rem
ders Decision in Seizure
of American smacks.
Vessels Captured and lowed
to Progresso Will Be
Returned to Owners.
THE sILAs sTEARNs. OF PENsE.
COLA, T. J. TRAFToN OF Mo.
BILE AND ADAMS OF CALVES.
! TON WILL BE BROUGHT TO
HOME PORTS, ACCORDING TO
INFORMATION RECEIVED HERE.

! Through a decision rendered by the
highest court in Mexico, the fishina
scbooners Silas Stearns, T. ]. traitor
AMI Adams, have been ordered re.
leased from custody. These vessels
/ were seized last summer by Mexican
gunhoats upon the charge of poach,
Inc, and towed into Progresso, where
some of the crews were imprisoned
for short time, and the vessels held
as prizes.
| The information relative to the
CT Grt's decision was received yester.
day by Capt. A. F. Warren. of tbs
Warren Fish Company, who was
chosen by the gulf fishing companies
interested to represent them in tho
matter, and who employed Elias Anna
bilas, of Merida, Yucatan, to repre-.
sent the companies in the courts. The
first decision upheld the action OF the
Mexican officers in making the
seizures, but the case was appealed to
a higher court, and this reversed the
decision and ordered the schooners re-
leased.
CAPTAIN Warren stated last nlyht
that crews would be sent to Mexico
to return the vessels to their resnec-
tive owners, and this will be done at
once.
The Owners of the Vessels.
The Silas Stearns is owned by the
Warren Fish Co. and was one of the
Erst vessels seized. The captain aud
members of the crew of the vess i
were placed in prison and held there
until the American vice-consul secured
their release. and after considerable
delay they were allowed to return 10
this city. The schooner was many
miles from shore and returning to the
fishing grounds after having sent men
ashore to secure some provisions from
a light house keeper. when the NeXi-
can RlInhOat seized her on the charge
of poaching The r. J. Trafton IS
owned by the Mobile Fish Company
and the Adams by the Gulf Fisheries
Co, Of Galveston. and these seizures
were made about the same time.
the owners of the vessels imme.
diately appealed to the Secretary OF
State at Washington, and placed evi-
dence fefore him to show that their
vessels were not poaching as there
are no fishing grounds within three
niles OF the Mexican coast, and that
they were many miles out when the
seizures were made. The secretary
commenced an investigation and made
injuries of the Mexican government,
and had evidently not completed HIS
inquiry. Last week, however. the mat
ter was taken up in congress on a
resolution passed calling upon him
to furnish congress with information
relative to these seizures.
Senator Mallory Active.
Senator Mallory has been active IN
the matter since the seizures were
made and has placed considerable In
formation before the secretary II
state relative to the matter. Another
person very active in endeavoring tn
get justice for the gulf fishing com.
panies was Representative Geo. W.
Taylor, of Demoplis, Ala.
Csmpeachee Open Water.
The Mexican court has evidently
ruled that the Campeachee fishing
banks, where most of the red snap
pers are caught, especially during the
winter season. is open territory and
not within the Mexican boundaries ~
claimed by Mexico. This is
Of considerable moment to the gulf
fishing companies for IL means that
their vessels can go and return from
Campeachee without being harassed
by Mexican gunboats