The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-05-03
Story of EXPERIENCES Detailed by
Capt. MaIfitanO.
BUT I'LL TREATMENT
ACCORDED PRISONERS, WHO
ARE DENIED THE PRIVILEGE
OF SEEING AMERICAN OR
RTALlAN CoNSULS-cAPTAINs
LETTER TRANSMITTED TO
WASHINGTON.

According to the contents of q
letter received here yesterday Cap
tain MalfitanO and the members Of
the crew on board the fishing smack
Silas Stearns of the Warren Fish
Company feet are being treated like
pirates. The captain and crew re-
ferred to commanded the boat men
toned, and the smack was seized by
the Mexican government for some al
legged violation or presumable viola,
ton of the fishing laws of that
country.
Captain MaffftanO is the author og
the letter and he recites a horrible
story Of suffering and i'll treatment.
After the SiIas Stearns was seized by
d Mexican Man of War, the sliced
boat and crew were lowed to Pro-
gressO. Captain MalitanO, states,
that he and his companions were
placed in jail and the courtesy OF
allowing any member of the crew to
see the American or Italian consul
was denied them. They were march
ed to a jail under the escort of armed
soldiers and placed behinu the bars
without being given anything to eat.
The seized smack was mOOred and
the members of the crew placed IN
der the care Of armed soldiers.
Filthy Cells.
The writer states that the jail Is
filed with filth and vermin and that
naught but ill-treatment is accorded
the inmates Captain MalhtanO
states that he and his companions,
are half dead for the want Of fOod.
Captain Warren indignant
The letter was written in Italian
and addressed to Emanuel StagnO &
Brother. 1t was pOstmarked Pro-
gresso, April p and received here
OF the night Of May 2. Captain Nal
fitano had foresight enough TO regis
ter the missiye. The letter was
transmitted by G. B. CaferO consular
agent of his Majesty the King OF
Italy. Mr. CafierO made affidavit
that the contents Of the letter had
been literally translated.
Captain Warren expressed In plain
terms his condemnation of such a
form of brutality and inhuman
treatment, as the letter shows that
is being accorded the members OF
the American boat. Copies of the
letter have been forwarded to Sana-
tor Mallory, Captain Lyons in Mo-
bile and representatives of the Gulf
Fisheries Company in Galveston.
Captain MalfitanO is highly spoken
Of by his employers and they state
that his veTaCity is of the highest
quality and that i'll treatment is one
of the features Of their imprisOn-
ment.
Captain Malfitano's Letter
ProgressO April 90
Very Dear Friend write thess
few lines to let you know the posi-
ton / am in together with my crew.
Now then. / let you know that We
have been taken prisoners by a Mex
lean man Of war near the Grand Ref
Island. The cause. they say, Is for
not having a license 10 fish in their
waters. and in quick time the same
lowed us 10 PrOgressO. AS soon az
we . d in PrOgressO they placed
I g nj Jail, without allowing US TO talk
with the American consul, or with
thu Italian consul What is worse
they treated us Ike pirates, accom-
Janied By armed soldiers, without
ANYTHING 10 eat. The schooner, they
have mOOred her fast with chains
and anchor. and put us in charge Of
soldiers. and 50 at present We are In
prison, but / cannot tell YOU all about
IL as it would require much time.
Therefore as soon as YOU receiVo
this present letter. do me the favor
to bring it 70 the fish house, and read
il yourself. and furthermore tell them
that we are abandoned by all. and
there is nobody that could take our
PARTS. neither consul or anybody
else.
Assumed Possession.
and two tons Of ice, which naturally
They have taken possession Of our
boat ana Of four box loads OF FISH.
are bound to spoil, as there Is nobody
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