The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-06-12

The experience of the fishermen of
the schooner Silas Stearns, of the
fleet Of Warren & Co., who were ar
rested by the Mexican authorities
upon the charge of poaching and VINO
languished in Jail until the authori-
ties chose to liberata them, was any
thing but pleasant, to judge from the
story told by Captain John Malftano,
who, with the five members of mis-
crew, reached port a few days ago.
TO be in strange country, a prison
er and not allowed to communicate
with anyone, is anything but pleas
ing, but add to this a small prison
infested with vermin of all KINDS, in
which were crowded fifteen or TWEEN
ty drunken negroes and Mexicans,
who were fighting and vomiting over
the floor. and it gives a tinge of hOr
Tor to the situation. This was the
experience, however, of the crew of
the Silas Stearns, and many of them
did not expect to get out of the place
alive when they heard the key turn
in the Jail door,
MaIfitano's Statement.
We were about ten miles of Ala
cantras light one morning about 10
O'clock" said Captain MalfitanO,
when We first saw the Mexican YES
sci coming towards us. As she was
flying no flag We paid no attention TO
that Immediately the Mexican flag
was ruin up. We Immediately hove
to and the Mexican gunbOat, for it
proved to be the Vera Cruz, came
alongside and put out lines, AMI sent
the second captain and some Of his
men aboard, The first captain then
wanted me to make a statement,
which l did. He charged that | had
been pOaching and that had been
caught in the act. He evel insisted
that l swear to this in my statement,
hut | refused to do so, as my fish,
some three thousand, had been
caught thirty-ive miles off shore.
There was not a wet line. pi9ce Of
bait or fish on deck, which would
have been the case had we oeen fish
ing and I pointed it out to the cap
tain of the gunbOat. but he was in
tent on taking us into custody and
did so anyhow.
Il told him that we had been 1ear-
er shore, and were getting away to-
sea again, bound for home. He
wanted to know what we went nearer
shore for. and l told him to get some
sea biscuit from the light house
keeper. We had run out Of bread
and being ready to start home had
gone in FOR some -four or bread to do
us until we got to Pensacola.
Taken to Progresso.
He would believe none of this. or
pretended to believe none of It" con
tinued the captain. and ordered four!
of my men to come aboard the gun
boat. while ten of the sailors from
the vessel, under command of the
second captain came on the Silas
Stearns and with arms guarded US
during the day, or until we reached
PrOgresso, where we were lowed by
the gunbOat and which place we
reached at 10 o'clock at night. The
next morning we were told that We
were to 90 ashore to be tried, and
my four men who had been placed
on the gunbOat asked that they be al
lowed to go on the smack and put on
some decent clothing before going
ashore, as some Of them did not have
on any hats or shoes, while Their
shirts were about the same as those
usually worn while fishing. This re-
quest was refused, accompanied by
oaths, and my men and myself were
forced TO get into a smaller boat and
20 ashore as we were when ar
rested.
Naturally my men were much an
gered at not being allowed TO at least
change their clothing, and while in
the small boat they were talking
among themselves. when the captain
gave the command to some soldiers
to load their guns and shoot the
first man who made any more dis
turbance or attempted to leave the
vessel. The men loaded their rifles
and held them cooked and pointed
towards us during the trip to shore.
I told the captain not to shoot my
men as they were not accustomed to-
beng abused, and that they would
not attempt to escape. He replied
with Oaths
wei, we finally got ashore and
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