The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-10-12

Seized by a Mexican gunboat, towed
to Progresso, confiscated by the gov
eminent and now held on a charge or
having violated Mexican fishing laws,
is the plight OF the fishing smack
Caldwell P. Colt, owned by the War
rem Fish Company. The crew, after
having been seized AMI treated as
pirates. thrown into a Mexican pris-
on, kept there for four days, then be-
ing put on the streets Of Progresso
in a hungry and desperate condition.
arrived here Sunday afternoon. They
all aver strongly that NJ. COlatso. a
chief pilot, and an Italian, was the
only man who befriended them, lend
ing them money and transacting their
business in the Progrcsso custom
house, this fFiendliness, they claim,
being shown after the American con-
.sular representative at PrOgresso had
refused to even consider their sp-
peal, and saying the ships papers
were Illegally drawn up. Colatso Is
said to have been responsible for
the crews final release. Al least all
of them so believe.
TELL THEIR STORY.
To a Journal representative, partly
with the assistance of James JadTe-
vic, who acted. as interpreter, when.
to fnteIligently express himself. the
Caldwell P. Colts navigator yesterday
told the story.
ION September Is we left PensR-
cola, and were out four days, or on
the 18th, when we struck the hurri-
cane in about SO west longitude ana
"a north latitude. Four days of bad
weather continued and we had to lash
to wheel the man on deck. On Sep
TENDER "a We sighted and lay by
Alicean reef In shallow water in
calm which followed the hurricane
We hove to TO repair damages. Part
of the rail was carried away, the
doubled reefed foFesail mad been torn
much and a flying staysail had been
carried away. In the lee OF AlicTeau
reef we repaired damage and were
ready to start when we saw a steam
er approaching. We heaVed up an
Choir, hoisted sail and were about TO
go to deep water, standing east hy
north, when the steamer, which turn
ed out to be q man-of-war, came mp
We hoisted our flag and was going tG
quito when he hailed Us, coming
alongside. A boat with an armed crew
and two officers was put on, coming
to US. They looked all over the yes
sci and papers, saying the papers
Bravo, the officer must have told the
commander, for four men from our
vessel were taken on board the Bravo,
which was the name Of the man-of-
war. Six men and two officers weTs
left on the Colt and then We were
towed to Progresso, arriving there
about $50 D. N. We anchored sL
Progresso and stayed about four days
on account OF bad weather The four
men On the man-of-war and another
one from the Colt were then sent TO
Jail, staying there three days without
anything extra to eat and nothing 70
sleep on but a board. We had to eat
Indian grub, poor and dirty. After q
while we were discharged and were On
the streets without any help and with
nothing to eat. All were hungry ana
starving, and no help was given u
until Mr.. Calatso, Italian harbormas-
ter, lent US money and did much for
US in the custom house. The Amert-
can consul refused TO help US. calling
US buns The JAIL was dirty and We
went hungry a long time. For TWEEN
ty-four hours we had nothing at az
10 eat. That American consul would
not believe a word We said, AMI
wouldn't believe II when Louise ana
Victoria ScaIese, SONS Of our captain.
(contfnued on psas Two1