The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-05-06
LOST SCHOONER
CREW PRISONERS
IN VENEZUELA
American Whaler Seized by
Castro Five Years Ago
MEN MOURNED AS DEAD
Escaping Prisoner Reaches Jamaica
With Weird Tale of South
American Outrage
MEN MOuRNED AS DEAD

Kingstown, 81. Vincent, b. W. l.,
Nav 6.-CaDt. Collin Stephenson ana
the crew OF the American whallns
ship Carrie ID. Knowles, long slnse
thought to have been lost at sea, may
still be alive in a Venezuelan prison
An American seaman who gives the
name of PAYNE, an escaped prisoner
from Venezuela, has made his way TO
Kingstown. where he laid before the
authorities an astounding story OF the
seizure of the Carrie ID. Knowles at
a Venezuelan port, where she arrived
five years ago in distress, ana the
incarceration by the Venezuelans OF
the Captain and his men.
So convinced are the authorities
here that there is truth in Payne's
story that they have taken down his
full statement and have already taken
steps looking to speedy ana
thorough investigation of the case.
On Jan 81, 1904, the Carrie d.
Knowles sailed from Provincetown,
Mass, on a whaling voyage. Her
captain was Collin Stephenson and
her first mate II. A. Martin. These
are the names given by Payne to the
authorities here, and as far as he
could remember the names of the
members of the crew were Wallace,
Warner, Robertson, HAZEL, Sam,
Davis, Pierre, Grant, Lewis, and John.
Payne asserts positively that all OF
these men are now confined in Ven
ezuelan prison.
The vessel was supposed to have
been lost in West Indian storm with
all hands. Some of the men belonged
in st. Vincent, and after all hope of
their return was given up, their rela-
tiyes put on mourning and the local
insurance company eventually paid
the claims against IL, on the assump-
tion that the sailors were dead,
Payne declares that the whaler was
disabled in storm off the Nenezue-
Ian coast and made port in DISTRESS.
This was five years ago, but the eX-
act date he could not remember she
was at once seized and the Captain
and crew were made prisoners and
thrown into Jail lie says that all the
men are alive, but are still closely
confined.
Paynes story caused great excite
ment, not only because of the seri-
business Of the charges against the
It added another 10 the many tales
which have reached st. Vincent con
corning the high-handed methods
adopted by the Venezuelans under the
administration of President Castro.
Gave Nine Names Correctly.
Provincetown, Mass, May 6.-Nine
of the names given by the fugitive at
kngstown correspond with those of
the crew of the longmissing whaler,
Carrie D. Knowles, Indicating that
there is truth in the story of their
incarceration in a Nenezueland pris-
on.
Payne, who tells the story. may be
Elisha Payne, a seaman of Province
town, who disappeared from this port
previous to, or about the time of the
sailing of the Knowles. So far as
known here Payne was not a member
of the crew when she sailed.
Capt Stephenson was native of
Dominica, West Indies. Martins
wife was a Provincetown girl, and
she still lives here. She has five
children. Mrs Stephenson also lived
in Provincetown but died some time
ago.
me scnOOneT leIt mere on Jan. ~,
1904, with the intention OF going on a
protracted whaling cruise in the Carl
bean Sea, and later returning north
to hunt whales off Hatteras. His
voyage would have taken him in
waters off the coast of Venezuela.
Nothing was heard of the Knowles
after she sailed, and it was supposed
that she was lost in heavy storm
which swept the Atlantic within a
short time after her departure.