The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-30
Exploits of Captain KiddA
 Outdone, According to Anonymous Communica- tion Received by Paper
OFFICIALS OF UNITED } FRUIT co. PLACE NO CREDENCE IN REPORT
It is Also Denied That the Wreckage Discovered Near Cameron is That of the Marowijne

New Orleans, August 29. Officials of the United Fruit company late tonight de-, clared they placed no ere dence in a report received from an anonymous letter writer that several members of the crew and two passen- gers of the liner Marowijne were being held for ransom on Cozumel Island, near the ! coast of Yucatan.
 The anonymous communication was received by local newspaper Thurs day night and immediately was turned over to officials of the United Fruit company. In addition to notifying all [ United Fruit vessels in the gulf, a copy of the letter was sent to the navy department.
 The writer declared that the persons in captivity. among whom was Captain Me Lauren, commander of the Marowijne would not be released until the United Fruit company paid ransom for then As proof that his statements were true, the writer assorted that the offic,at pa- pcrs of the Marowijne, Cep'an McI.arei.'s $ watch and note written and signed by the nas'tr ,f the miss,rg rteamer had been sent .c the New 1o-k office If the United Fruit comlany. No such rioof had come to naod tonight, ace ,rd- ing to statement by lccai officials The anby.l"1s comraanication folio .. E:
 "On Board s. S. Fjell, August 2S
 VIII you rlease communicate to the
 interested parties the information that
 the captain, the wireless operator and
 H. Lahat, of tine s. s. Marowijne, are
 safe. The Marowijne went to pieces
 in latitude fs degrees longitude. SS
 degrees n2ht of August 15. Besides
 the above named pc s.Es, two las-
 sengers fere saved, also an engineer,
 who said he lived in yoor city. Tn "
 are being held for ransom on Cosumel
 Island. The persons mentioned above
 will be returned as soon as the United
 Fruit Steamship company pays for
 their release. Several of the survivors
 said they had relatives in your city
 and begged that word be sent their
 people that they are safe.
 Will you please communicate the ' news. We are sending the United Fruit company at New York the
 Marowijne's ship papers and a mes
 sage from Captain MacLaurin, to
 prove our statements When the
 steamship company pays our price
 McLaurn and the rest will be re-
 leased, not before. Please send Me
 Lauren's people assurances of his pres-
 ent safety. We are sending his watch
 to the steamship company as proof
 Tell his family that he Is safe
 The letter was unsigned and according to the postmark was mailed in the gen. eral postoffice here before midnight August 26, three days later. than the date it bore. The Norwegian steamer Fjell on board which the letter is alleged to have been written, arrived in New Or leans from Frontefa Mexico. August 23. and sailed on the 'return trip to Frontera on August 25. On the trip to New Or leans the sugar course taken by the Fjell does not pass within several hun dred miles of Cozuniel Island, the official said.
 Another inaccuracy in the statements made in the letter. it is safd,' concerns the latitude and longitude. The point designated by the writer as the place where the Marowine went down Is 20 miles inland in Yucatan. directly west of Iibero, a small coast town, according to marine en. 1....
 Investigate Letter
 At 9:30 o'clock on the morning Of Satur- day August 14 the Marowijne, was at Contoy Island, 80 miles north of Cozumel and 200 miles north of the degree of lat- tude mentioned. Four hours later the \ vessel was spoken by the liner Coppename (Continued on Page Eight)
 
 VAT A @ 4