New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-07-10

| don't know where the Office was: il was in
beer saloon on corner; enlisted to go to
Mexico; was promised one dollar day; no
bounty; went away next day after enlisting,
and went to the ISLAM; in the squad he
went with there were about, twenty or
twentyone men; two other squads came
atterward; did not see any of the prisoners
now here at the office where / enlisted;
was asked to go to Mexico as soldieri did
not hear the name ofthe schooner; no other
schooner was at the island, where he was
arrested; don't know who the commander
was.
Cross-examined-H no arms on board
were fishing most of the time; had no Off.
GERS or sentinels; did not know the head
man; some man who wrote his name down
he thought to be the head man, but did not
know; enlisted as q soldier to go to Mexico;
never had been in either army.
Joseph Kink testified, as States evidence:
Has resided in the city three years; went to
the island in schooner; enlisted in beer
saloon on same corner; don't know where;
First heard of the recruiting Office while in
jackson Square; he was promised 81 80 per
day, some said for a soldier, and some said
to work on railroad in Texas; saw Her
nandez, Cenas, and Ricaud on the island;
Cenas came there after he (witness) went
there; his name was enrolled in jackson
Square; worked in beer saloon near Canal
street; don't know how many went with
him to the island.
Cross-examined- said we were to GO
to Mexico to work on a railroad; don't know
exactly where they we're going.
Ali the witnesses for the prosecution now
having testified, counsel for defense
called one of the accused, Mr.. Lewis
Hill, to the witness stand. Some dis
cussion arose as to the legality of Mr.. Hills
testimony, insisting that as he was prisoner
he could not testify in his own behalf
however, Commissioner Weller allowed
him to be sworn, and he gave the following
testimony:
Lewis Hilton the tenth day of June
last Mr.. Cenas one OF the prisoners, invited
him to go on fishing excursion; didn't
know where he was going; Mr.. Cenas told
witness to get ready by the next day; they
then took a look at the vessel they were to
embark in; it was small schooner of five
or six tons burden; Captain Cenas, witness
being seaman, wished him to take charge
of the vessel; thought it was fishing ex-
cursion; twenty men were brought on board
soon afterward; they embarked opposite
the French market; sailed up the river
until we got becalmed and night overlook
us; drifted down below Algiers during the
night; next morning we got a line out and
pulled up as far as Company Canal and went
through Jne lock lnJO tne Cdnal, ana from
thence to the island; the whole. distance
was made in one vessel; we had on board
a seine and quantity of fishing lines; there
were no arms on board, except an old
revolver; have known Captain Ce-
mas for several years; he is a
good navigator the schooner's name
was "Indiana;n never heard of Colonel
Monroy. Captain Cenas, Ricaud, Herman
dez, and myself messed on the quarter deck
separate from the crew; Captain Cenas told
me it was simply fishing excursion to
while away the summer months, and as
soon as he heard from his friends in Texas
they were going there to work on rail
road; nothing was said about an expedition
to Mexico; were on the island three days
before we were arrested; we had about five
or ten days provisions on board.
The witness having given his testimony,
the counsel for the defense informed the
court they had no more witnesses to ex-
anime.
The District Attorney then submitted the.
case to the Commissioner, who, after hear
ing the evidence said he was fully convinced
by the testimony that Cenas, Ricsud, Her
nandez, Hill, and Monroy had planned and
set on foot snch an expedition as specified
in the affidavit, and with the consent of the
Mexican Consul he should discharge the
enlisted men, but should hold the five Off
GERS above named in the sum of $500 each
to answer before the United States District
Court with the exception of Hill, whose
bond would be fixed at $500, he being a
stranger in the city.