The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-10
THE CUBAN EILIB LISTERS.

THE CUBAN FILIB BUSTERS.
Sailing OF an Expedition from Now York
Thirty Spanish G Gunboats Building
Several of the New York papers deny the re-
port that an expedition, composed OF what is
generally styled "6hbusters," has sailed from
that port for Cuba. Others, however, insist
that such On expedition has certainly sailed
and give such minute details as TO leave the
public to believe that there is truth in the
rumor. The New York Times says:
Active secret enlistmcnts OF men for this ex-
| pedition have been going on In this city foI
some time past, and one or two drill-rooms
have been open fol- the purpose OF drilling the
recruits. Arecruiting station or headquarters
| is said to have existed at No. 697 broadway,
| under the care aud supervision OF an ex-ofhcer
fthe Union army, who claims that during the
| rebellion he "pressed things" with Sheridan IN
| the Valley. It is said that during the ast two
months this officer has recruited about four
hundred and fifty men, and the expedition
which sailed OIL the fourth was composed otthls
| force, and perhaps of others.
| The attention OF the authorities was directed
by those having the management OF affairs to
the effect that the steamer Arago had departed
for the West mdiss with warlike intentions,
and that she carried about one thousand me- n,
together with an ample cargo Of guns and car
tridges. The new United states Marshal or.
dered his subordinates to inquire into tho mat
ter, and they ascert liued that the Arago was
cleared from the customhouse for st. Thomas,
W. l., on Friday last, and that she subsequent
anchored at Gravesend Bay, on the Long
Island coast. nine miles distant from the bat
terv, going from thence to sea on Monday, in
stead Of the following day, as was announced
in some of the morning Journals. Her pilot
was found by the marshaIS officer, and he
stoutly contradicted the statement that there
were men and arms on. board the steamer, pro-
nounclng it f.lse in every particular. He was
corroborated by another plot, who was wit.
ness to the departure OF the vessel.
The tugboats Yankee and Philip, belonging to
the Atlantic Submarine WreckiDg Company,
were mentioned in the report as having con-
veyed the troops on board the Arago. Cap
by our reporter, and furnishes new and au-
thentc version of. the sailing Of the expedi-
ton.
STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN HAZARD.
He saws that he was coming up the bay on
Tuesday afternoon, when he was hailed by Mr..
Walters, Of the Wrecking Company, from the
Battery, and told to go to the foot Of Spring.
street, North River, and receive cargo Of pas.
sengers. He accordingly did 80, and found
his arrival. They bad no baggage and were
apparently very anxious to get away. The
most of them talked Spanish, and behaved IN
q manner calculated to excite suspicion. After
they came on board, q man who acted as their
leader requested the captain to put them on
board the steamer Pierrot, which was lying
near Governors Island.
- al
vessel large assemblage or dark-complexion-
ed men were discovered on her upper deck.
About 125 of these Yere brought there by the
tusboat Yankee from the foot Of Eighth-street,
North River. The steam tug Martha was also
reported to have conveyed men on board, in
cluGlng the leaders Of the expedition. She
vas seen lying alongside the Plerrot by Cap
in Hazard. The commander OF the steamer,
ntain George Fletcher, in conversation with
Captain Hazard, divufged to him the existence
of a large rgo of arms and ammunition in
the hold OF his vessel. He said that they we're
obtained from Governors Island, and that he
had them transferred oy tugboat to his ves-
sci on Thursday last, the latter lying at Allan
TIC Basin, Brooklyn, at that time. Captain
Hazard regarded this information as reliable:
The organizer Of The expedition is represented
to be General Domingo de Golsourla, who has
deyotet his whole life to struggles for Cuban
independence, besides engaging In numerous
fhbustering movements.
In 1850 he fought against the Spaniards un'
der Lopez, and he afterwaId participated with
Walker in his raid on Nicaragua. He is de-
scribed as o man OF medium height, spare
build, long grey beard and very dark and
piercing eyes. After the Pierrot had received
the men from the tug boat Philip she weighed
anchor and stood out to sea. Il was lntlmated
to Captain IIazard that she would land ber
passengers somewhere along the Cuban coast,
and that they would subsequently unite with
the insurgents. He was not made cognlzant OF
the fact, however, until 1t was too late to be OF
use to the authorities here. The Pierrot, it is
alleged, is owned by Sroford, Hleston Il Co.,
and Is regularly run between this city, Havana,
New Orleans and Galveston. The Arago, which
left on Monday, is believed to be on her way
to join Peruvian squadron which Is fitting out
near New Orleans. She was formerly owned
by the North American Steamship Company,
but sold BY them on the 26th OF April to par
ties unknown, the company giving BILL OF
eale in blank.
ACTION OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The New York Sun has the following:
While the Cuban patriots and the people OF
this city are sending brave men and the slnews
of war to aid in the work Of consecratlng Cuba
to freedom, the authorities at Washington are
using their official strength to crush the pa
triots. and perpetuate the tyranny OF Spain IN
FCuba. We learn that the Spanish minister has
been assured that Cnited States vessels shall
be sent to intercept the expeditions, and that
revenue cutters have sailed for that purpose.
A revenue cutter sailed from the Brooklyn Navy
Yard on Saturday to head off an expedition
which is to sail from the Florida coast. The
Spanish minister has also received assurances
from Secretary F1sh, that United States vessels
are cruising off the mouth Of the Mississippi
and on the Florida coast, for the purpose OF
seizing every craft which shall attempt to bear
material aid TO the patriots.
THIRTY auNBoATs FOB SPAIN.
The government has knowledge Of the build.
ing OF thirty powerful gunboats in New York,
Boston and Canada, for Spain. These vessels
are to cost six millions OF dollars iu gold. All
these vessels are to be finished by the 1st OF
June, and sent to Havana, where they are to
be mounted"
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.