The New York herald., 1870-09-25
TILIBUSTERS AFLOAT.
What Does This Mean "A Schooner With Thir-
ty-two Thousand Dollars Worth Of
Red Hot Terror on Board.

At two O'Clock yesterday afternoon the British
schooner Billy Butts Captain Jackson, n remarka.
bly, swift sailing craft. whith has been employed Of
late in the West India trade and has had the reputa
ton of beating everything the road, cast loose
her lines from pier on the East river and drifted
out INTO the stream, where she was quickly taken
in tow by q powerful tug. On the wharf stood some
dozens of swarthy complexioned foreigners, who
carried OH suppressed whispering and looked
doubtfully at any person who volunteered any
questions as to the subject of the destination OF the
mysterious craft. From an Irshman who had been
employed I'm Loading her we could only ascertain
that ''big fogntng" was to be done. Long before
the hour Of departure the captain had given the
strictes orders that strangers to be allowed
aboard.
A HERALD reporter sought an interview with the
captain, but 1t was impossible TO obtain reply Of
any significance from him. All the answers vOuct-
saied were:-.I am not here answers questions
is 1T It true % taat tS You are re- going to curacoar
Answer-"I have no time to talk, SIR"
The reporter next called on the ships agents. Here
again was mystery and silence.
"Can you tell me nothing as to this nlbusteriDg
expedition
BY dint Of importantly the following was, however
disclosed-That the 23d friday, the Billy Butts
had been duly cleared ut the Custom House for
Curacoa; that the vessel had been chartered at
81, 900 per month; that her tonnage was about 150
tons register and that the charterers Leading
nrm In tne vest Inula IT8ue, ana whose OmceS were
situated on Broadway, but their name he was not
allowed to divuGe.
On reference to her clearance papers 1t was seen
that she had the following stock OF war mat r2als
board:-Six gun carriages, twelve cases percussion
caps 127 cases small arms, $40 cases projecttes,
twenty-six cases leather goods and eight cases
hardware. The hardware IL undoubtedly OF, and
the leather goods shoulder belts, etc. From another
source 1t was learned that the total value of the
effected. Among her passengers or 'volunteersu
was late United States Consul in the West Indies,
but he was not as retcent as the rest He said that
within month the expedition would be heard of.
He volunteered also to say that he was q member of
the Loyal Legion, who had taken q prominent part
In the late war. and mad commanded regiment at
Gettysburg. "T0 give an dea - he said, 'or the Sc
Quoted, IL Is only an hour ago that merchants,
trading with where we are going have been
apprized Of the destination so That we could take
their correspondence; and we think, without dat
terlng ourselves, that we have thrown dust pretty
efrectuay into the eyes OF General Sharpe and the
United States Marshals In general In conclusion,
he said, my dear sir, leave 1t TO the sages OF New
York and its government to discover whether we
are on to aid the Venezuelan revolutionary govern
to st. Domingo to support the Salnavlsts, cononty
with Baez, against the Haytien government, or
whether we are on the war path for free Cuba y
The gentleman in question mad hardly concluded
his remarks when the vessel swung loose and was
seen moving down the East river at the rate OF ten
knots all hour drawn by the tug which long ere
this has cast her loose at Sandy Hook pursue her
mixed one, OF all nations, comprising some OF the
most piratica physognomes ever seen on ship
board. The agents OF the vessel are the firm Of B
]. Menburg, OF Old slip.