The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-12
PIRATICAL PLOT.
Tie Plan TO Seize the Steamship Ocean
Queen on her last Voyage to AsDIuwaIls


Queen on her Inst Voyage TO AsDlnwalls
AsPINwALL, Jan. 1.-When Christmas came
the citizens of this paradise resolved to break
the monotony by initiating "Donnybrook Fair
on O small scale. The cause of this sudden
awakening was "Cuban" one. Some weeks
ago General w. A. G. Ryan, the famous Cuban
hero, took passage for this place on the Pacific
mail steamer Ocean Queen.
He expected to be joined by several hundred
recruits who were to have taken passage in the
steerage for California. After the steamer got
well to sea they were to seize her, pick up
reinforcement which was to meet them off the
Jersey coast, and head for Cuba. After the
Cubans were landed the steamer was to have
been allowed to proceed to this port with her
cargo and passengers But 1T CHANGED that
"Uncle Samuel" had resolved to send some two
hundred and fifty of his infantry by the same
steamer en- route for San Diego, California. The
patriots became alarmed, and no one but Ryan
was found 10 face the music" The rest. sup
posing that their scheme had been be-
tTayed, took the better part of Valor
as their guide, and remained at
home. General Ryan having been informed
that there were or would be from five to seven
hundred recruits for the cause at this point,
concluded to come out and join them, and pro-
ceed with them, on the steamer despatched from
New York for that purpose TO Cuba Ryan
arrived and found the army at Aspinwall had,
like Falstaffs robbers, very small amount of
truth in il as far as regarded numbers. He
found, in fact, only ffty-ive men, rank aud
file." Two of these heroes were very valuable
as soldiers-one being on crutches, and the
other about eighty years old and SO bow-legged
that his feet tied hard knots when he walked
To make things worse the steamer to
transport them had not come. The Gene
raj then conceived the idea of fitting out q
cruiser, as a fine vessel was offered him, and re
solved to visit Panama to see If he could not
secure some sailors for his enterprise 1t being
generally known that the late Gran General"
Mosquera, who ruled this country short while
since so TegallY, was about returning here aud
q revolution being expected, the authorities
suspected our Cuban hero OF being "Musquer-
ista" and a reVoutionist. TheyWere like bee
hive stirred with long pole--al in buzz-and
watched his every step while in Panama. He
walked on the Notifications; a despatch was
sent 10 the President. He handled an old rusty
cannon ball; a soldier with musket in hand
accidentally strolled up towards him. He even
went so far as to sketch an old sentry box, and
The troops turned out for parade on the plaza;
and-height of timpudence-hei called upol
the President, and tried 10 buy four cannon.
''El Presidene" with forced smile, asked him
''to take drink and call again-and- hum =
Wen see about it," Having given the authori-
ties thus much to think about, Ryan returned to
Aspinwall and the Falstaff brigade. On the 26th
of December he was sitting on the gallery of
Fort Bethancourt (the hotel), with party of
friends, enjoyinga first class champagne punch
The Cuban flag hoated gayly from the house
and from the Elliott Ritchie Gate Harriet Laue)
and every one was having good time" of it
when the 'Tow" / speak of began. A Cuban
patriot having captured flag of his
country from party of jamaica ne
proes who he considered had no right
to haunt it over their holiday games,
the daTkies rallied In force ami
made an indiscriminate attack upon all the
Ryans headquarters. There was perfect
storm OF old bottles, Jumps of coral, pieces OF
''ballast" and boots (aged). Hearing the fray
] the General and his friends rushed down 20