The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-07
TRAILING THE STARS And STRIPES
What Took Place on Board the Steamship
City Of New York at Havana.
Her Captain Surrenders Three Cuban
Refugees to the Spanish Authorities.
Indignation Among the
Passengers.

Inc steamship City OF New York, commanded By.
captain DeakeD. was to have left the port Of Ha-
Vaha on the afternoon OF last Saturday, bound ion
.h's port; out In order to enable the Aimee opera
troupe to give fnal performance in Havana IN the
evening ner departure was postponed till the fol-
lowing morning Accordingly on Sunday morning,
iast' al haii-past eight, after the opera bOu6d
singers had been taken on board. also a Largo
number OF Italian singers, the anchor was weighed
MORO Castle was passed and the steamer was
heading nOrthward.
When the Island OF Cuba was away about A
dozen miles to southwark and the second off,cer
of the steamer was walking on the hurricane deck
his attention.was attracted by peculiar noise
issuing from one OF the hfeboats resting on the
deck In question Listening closely, he soon dis-
covered the sound OF mems voices and felt certain
that stowaways were hidden in the boat. To open
the canvas covering was the work OF an instant.
and three well-dressed and Intelligent men were
discovered there, who represented that they had
taken refuge on an American vessel believing II
would protect them from tyranny; that they werd
sympathizers with "Cuba Libre," ana did not want
to be drafted in Havana to 60 and fight against
"Cuba Lbre,' and that they would pay their
passage money upon the arrival OF the vessel in
New York.
TAKEN BACK TO BE aARRoTED.
The Second officer, as in duty bound, inforrned
the Captain, who instantly came TO the conclusion
Of stopping the vessel and returning to Havana
and surrendering the unfortunate Cubans to thd
military authorities. This was DONE and the menS
who thought that they had escaped the draft aro
now without doubt sleeping their last sleep. 1t Is
said that several passengers, who are reported til
have been unprovided with passports but who had
paid their passage money, were in terrible feara
believing that they likewise were to be handed
over to the authorities
INDIGNATION AMONG THE PASSENGERS
The Indignation among the passengers and crew
was immense at this act Of the Captain; but reI
monstrance was in vain, and more than one disS
parsging remark as to the protecting power OF the
Stars and Stripes after the Santiago de Cuba
butchery was made The rest Of the voyage to this
port was uneventful, save that the surrender Of
the three fugitives had made the Captain highly
unpopular.
WHAT A FRENCH OPERATE SINGER SAYS.
Monsieur Guiot, Of No. 221 West Twenty-seventA
street. who was q passenger by the City Of NoW
York on this voyage, In an interview with a res
porter Of the HERALD yesterday, said "a saw thu
three refugees, who appeared to me to be men OF
refinement and education ana what You call in
English gentlemen The passengers all felt
deeply grieved at their misfortune In being turned
by the Captain to the Spanish, but, Of coursea
they were powerless to change Mr.. Deaken'S
plan"
WHAT AN OLD AMERICAN CAPTAIN SAYS.
sSuch an affair Is unprecedented" SAID an old
American captain to q HERALD reporter yester-
day. 'Captain Deaken could have put the stow
Always to work, II he had chosen, as coal passers or
! in any other position he chose, to let them earn
| their passage. He could also have had them ar
| rested for fraud upon their arrival here and
brought to trial. but to devate from his voyage To
| tc 49,
renee. The most charitable judgment as to his
conduct is that he was trying to please his owners
and prevent their having any complications with
the Spanish authorities.
WHAT A PROMINENT CUBAN SAYS.
In conversation with Mr.. Leandro Rodriguez, .
prominent Cuban OF this city, he said :-"rhis ac-
ton of the Captain OF the City Of New York haa
caused great excitement to-day. young relative
OF mine lately escaped from Havana in the foliow.'
ing manner, and shows q pleasant contrast TO the
case In question. ~
PROUD OF THE STARS AND STRIPES
"Tbis young fellow paid the Captain OF o steamer
plying from Havana to Texas 500 in gold to take
him to the latter mentioned place. About an hour.
before the steamer started the Captain saw boat
load OF police coming to search the vessel and ha
told my relative to leave the ship till they had
finished their search. This he did, and subse-
quently returned. Another boat was subsequently,
seen, and the Captain told him to leava
the vessel, he would not take the
risk OF having him on board any longer,l
but refused to pay back the $3.50 paid for the
passage. In despair the young fellow went ON
board an American schooner bound for Baltimore;
and said, "Captain, throw myself on your mercy
want to escape from the draft, for am Cuban,
aud do not want to 60 out aud fight my brothers.
in the 1eld-here Is $780," The Captain said.
Certainly, will take you, and would have
taken you without cent for l hate Spanish
tyranny Upon the arrival OF the vessel at Baltt-
more he took the young fellow to the house Of
some OF his friends and treated him with almost
brotherly Kindness and sent him on to New York,
where he is at the present moment"
Such o contrast speaks for ITSELF
WHAT THE CHIEF ENGINEER SAYS.
Last evening HERALD reporter was instructed
to go on board the City OF New York and get the
statement OF her officers. The only one found on.
board was the Chief Engineer, and the following
conversation took place.
REPORTER-Why did Captain Deaken 90 back to-
Havana to deliver up the three men who had con-
ceaed themselves on boards
CHIEF ENGNEER-Because they were stowa-
ways.
REPoRrER-ft is q somewhat unusual practice for
q large steamer like yours to return on similar
errand, Is it notY
CHIEF ENGINEER-Yes, somewhat.
REPoRTER-No subsequent harm would have oc-
Cured 10 Captain Deaken for bringing them to
New YORK, believes
CHIEF ENGIsEER-well, they might perhaps nave
instituted proceedings against the ship when
SHE RETURNED HAVANA.
II the fellows had kept quiet for some time longer
they might have been all right; but they made
themselves public too near Havana, and, In addi-
ton to this, there were large number OF Span
iards on board. All on the ship wished that no
harm might happen to the three men.