Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-11-07
That's What Haytian officials Think
the Saginaw Is.
CHASED BY AREVENUEBoAT
IL Is Alleged That an American Steamer
Is Loaded with Munitions of War
for the InsurgenhI-CIyde Line
People Deny 1t.

Collector Magone, had taken arms and am
munition aboard from lighter down the
bay. and had also received on board Gen.
Papillon, the insurgent envoy, who came to
New York a fortnight ago on some secret
mission, and had sailed nominally Tor San
Domingo at p. m The department at
Washington was notified, so that 1t may SEND
a cruiser after her or set the Boston at her, IL
il can The Boston has already been ordered
10 Hayti
For more than week past the Haytian
governments representatives in this city
have viewed the Saginaw with an eye OF sts-
picon. The Saginaw is the vessel that came
so near sinking in her slip at the foot OF Wah
street on Oct. 20, owing to an improper ans
tribution Of her cargo 1t had been reported
at the Haytian consulate that officers of the
steamer had boosted of their ability to run
the blockade of Haytis northern ports,
maintained by the present government OF the
island. 1t was also reported that the vessel
would carry as part of her cargo, large
supplies of arms, powder, cannon and other
munitions of war for the use of the insur-
gents in the north The strict surveillance
maintained over the vessel bore fruit in
discovery that threw the Haytian consulate
into state Of excitement. The report pre-
sented by the Haytian representatives is as
follows:
The loading of the cargo upon the Saginaw
was finished on Saturday, and the manifest
of the cargo was fled at the custom house on
that day. This manifest showed an extremely
small cargo for steamer like the Saginaw,
and its total value was only about SS,OOO.
This was enough to excite suspicion at the
consulate, and the watch on the vessels move
ments was redoubled. The closest scrutiny
failed to show that any more merchandise
was being put aboard the vessel The Sagi-
nav left her slip and steamed down into the
lower bay. But il was soon evident that the
Saginaw's captain had further business in the
neikhborhood of New York, for his steamer
came TO anchor Off the iightship and lay there.
The men watching the vessel in the inter-
est of the government of Legitime had not
long 10 wait for the next move on the part of
those they now felt certain were the enemies
of Hayti. A lighter approached the Sagi-
nav and drew alongside. The Saginaw's
crew had lines aboard in a jiffy, and the YES
sells were made fast to each other The
watchers had noticed that as the Saginaw
lay at anchor she listed over to one side, hav-
ing the appearance of being badly loaded.
The reason for this, they say, was apparent
as soon as the lighter began to unload her
cargo and put it aboard the vessel.
The nature of their cargo was an
exceedingly odd one for the piping time
of peace Instead of harmless merchan-
disc munitions of war of various descrip-
tions put in an appearance, and were hastily
loaded on the steamer. Quantities of powder
were carried to the Saginaw and slowed
away very gingerly Small arms and am
munition were next transferred from the
smaller vessel Then came cannon that were
got aboard the Saginaw with great difficulty.
Cannon are not only heavy goods to handle,
but their disposition on shipboard requires
considerable care. The effect of their great
weight, added to that of the piles of..ammuni-
ton taken aboard, soon had a perceptible
effect ON the steamers position in the water
Little by little she gradually righted until
she was ON an even keel
The watchers say that the vessel had been
loaded SO peculiarly because the list was
necessary in order to get the guns on at all,
and that probably an attempt to make
similar arrangement of the cargo had caused
the steamers mishap at her slip last week
When the lighter had put the last cannon
that she carried aboard the Saginaw her
hawsers were cast off and she started back
for the city. Still the steamer did not get
under way. Loaded down as she was she
was evidently waiting for something more.
Her officers levelel glasses on all the small
steam craft that headed her way. Finally
the watchers saw preparations made aboard
the Saginaw to receive passengers A few
moments later tug drew alongside
the Saginaw made fast to her and also
put big gun upon her deck The new
arrival was no less parsonage than the black
Gen Papilon, the man in whom the follow
ers of Hippolyte, the insurgent chief, have so
much confidence. and whom they sent to this
country as their agent With Papillon came
several other men, presumably his staff As
soon as Papillon was safe on board, the Sagi-
nav. with her pleasant but somewhat unusual
cargo. weighed anchor AMI set sail on her sup
posed mission of running the Haytian block
ade 1t was then o'clock in the afternoon.
The above reports were Immediately COM
municated to Mr. Stephen Preston, the Hay
tian minister at Washington, who is in this
city. Mr.. Preston went to Collector Ma
gone and laid the case before him, stat
ing his proofs, and asking that the Saginaw
be overhauled if possible. Collector Magone
gave Mr.. Preston an order on the Barge Of
flee. which directed that cutter be instantly
dispatched to follow and siezs the Saginaw
and bring her back to New York After
this order had been verified by telephone
communication with Mr.. Magone, the cutter
Chandler was put in condition for the chase.
It was then after 8 O'Clock, but the cutter got
away a little before s, or some three hours
after the Saginaw started
William 2. Clyde. the head of the steamship
firm, was out Of town. An official of the line
was found in Brooklyn Ivy a reporter He
said that the apparently strange action of the
Saginaw could be easily explained The
steamer, which left her dock about II o'clock,
had on board Mr.. Hand who had come on
from Philadelphia to adj1st the new pinnacle
compass which had been put in the vessel last
week. AS the Saginaw il an from steamship,
the compass had to be corrected for variation
Mr. Hand went down the bay with the
Saginaw to swing the compass, and to do
this it was necessary to head the steamer to-
ward the various points Of the compass to de-
termine whether the needle read true or not
This is a work Of several hours This Is the
way the Saginaw Is said to have spent her
time or the Scotland hghtship JAS TO :