Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-19
IT'S A STERN CHASE.
The Charleston Once More in Pursuit
Of the Rebel Itata.
NOT MUCH CHANCE FOR A FIGHT.
Chileans Say They Are Not Afraid, but
Will Be Very Cautious.
PRESENT LEGAL ASPECT OF THE CASE

CITY OF MEXICO, May 1s.-The War Depart
ment has received a dispatch from Acapulco
which says that there is no probability of
fight between the Charleston and Esmeralda.
The Itata, if she has not been captured, un-
less by some other United States cruiser, is
probably Off Central America by this time,
with fuel furnished by the Esmeralda. Gen
eral Pedro Hino Josa, Secretary of War, said
this morning that Mexico insists that her
neutrality be respected, and she will not in
terfere with the Esmeralda beyond refusing
to sell her coal or arms.
An officer of the Esmeralda told your cor
respondent at Acapulco yesterday that ms
vessel would try and get coal here, but II
refused he said she could get elsewhere
within o few hours. He said: eve are not
afraid of conflict with the Charleston, but
our orders are to be prudent and not provoke
a conf1ict!' He stated that his captain re-
ceived long cipher dispatch from his Gov
ernment in Chile Saturday, but that its con-
tents were unknown to him.
The Charleston Again in the Chase.
A dispatch from Washington says: just
before o'clock this afternoon the Navy De-
partment received confirmation of the press
dispatch to the effect that the Charleston
sailed southwark from Acapulco last even
ing, leaving the Esmeralda in port. There
is that the Charleston's commander was sat
isfied that the Itata had passed Acapulco
either before he arrived there or while he
lay in port, and that he has resumed the
long chase. 1t is estimated that the ltata
has been steaming along at about seven
knots, and as she was ten days out last Fri
day night she should at that time have Deen
just off Acapulco, where 1t Is reported from
that place she met the Esmeraida AS she Is
much smaller vessel than the Esmeralda
and burns very much less coal, it is regarded
as within the probabilities that the latter
vessel might have supplied her with tnls
necessary article, which would account 1or
the strait the warship is now in respecting a
further supply of coal.
If it be true that the Itata was OF Acapul-
CO Friday night she had two full days start
of the Charleston when the latter started
again in pursuit last night This is about
the same lead that she had when she started
from San Diego, SO that it does not appear
that the chase is any nearer conclusion.
But if the two vessels now follow the same
course the Charleston, steam1ng at IA knots,
should come up with the Itata by tomorrow
night. This event. of course, is based upon
the assumption, which is not founded upon
a strong probability, that the two vessels are
steering exactly the same course. Ii the
Charleston passes the 1tata the next port
Panama, about 1,2OO miles from Acapulco, OF
Payta, Peru, still further down the coast.
As it is the vessels have probably covered
less than half the distance to 1quitue, the
nearest Cnuedn pOIt.
Legal Aspect of the Case.
A dispatch from San Francisco, says: 1t is
stated that the grand jury which has been
in session at Los Angeles investigating the
facts in relation to the cargo carried by the
Chilian ship Itata, now being sought by the
United States cruiser Charleston and other
warships, obtained the testimony of two
deserters from the Itata. These men, it Is
stated, testified that when the ltata started
north she had on board 60 new rifles and 200
old ones. When the Esmeralda and the
Itata met off Cape San Lucas, the former
had $50 men all told, the Itata had 80 sailors
and so soldiers, the latter being in citizens
clothes They were instructed that II they
divulged the secret of the vessels mission
the death penalty would follow. The itata
carried four 6O-pound guns that were hidden
under the canvas with her small arms in the
forward hold. The soldiers were slowed
away there also, being sent them from on
deck. Every appearance of the vessel being
prepared for war was removed two days
before she steamed into San Diego when she
looked like first-class and clean merchant
man. 1t was understood by everybody
aboard that the Itata was on the outlook for
the schooner with the rifles and other mu-
nitfons of war. The programme for the
1tata to get munitions OF war from the
Robeft and Minnie.
Some information was obtained, indicating
that it was the intention of the ltata to
transfer the guns and ammunition from the
Itata to the Esmeralda at P1ch1luque, on the
west coast of Lower California. Whether
the Esmeralda met the Itata there before
returning to Acapulco is one question still
unanswered. If such is the fact then the
Itata has slipped by the Charleston and is
on her way to Iquiqui. Solicitor General
Taft, under Attorney General Miller, who Is
in Los Angeles at present, conducting the
investigation on behalf of the United States
Governments, issued subpenas for the re-
ports of the Western Union and Postal Tele-
graph companies respectively. These sub
penas call for gentlemen mentioned to pro-
duce the kilograms that have passed over
their lines in the past month relating to
Chilean affairs, and between every person IN
the slightest manner suspected of being con-
uected with them.