The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-11
A CHASE ON THE PACIFIC.
THE ROBERT AND MINNIE AND THE
ITATA TO BE PURSUED.


The Omaha Starts From San Diego to
Find the schooner-The Charleston
Leaves San Francisco in Pursuit OF
the stesmer-Both Under Sealed
Orders
SAN DIEGO, CAL, May 10.-The United
States n-of-war Omaha steamed out OF
the harbor yesterday, and, after passing the
beads, stood out TO sea in southweSterly
course. Commander Cromell received a
mass Of correspondence in cipher from the
navy department, and it is understood that
he has instructions to cruise around the
Coronda Islands and San Clements to
find out if possible where the
Robert and Minnie met the Itata and to pick
up the schooner if sighted. Marshal Gard,
Detective Harry Morse and Deputy Spaul-
ding put in the day securing testimony cor
roborating Deputy Spauldings statement as
to how the ltata was manned when she left
the harbor. The statement was verified by
men on a dredger and pilot boat, all of
whom claim that at least $50 armed Chi
leans were seen aboard the craft as she
sailed out. Marshal Gard, Detective Morse
and Deputy Spsulding left for the north
last night.
ORDERS OF THE CHARLESTON.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, May 10.-A morn
ing paper states that when the Charleston
sailed Saturday morning it was under sealed
orders. A cipher dispatch was received by
Capt. Remy at midnight Friday. 1t took
over three hours to translate the
dispatch and at o'clock in the
morning all the visitors we're ordered
ashore, and the Charleston hastily put to
sea. The Charleston is provisloned and
coaled for long cruise. and instead Of go
ing outside to try. her guns, as was the gen.
eral supposition, it is stated that she has
gone ia pursuit of the Chilean steamer Itata.
with orders to capture her.
TO SAIL WELL SOUTH.
If the Charleston does not catch her, her
orders are to keep on until Admiral Brown
is encountered in Chilean waters. The
transfer Of arms, ammunition, etc., from
the schooner Robert and Minnie TO the
ltata was not completed until Friday after
noon, sOthat the insurgent vessel has a
start of thirty-six hours. The Charleston
has not yet returned to this port, as she
would have done by this time if she had
gone outside simply for target practice.
THE PILOT ARRESTED.
Los ANGELES, CAL, May 10.--Before
the schooner Robert and Minnie was cap
tured by the United States marshal, Pilot
Dill, who took the Itata out of San Diego,
went ashore. Dill was arrested at San
Pedro. Super-csrgo Burch came to
Los Angeles and was traced by u
reporter to the Arcade depot where he was
waiting to take train to San Francisco.
Burch at first denied that he was the man
wanted, but afterward acknowledged it and
was arrested by Detective Harry Morse and
is now in custody Of the United States
marshal. Burch SAYS he landed the arms,
but declines to say at what point, but it is
supposed to have been at Cataline or st.
Clemenss Island.
GREAT SECRECY AT WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, May 10.-While there are
no new developments regarding the reported
issuance of orders to the cruiser Charleston
and the men-of-war competing the South
Pacific squadron to 90 after and seize the in
surgent vessel Itata, which Is now sup
posed to be on her way to Chile, with arms
taken from the schooner Robert and Minnie,
it is believed that orders have been sent to
Admiral Brown, commanding the Pacific
station, and to Admiral McCann, command
ing the ships of the South Pacific station, to
secure the Itata by force, if necessary, and
take her TO the first American port. The
greatest air OF secrecy surrounds the
affair, and tonight it is utterly
impossible to learn that any orders of any
nature regarding the Itata have been issued
by the navy department, or would be issued.
There are the strongest reasons for beiev-
ing that orders were issued yesterday be-
fore Secretary Tracy left the department.
and that the Charleston is now on her way
south after the Itate.
AGENT BURT UNDER ARREST.
Los ANGELES, May 10.-George A. Burt,
ba -
charge of the Robert and Minnie's cargo,
who is now under arrest here, was inter
viewed to-day. He insisted that he has
violated no law and seems to be confident
that he will be released.
THE ROBERT AND MINNIE CAUGHT.
SAN PEDRO, CAL, May 10.-AI on
board the Robert and Minnie are under ar
rest. They have delivered their cargo, but
decline to say anything about the Itata
The warship Omaha arrived outside this
evening. The Charleston has not been
sighted.
The government should have got after
Hartley & Graham of lion, n. Y, manu-
facturers of arms shipped on the schooner,
and not after him. When pressed to speak
of his voyage in the schooner Robert and
Minnie, Mr.. Burt said that there was
nothing mysterious about her at all. The
arms had been shipped by rail from the east,
and loaded on the vessel at Oakland mole
in broad daylight. There had been no at
tempt at concsalment, because there was no
necessity for it, She left at o'clock in the
morning, and not at 3 O'CLOCK a. m., as
reported. When boarded by the custom
officers at Catalina the vessels manifest was
shown and several other papers. He at first
said that there was something suspicious
about the vessel, and left man on board,
but after telegraphing to Washington, SUBJ
sequently took him Off again.
SIGHTED THE TUG.
The vessel then cruised about for several
days, but Mr.. Burt finally got tired of wait
ing, and as he could get no information as
to the whereabouts of the steamer he was
expecting, he determined TO put in at San
Diego. On his arrival at the mouth
of the hsrbor, however, he sighted
the steamer lying i'll the stream with>
in, and at once put about and soon
afterward received a communication from
her. Soon sfterward a tug, on which
were Marshal Gard and Detective Morse,
bore down on them and steamed within 100
yards of her, but did not hail her, much TO
the surprise Of Mr.. Burt and the crew Of
the schooner. On Thursday morning they
discharged her cargo, and, after taking
Pilot Dill on board, sailed to San Pedro,
where they arrived yesterday afternoon.
SECRET.
Mr.. Burt refused to say where the
schooner discharged her cargo, but did not
a L.