Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-27
He Tells All About His
Gallant Ship.
1t Never Was Anything But
q Peaceable Transport.
Here a Deputy Marshal Gave Three
Cheers fer the Ship.
The Vessel Was Siezed by the Congress
siOnaI Party - 1t Carried no
CannOn-The Sail Out
of San Diego.


yesterday, and when an adjournment
was taken at o'clock in the afternoon
Mr.. White announced that there are
still several matters to be inquired into
before the officers of the vessel are free
to start on their homeward cruise. The
defense has developed by its line OF
questions the main line which will be
adopted by it on the trial. The interro-
cations put to the witnesses are direct
ed mainly to two points. One of them
is as to the armament of the Itata,
tending to show that she was not armed,
and was not warship; the other is to
prove that when the Itata steamed out
of San Diego harbor she had not been
served by the United States marshals
with any papers which prevented her
departure.
The testimony yesterday was virtually
a repetition of the stories told by other
officers Of the Itata, although it assumed
more Importance by the fact that Capt.
Mannzen himself was kept on the stand
nearly all day, the greater portion of
the time under cross-examination by
Judge Campbell OF government counsel.
The first witness at the morning sit
ting which began at 8 80 O'Clock, was
John Mackenzie, the second officer.
He corroborated the statements in re-
gard to the taking OF arms and ammuni-
tion from the schooner Robert and Min
ME off San Clemente island, and related
the oft-told story of the flying trip of the
steamer to Acapulco, and how she had
been used after her capture as trans
port and prison ship by the Congress
sional party. He stated that the Itata
was present during the bombardment of
Coquimbo, but was merely an onlooker.
Capt. Pedro Mannzen, the captain of
the Itata, was called to the stand and
was very tough nut for Judge Camp
bell to crack on cross-examination. The
captain spoke out in q blunt but polite
manner and created merriment at times
by the grim humor with which he an
swered some of the questions. He is a
younger man than he looks, giving his
age as 81 years. He went over the story
OF the capture OF the steamer by the
Congressional party at Valparaiso, and
its subsequent movements while in the
power of that party. He stated in a
straightforward manner that he was
powerless to resist the capture of the
vessel, and said that the Itata never
acted as warship. She received can
mons from the Blanco Encalado, but dis
charged them at Arico, and had no arm
ament at San Diego. except brass sa-
Lutte gun, and an old iron cannon and
eight or ten muskets. He gave some
important testimony for the defense by
stating that he did not have any service
of papers at San Diego by Marshal
Gard, never having received any COM
munication from the marshal except
letter before the Itata steamed out of the
harbor. After leaving the harbor he
went to within mile and half OF San
Clemente island, where they took on the
arms and ammunition which the schoon-
er had on board. He denied that there
were any soldiers on board at San Diego,
and that any guns were raised from the
hold going out of San Diego. When the
Itata reached Iquique going south, she
was taken charge of by Captain Schley,
of the Baltimore. He joined the Itata
two years ago, and at that time she was
a passenger and freight shipof the South
American Steamship company, running
up and down the Chilean coast.
Captain Mannzen was questioned by
Mr.. Goodrich, representing the company.
He said in response to questions that
the Itata had always flown the Chilean
flag. The rifles taken from the schooner
were stored in the hold and never
touched afterwards, being there now.
They were found in the same condition
when inspected by the American officers
at Iquique. The provisions shipped at
San Diego were for the usual supplies of
the crew. To his knowledge the Itata
had received no money for its services
since January, except what had been
paid by the financial representative of
the iunta for salaries for officers and
crew. The captain asserted that he pro-
tested against the capture of the steam
er, but was powerless to do more. He
went at some length into the details OF
the capture of the steamer, and denied
that he entered the service of the con-
gressional party. He remained with the
Itata, believing it his duty to do so and
protect the interests OF the company.
The company, he said, is composed of
Chileans, and there might be one or two
Englishmen in it. He himself had held
stock in it, but sold it out over year
ago.
In the afternoon Capt. Mannzen,
while under cross-examination, referred
to the episode of deputy marshal be-
ing carried out with him when they left
San Diego. He said he was introduced
to the man as Spaulding, and only
learned afterwards that his real name
is Spencer. He denied using any force
with Spencer, but admitted that they
had 'study in beer' In his cabin.
When Spencer found that the steamer
was moving, he exclaimed;
"My God, the ship is going to sea.
/ will be sick. Let nae off. )"
81 wished to accommodate him."
continued the witness with a grim
smile. 81 did not want him to be sea
sick. Therefore when we were at Point
Ballast sent him ashore"
''Did you not cay to him that the
Itata was merchant ship the day be-
fore, but was now warship"
"No, sir.''
"Did you not conine him to your
cabin ?''
''No, sir. He did not leave. the cabin,
but we had some refreshments there.
/ did not take the ship out of the har-
Dor. The pilot was a good one, and L
was in the cabin all the time. had no
idea but that we were going north to
San Francisco or British Columbia. |
had no idea at that time that the Itata
was going after arms to San Clemente.
l was simply under orders and obeyed
them. Captain Palma Silva was pass
enger, and also agent. He was on the