Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-11
THE ITATA'S ARMS.
A TRANSFER MADE TO THE ESMER-
AIDA.
Twenty Thousand Rifles and Large
Amount of Ammunition Changed to
the Man. of-War.

Did the Itata take more arms and am
munition from the schooner Robert and
Minnie than the vessel had aboard when
it surrendered to the United States au-
thorities? That is the most important
question in the matter at present, as the
alleged violation of the neutrality laws
depends mainly upon this. A gentle
man who arrived from San Diego yester-
day does more to clear up the mystery
that surrounds the facts than has vet
been done. Said he: upon your posi-
tive assurance that my name will never
be mentioned in connection with the
matter, as desire no notoriety, will
tell you what friend of mine aboard
the Itata told me.
NV friend told me. that when the
Itata suddenly left San Diego it met the
Robert and Minnie, and took aboard
$4,000 rifles and very large amount Of
ammunition; I have forgotten how
many million cartridges. As soon as
the contraband goods were aboard the
rendezvous agreed upon with the Es-
IucIdluds uC ltdUd NCO dU CllO pldCC
long before the Esmeralda, and for two
days steamed about slowly in the vicin-
ity waiting for the insurgent cruiser.
This rendezvous was long distance out
at sea, far beyond the track of the usual
steamers.
"When the Esmeralda finally ap-
peared, the ocean was too rough, and
two more days were passed waiting for
"a o1.xo To-, ha 4 ftn
Esmeralda had gone to Acapulco, and
had obtained news that the United
States authorities had decided to seize
the Itata, and that the Charleston was
in chase. When the ocean calmed down
a council was he'd aboard the Itata, and
the conclusion was arrived at that the
Itata would have to be given up in
time, even if it was not captured.
The insurgents did not want to impli-
cate themselves in trouble with the
United States government, and good
judgment prevailed. 1t was decided,
therefore, to transfer the major part OF
the contraband goods to the Esmeralda,
with the understanding that the Itata
should sail for Chilean port and there
be given up if the insurgent leaders so
ordered. With fair amount of arms
and cartridges aboard the claim would
be made that it was the entire cargo
taken from. the Robert and Minnie.
Therefore 10000 rifles out of the 25,-
600 on board of the Itata were transfer
red to the Esmeralda, as we'll as a much
larger percentage OF the ammunition, l
forget the correct figures. The arms
were lowered from the Itata into her
whaleboat and taken to the Esmeralda.
Tocopilla was the port decided upon
for the Itata to 60 to for orders in re-
gard to surrendering. The Esmeralda,
while at Acapulco, entered into tele-
graphic communication with the insur-
gent leaders in Chile, and the entire
matter was settled in this way"
In conclusion the gentleman said:
"This statement of the case seems to
fully explain everything, and l don't
believe my friend would deceive me. He
could have had no object in telling me
wrong story. and especially one like this,
which would be detrimental, if any,
thing, to the Itata's cause. Neither is
he man given to idle talk"
The story of this officer of the Itata is
partially corroborated by United States
Marshal Gard. There is no question,
from what Gard said yesterday in inter-
dence as this of the transfer of arms and
ammunition. The last cable advices
from Chile also bear it out by the asser-
ton that the insurgents are now we'll
supplied with arms and ammunition,
and expect to take the Chilean capital
in month.