The morning call., 1891-05-08
CONTRABAND GOODS.
Life or Death With the Captain
Of the Itata.
4 Deputy MarShaPS Thrilling Experience
on the Chilean Steamer.
Washington 0fdClalS Considering the Ad-
visibility Of Sending a Cruiser
After the Runaway.
Special to THE MoRN1Ne CALI.

is Spaulding. returned to the city last even
ing, but concealed his identity until to-day,
when he was allowed by the Marshal TO
make statement to the Associated Press.
II is reported that the United States Off
cials making the seizure have refused to
| give reliable statements, the information
! given being found vastly different from that
now made public. At any rate, the Itata
came into the harbor for supplies with az
| least 100 stand OF arms aud Chilean soldiers
aboard She secured what she wanted and
| departed, the United States officials here
not knowing what she had between decks
until she sailed,
TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
Deputy SDaulding SAYS the first intima-
tion he had Of the vessels preparations to
| leave was the hasty movements on the part
Of the crew. and when the captain invited
him to his cabin from the dining he
was surprised to find the steamer under full
headway. He then made the following
statement: "Going into the captains cabin
l was Joined by three passengers. They
| exhibited rev0lvers and asked me if l was
| armed Captain MauZeum acted as spOBes-
man. He then said: L have contraband
goods on board and it is life or death with
me- He then, pointing his finger to his
throat said: See, this is what it means
l was so dumfounded that l could not an
swer, He then called two of the Chilean
crew and they stood guard near the door,
each armed with a revolver and rife. de
] then told me not to be alarmed, but that II
| | went out Of the cabin during his absence
| he would not be responsible for what would
happen, telling me, also, that If | attempted
| to give sign to jump overheard he would
not be responsible for the result.
ARMED CHILEASs.
About this time | noticed them lifting
| out Of the hold four small steel cannon,
which they Immediately thereafter placed
| in position on the upper deck-three OF
! them on the forward part of the vessel aud
one aft. All four of the guns they loaded
in my presence The captain then stated
| that he intended putting me off at Ballast
| Point. He then led me out OF the cabin,
| followed by his companions, each taking
! their revOlvers. On reaching the bridge l
found on the deck below 100 Chleans, all
armed TO the teeth, each having a repeating
rife and a revolver. They were dressed in
uniform consisting ofred caps and jackets.
| The ca tain laughed and said, See, we
| have changed to man-of-warP l looked
| at the pilot and said, Are you going to
guide the ship out?' The captain spoke ufs
and said, No. exhibiting revolver, this
| is going TO guide itP By this time we were
| HCdl luB lllG w tuc bdl UOis anu NiAO
I captain and Silva gave orders to the crew to
/ put over ladder, to which he escorted me
and said, You must excuse me for putting
| you to this annoyance, as | am not IN COM
mand of the ship The Itata then passed
out of the bay, heading north"
UNHEEDED PROTESTS.
Mr.. Spaulding said he protested very
vigorously first to being made prisoner
during the passage of the vessel out OF the
| harbor, and also to the leaving OF port OF
the ship while in possession of the United
! States Government, but they paid no atten-
| tion TO his protest, and kept him prisoner
until they arrived 10 the spot whers they in
tended to put him off.
Ii is claimed that when the Itata left the
| harbor and when about ten miles out she
was oyertaken by another steamer from off
! the Coronado Islands, which fired two guns
AMI passed out Of sight incompany with the
| Itata. From what was seen 1t does not look
| as II they were friendly disposed.
! Another statement is made that corvette
passed San Diego going north at 8 o'clock
| yesterday lying the Chilean flag. The City
| of New York came along later The party
WAS entirely positive about the character
and flag of the early visitor.
DEsERTERs FROM THE ITATA.
Two deserters from the Chilean steamer
! Itata were seen to-day and in an interview
stated that, being tired OF staying aboard,
they got away, intending to try their luck on
| the North American Continent. They state
| positively that the big warship Esmeralda
accompanied the Itata as far north as Cape
| ST. Lucas, and is now awaiting the return OF
! the latter vessel between here and that
| point in order to get provisions and coal. 1t
| was learned further that Captain Mauzeum
| is only employed to navigate the ship and
| that the real commander is a native Chilean
| and 1t is he who gives all orders.
The United States man. 0f-war Omaha ar
rived In port at noon from Mazatlan. Her
| arrival caused some excitement, AS it was
| supposed she had been ordered here on ac-
! count of the recent trouble. She will take
| coal and leave for the north in few days.
NEUTRALITY LAWS VIOLATED.
WASHINGTON, May 7.-Attorney-General
| Miller this afternoon made public the SUBJ
| stance of the correspondence relating to the
| insurgent vessel ltata and the schooner
Robert and Minnie. He refused to give out
| the full text OF the correspondence. The
| information given by the Alto rney- General
agrees substantially with that received in
| the press dispatches. The representations
upon which the orders were originally
| given to detain the Robert and Minnie were
made by the Chilean Minister, and were to
the effect that he had information that the
neutrality laws were being violated. Tie
Acknowledgement refused to indicate what
further steps lie had taken In the matter
since the escape of the two vessels or to
discuss the probability of any international
complir ations.
THE NAVY MAY BE CALLED ON.
He had several conferences with the Sec
retary OF the Navy during the day and this
gave color to the story that Efforts would be
made 10 recapture the Itata.
Can you take vessel on the high seas
without violation of the law?" reporter
| asked the Secretary.
Eyes, SIR" responded the Secretary enl-
phatically.
"Will Won do it?"
have no answer to make to that" said
the Secretary. You can't skin hare be-
fore you catch him."
This seems 10 summarize the present siua-
uon. Ihe ltata Will be captured If possible,
but she has long start of any pursuer.
Her escape raises an important question OF
international law.
GREAT BRITAIN'S EXPERIENCE.
The Alabama claims, which cost Great
Britain $40, 100000. arose in similar man
ner through the equipment OF a Confederate
vessel in an English port and supplying
men, guns aud ammunition to her by
British vessels.
AS the Itata had been seized by the
United States at-San Diego she was techni-
cally United States property until dis
charged, and is therefore liable 10 re-.
capture on the high seas by United States
man-of-war or to confscation if she even
enters United States port.
r. L. TRUMBULL.
1t is rumored here tonight that r. L.
Trumbull the so-called delegate to the Rev.
olGtionary Chilean Congress, was arrested
to-day in San Francisco. The arrest, it is
said, was ordered at the instance of the au-
thorities here. 1t Is impossible to ascertain
the truth of this tonight. Trumbull boasted
openly that he would look after the shipping
OF cargo of arms and ammunition for the
insurgents. A Spansh-American furnishes
| some interesting facts in connection with
Trumbulls career. "R. l.. Trumbul In the
| first place." so the Spanisli-America as
serts. .'is not a son, but a nephew Of the
late missionary, Rev. DIR. Trumbull. In
| the second place he does not rank among
the principal statesmen, lawyers or business
| men In Chile. He is lawyer Of second