The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-13
STILL AHEAD OF PURsuERs.
The Charleston Securing the Seas for
the Runaway Vessel.
other Vessels in San Francisco Have
Supplies for Chilean RebeIs-Arrest
Of an Insurgent Agent-Tracing the
Robert and Minnie's Cargo.

the probable action of the Mexicans if the
ltata enters the port of Acapulco. He
says Acapulco is neutral part, and he is
conhdent the Charleston will not be per-
united to seize the Itata there, but if the
! ltata enters there with ccntraband goods
on board it is probable the Mexican Off
GERS will turn the guns of the fort on her
and seize her themselves. The fort is not
a very powerful one, but is strong enough
to capture the Itata
1t is now stated that the schooner
Robert and Minnie is not the only vessel
that was chartered to convey arms and
ammunition to the Chilean insurgents,
but other vessels chartered are now un-
| willing to ship contraband goods, and
have put into Oakland creek on the other
side of San Francisco bay until it is
demonstrated whether such cargoes could
safely be taken out. The United
States district attorney has definitely
ascertained the roads over which a
large quantity of guns and ammunition
which formed the cargo of the Robert and
Minnie came into the state, and it is
claimed the federal authorities will en-
deavor to compel railway officials to dis
close the quantity delivered and those
| now known to be on the road 1t is
further stated that few days before the
| cartridges were bought in the East, a
| Chilean agent called at the Office of the
local agent of the United States Cartridge
Company and made inquiries as to ability
to procure 100000 cartridges of AZ caliber
inside of three weeks. The district attor-
| ney has had consultation with the
Chilean consul, and steps will be taken to
| seize guns and ammunition understood to
be on the way from the East
/ Ricardo Trumbull, a member of the
Chilean congress and partisan of the
insurgent party, was arrested last night by
the United States marshal for violating
the neutrality laws in connection with the
shipment of arms and munitions of war
on the schooner Robert and Minnie
and on the steamer Itata. His
bail was fixed at $4,000, and
was furnished with John and Adolph
Spreckels as sureties Trumbull was
arrested on board the Oakland ferry boat,
and was on his way to Washington City
to confer, it is reported, with the Chilean
consul. He was at once taken to United
States Marshal Longs office in this city
and made acquainted with the charges
against him. After his release he stated
that he had expected to be arrested, but
had made no attempt at concealment.
"Don't worry about this at ALL" said Trum-
bull. alt is a mere formality and means moth
| ing"
"will you make fight against the charger
was asked.
| "a vigorous one, depend on that Still, as
say, it amounts to nothing. have been shad-
! owed for several days, and this event was
| deemed a foregone conclusion by my
| friends. l am an attorney myself, aud
| A3oA
nothing in them by which l can
| be held. The government of which l have the
| honor to be o high officer respects the United
States and would break none of its laws in
| tentionally. We feel we in the right in
| what has been done and would do no differently
| If we had to do it over again"
"Wbst do you say about the action of the
| Itata?''
"NotLing; but l might add that there is
/ precedent for the action in the case or the
steamer Scandinavian, which put out OF the
/ Mexican port of Santa Rosalia with q Mexican
marshal aboard"
els the Esmeralda acting az the convoy of the
| Itata?"
| "That do not know"
! Trumbull asserted that if the Esmeralda
were acting as convoy, under no circum-
stances would she fire on the Charleston.
| BINGHAMPToN. n. Y, May 12.-Secretary
! Tracy is in the city. In an interview with
Republican reporter tonight he talked
| about the Itata incident. He secuted the
| idea that the Charleston was inferior to
| the Esmeralda. sit is true the Eesmeralda
| carries two nine-inch guns, while the
| Charleston's heaviest guns are eight-inch,
| but the latter has a larger number of six
| inch guns, while her armament was four
| inches thick and the Esmeralda's was
only one and one-half inches The
| Charleston is accordingly fully able to
cope with the Esmeralda as were the two
| other cruisers now on the Pacific. The
secretary stated definitely that the Charles
| ton has orders to capture the Itata
| wherever she may be found upon
| the high seas. He did not anticipate
| flight, but in case of resistance the United
| States cruiser would carry out her orders
| at all hazards. He was not at liberty to
state the exact text of the cipher dispatch
sent to the Charleston, neither would he
say definitely if the cruiser San Francisco,
now in Chilean waters, had been ordered
| to intercept the Itata.
SAN DIEGO, May 12.-The passengers on
the steamer Crescent City, which arrived
| from Cedros island tonight, report that
when about ten miles below Ensenada,
| last night, the cruiser Charleston was
| sighted far out to sea- As soon as the
| officers on the war ship caught sight
of the Crescent City they changed
| their course and made directly for
| her. As soon as the cruiser approached
the captain of the Crescent City raised the
| American flag and saluted. The Charlie
ston Immediately turned at right angles
and steamed away to the southwest and
disappeared beyond the horizon. The
Crescent City officers report seeing moth
ing OF the Itata.
/ Los ANGELES, May 12.-United States
| Solicitor-General Taft has been closeted
| with Attorney Cole and Marshal Gard to-
day. Burt and O'Farrell expect bonds
men to arrive from San Francisco tomor-
row. The sailors are in jail here and as
| vet no one has given bonds for them. The
/ examinations of ali the parties in the
/ Robert and Minnie case has been set for
| Tuesday next.
WASHINGTON CRY, May 12.-Up TO the
! close of business hours no news was re-
| ceived at the navy department Of the
/ movements of the Charleston. The Itata
! started from San Diego last Wednesday
evening, six days ago, and if pushed to
| the highest rate Of speed must be nearly
| out of coal, so she must soon put
| into port somewhere to replenish
her bunkers. The Charleston is