New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-26
STORY OF THE ITATA'S ARMS.
THEY WE'RE PURCHASED WITH EUROPEAN
MONEY.

MONEY.
GEORGE A. BURT, WHO WAS INDICTED FOR HIS
CONNECTION WITH THE AFFAIR, TELLS
PART OF WHAT HE KNOWS ABOUT IT.
THE GOODS WE'RE TRANssHIPPED
IN AMERICAN WATERS.
Tn one of the uptown hotels last night there
was seated tall, erect man with blond mus
tache who was pointed out 90 a Tribune reporter
as George A. Burt. the former superintendent OF
the Panama Railroad He was recently indicted
IN San Francisco for shipping arms on the
schooner Robert and Minnie. which were sub
seouently transferred to the Itata. Mr.. Burt
in conversation with the reporter said regarding
the recent international complications caused by the
I,a.a incident liam the man who shipped the
arms on the Robert and Minnie was in Bolivia
,vben tbe first mutterings of the coming revou-
,;on IN Chilli were heard. l was here on my way
to Furope in behalf Of certain Bolivian interests,
when was stopped by messenger from my friends
IN Chill. who asked that l send to them cargo
Of arms. l, for the love felt for the cause and
for the personal friendship ! felt for those who
sent me the telegram, stayed here. / took Ger
rain quantity of arms from New-York to San
Francisco and shipped them there to
certain parties in Chill. They were
10 be taken by an old Chilian transport, the
Itata. from the schooner. / made no secret OF
the shipment excepting that l tried to keep the
news of it away from the agents of Bamaceda
in this country, for fear that one of bis ships
would overhaul the Itata and steal the ayms, as
had been threatened.
"The arms, after arriving at San Francisco,
were shipped aboard the Robert and Minnie The
schooner left there to meet the Itata on April
no Cd IN larDOr
south side Of Catalina Island. There she
was boarded by United States Custom
Uouse officers and held by them until
May l. Then, after telcgraphing TO Washington
and receiving an answer, the officers released her
and allowed her TO sail. Catalina Island is IN the
jurisdiction of Wilmington, the port of entry Of
the city of San Pedro. in the southern part OF
California. The Robert and Minnie sailed to San
Clemente Island, which is somewhat further 10
the southwark At that point she was met by
the Itata, and the arms were transferred to that
ship.
II believe that have violated no princi-
ple Of international law in what l have
done. During my superntendency of the
Panama Railroad | was constantly called
upon 10 pass on the question of the right of trans
shipment Of arms made an especial study Of
the question then aud never have l knowingly
violated any neutrality lave The count on which
! am indicted is 'arming and equipping OF the
Itata did not arm or equip the tata The
arms we've for the use of the constitutional troops
In Chill, and were in the original packages when
they were shipped on board the Robert ana
Minnie and are in the original packages to-day
say these arms were for the use OF the Chlhah
revolutionists and in my own mind believe
they were but shipped them 20 responsible per-
sons in Chill, and was told nothing about their
/ i
not arm nor equip any vessel in port OF the
United States to prey upon the commerce OF or
carry against friendly Power
"Now a word about tsse sailing Of the ltatss from
San Diego The facts are these: The man VINO
was put on board the Itata as Deputy Marshal
Of The United States was private detective, VINO
went down from an agency in San Francesca
This effective agency was employed by the repre-
bentatives of Balmaccda in this country Nmle the
Itata was cJalins 81 ton more uhah
the Chilians were paying was offered by the
detective if the coal should be sold TO his prlh-
cipals instead of to the captain of the Itata The
offer was Indignantly refused by the commercial
house in San Diego which was selling the coal.
Meantime every effort had been made to get
the authorities at Washington TO seize the ltata.
Finally dispatch came directing that the ltata
be held The United States Marshal for the
district in which San Diego is situated then
wrote on the letter-head of the hotel where he
was stayine an order for the private detective
mentioned before 10 seize the ltata. The de-
tective went on board but never took formal
possession of the ship Furthermore. the instruc-
tions of the United States Marshal were TO detain
the vessel and not to seize her, If the Itata had
violated any law of the United States. it is in
sailing without her clearance papers. For this
she is liable TO a fine Of $500
has lnNp r1r0in
people who furnished the money to buy the arms
which were shipped by the Robert and
Minnie. probably know as much
about that anybody, and j
assure YOU that the credits were established in
Europe. | do not feel at liberty to say in what
part of Europe-it may have been in England or
on the Continent-the money for the purchase
was furnished. No New.York firm had any hand
in the matter AS for myself, ] have violated no
international law. l have acted in accordance
with it, and if l have maintained any secrecy
In regard to the shipment of the arms which were
tn the Robert and Minnie, it was because those
arms might have been seized the ocean by
O ship of Balmaceda's navy, and the seizure might
have been justified on the ground that they were
cOntraband Of war. This is my statement of the
case and / can say. with Martin Luther, Here
stand l. God help me, could do no otherwise"
MI Bart Is b aDoGT his rcent manaoement of
the Panama Railroad. In 1855 his maine came
before the State Department on account OF his
treatment of a man named Van Messer Van
Messer, after the burning and sacking of
Colon by Preston, gathered crowd around
him. and made speech In which
lie uttered things which cannot be printed con-
oerning the American flag Mr. Burt took Van
Messer 10 his house, and then, with loaded pistol
at his head, he made the man who had 50 VlllIied
The American flag get on his knees and kiss the gO-
rous emblem three times Van Messer came 70 the
United States on the first steamer that left Colon
and tried 10 get the State Department 10 take
action in the case. No action was taken.