The morning call., 1891-05-08

CONSUL CATION.
How the Robert and Minnie Escaped His
Detectives.

How the Robert and Minnie Escaped His
Detectives.
The dispatches received from San Diego,
published in THE CALL yesterday, stating
that the Chilean steamer Itata had put 90
sea, carrying United States Marshal with
her, did not cause much excitement or talk
among the merchants ON Change. Trade
between here and Chilean ports is very light.
j. w. Grace & Co., Thomas Bell, J. Z. Chap
man; Balfour, Guthrie & Co., Parrot &
Co. and Dickson. DE Wolf 81 Co. do busi-
ness with parties in Chile, but Only to
small extent, and inquiries at their Offices
yesterday revealed the fact that they knew
nothing of the trouble down there except
from what they gathered in the newspapers,
and that the trade between here and Chilean
ports is so small that it practically amounts
to nothing.
The schooner Robert and Minnie, which
was mentioned in the dispatches as laying
on and off the harbor of San Diego with a
cargo Of arms and ammunition on board, is
owned by James Neylan of this city. She
is OF niuety-nine tons gross register, and Is
under charter to Charles Nelson. Sho has
what is called a "coasting" license, and con-
sequently when she leaves port does not
have to clear at the CustOm-house. On the
departure book at the Merchants Exchange,
on page 164, under date OF April 23d, ap-
pears the entry, Schooner Robert and Min
ME- Captain Peterson, sailed for Eureka"
The employees of the Merchants Exchange,
it appears, did not see the vessel leave the
harbor, and the alleged fact that she had
sailed for Eureka they took from the Guide.
1t was known to the Chilean Consul here
some time ago that large quantity of arms
and ammunition was on the way 10 this city
from the East to be shipped by vessel to the
insurgents. Consul Cation has had detec-
tives constantly on the watch, patfOlling the
wharyes and keeping track Of the cargOes
OF all vessels bound ID tile Southward, and
has been in constant communication with
the Chilean Minister in Washington. When
the arms, consisting Of 5000 rifles, arrived
here from New York and were placed on
board the Robert and Minnie al Oakland
the Chilean Minister at Washing gton was
notified and wired back to stop the vessel.
In the meantime she had departed.
When news was received on Wednesday
evening that a steamer was seen Off San
Diego it was thought that it was the Pacific
Mail steamer City of New York, bound up
from Panama and way ports. but it could
not have been her, as she arrived in port
early yesterday morning, and could not
have been off San Diego on Wednesday
evening. The impression among shipping
men yesterday was that the steamer sighted
was Chilean man-of-war, laying TO inter-
cept and seize the Itata. The dispatches
state that when the Itata left San Diego she
steamed north, as if bound to this port, but
shipping men say that this was only a ruse !;
that when she got up the coast a little way
she would steam out to sea and then steer
down at full speed for Chile.
The Itata Is splendid steamer, Of about
1000 tons burden, owned, or was owned un-
I'll seized by the insurgents, by the South
American Steamship Company. She no
doubt was sent up by the insurgents to get
coal, stores, provisions, ammunition, etc.
On the way up she passed Panama, Cham
pericO, San Jose de Guatemala, La Litertad.
Acapulco, Punta Arenas, Manzanillo and
other ports where supplies could be OBJ
tained, but all the places mentioned obtain
their merchandise from this pert, and in
some the authorities, knowing her mission,
would not have allowed her to tit out and
In none could she have obtained full sup
ply.
In conversation with CALL reporter
yesterday Walter d. Cation, Chilean Con-
sui, said: g i am satisfied that the Robert
and Minnie had on board arps and ammu-
milton for the insurgents when she sailed
from tins port two weeks ago. The de-
tectives had been for some time on the look
out for shipments of this kind. but the
schooner loaded at Oakland and was towed
to sea at midnight by tug with all lights
extlDgulshed, and thus eluded detection.
The Chilean Minister in Washington has
been very active i'll all matters of this kind,
and while not knowing that he succeeded in
stopping the Itata, think it highly prob
able that 1t was through his influence that
the United States Marshal was placed in
charge"
1t is learned that the insurgents in Chile
have cut the telegraph wires and cable COM
munlcation is interrupted between this port
and Valparaiso except via Liverpool. Mes
saGes, however, go through as far as Iquique.