The morning call., 1891-07-08
THE ITATA'S FATE.
Charges Filed by the Government Against tn
Insurgent Steamer.

Insurgent Steamer
SAN DIEGO, July 7. - United States
| Marshal Gard arrived from Los Angeles
last night He has taken no action as re-
| CARDS the Itata, and said to the Associated
| Press agent this morning that the vessel
woald be left in charge of Collector of the
| Port Berry until Unitet States District At
| tOrney Cole had prepared the papers in the
| case.
THE CHARLEsroN's CREW DISSATISFIED.
The cruiser Charleston came into the
| harbor this morning and is now anchored in
the stream. She was visited by thousands
OF people to-day, some coming from Los
Angeles and other points to see her. she
| lies close TO the Itata, which is being still
| closed to the public. This morning the men
made a demand upon the Payniaster for
their pay and the promised forty-eight
! hours ashore. These requests were both re-
| fused. The men also complain of the food,
| claiming that the officers take all the fresh
| fruit, vegetables, etc, and keep the men On
hard-tack. They declare that half of the
crew will desert on the first opportunity
The officers belittie the discomfort, but ad-
nit having noticed the men gathering in
the forecastle and discussing something
eagerly.
THE ITATA's ARMAMENT.
Marshal Card insists that his statement
about the Itata arms is correct. In au inter-
view he says: The Esmeralda carried
crew of 800 men all told. She had sixteen
guns of various caliber. The 1tata was
| also well armed. She carried, when she
sailed out of the bay. a crew of ninety ordi-
nary men and sixty soldiers. The officers
and other prominent men were dressed in
| citizen clothes and were shipped as passcn-
gers for San Francisco. The greater
number of these men were secreted
etc, was passed 10 them regularly.
| Captain Manner was simply sailing
| master; the real commander was Silva
Palma, who commands the gun-ship Es-
| meralda, Captain Tejeda of the Itata har-
| ing exchanged places with him off Cape st.
Lucas on the way Up from Chile. The Itata
carried four 60-pounder guns, one Gatling
! gun, one brass cannon. sixty new rifles,
presumably the equipment of sixty men,
| and 2G0 old rifles. These she had when she
entered, and when she left the POI t of San
Diego, and Of this l have abundance Of evil
| dence. The cannon and men were trans
| terred from the Esmeralda at IQuiQue be-
| fore the two vessels left for the north, the
Esmel aida coming as far as Cape St Lucas.
VIOLATION OF THE NEUTRALITY LAWS.
| The Itata will be libeled. The United States
| District Attorney is now preparing the
! necessary documents in the case She has
| violated the neutrality laws. The arms
and ammunition were transferred from the
Robert and Minnie on May Z, 1891, in the
| southeast hafbor of San Clemente Island,
and that is within United States jurislic-
| ton, q plain violation of the neutrality
| laws. III she has not got the same number
| OF guns as she had on leaving the Robert
and Minnie she certainly has unloadcd some
| OF them, and II she no longer has any
| canDons they too were disposed of. Those
| cannons were down in the hold, where they
were concealed by canvas. / have plenty
| of witnesses who saw them and who will be
produced when the proper time arrives. 1t
now looks as though the Itata would remain
| several months.
| No orders have been received by the
| Charleston yet. Her officers now expect to
| remain here some time and will receive visi-
| tors daily until fu ther notice.
| GARD WILL HOLD THE ITATA.
| Marshal Gard says he will seize the Itata
| in the morning. The officers of the Itata
oner to pay 5000, the penalty for sailing
without clearance papers, and it is under
stood that orders have been received from
| Washington 30 accept it and discharge Man.
| zen and Tejeiia. Gard will then reseize her.
The United States District Attorney is now
preparing ths papers upon three charges
| hrst, clearing without the proper papers !;
second, kidnapping Deputy United States
Marshal thlrd, violating the neutrality laws
| He will take her Immediately upon her re-
lease by the custom officers and put an Of
hcer in charge. He says tho action is
| against the vessel and not against the men,
Manzen and Tejeda went to Los Angeles
| yesterday tO.interyiew Stephen NJ White.
4
but Tejeda Is still there. The dismissal of
the case against the Robert and Minnie has
| no bearing UpOn this ease. Gard has abund-
| ance OF proof that the international laws
have been violated. He has the testimony
| of Pilot Dill the Robert and Minnie officers,
| the two Itaia deserters now in Los Angeles
| jail aud the coal-heavers as to the presence
| OF the concealed men and arms.
| THE EVIDENCE REMOVED.
| He also says the absence of all provisions
marked Esraeralda and arms show that a
| transfer must have been made at the meet
| ing place off Acapulco. He explains that
| the captains of the Esmeralda and Itata
changed ships before tile visit to San Diego,
and the transfer of soldiers and guns was to
enable the ltata to defend herself if attacked
by Bnlmaceda gunboats and to aid the Es-
meralda If attacked. At the meeting
OIL Acapulco the plan was evil
IDENTIFY arranged to 60 to Tocapilla,
also friendly port, and then put
ashore such provisions and arms as
could be spared and quietly go to Iquique
and surrender. The Esmeralda had access
to the wires at Acapulco, and knew of the
| pursuit of the Charleston and the orders
sent to Admiral Mccain to seize the Itata,
| therefore 1t was an easy matter to make the
best OF bad job and give up the boat.
| rather than risk complications with the
| United States. by transferring all the
| goods marked Esmeralda and the guns she
would strengthen her claims to be a mere
merchantmen. This she did, and thus de-
trGyed important evidence.
|