Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-09-04
CATCH FILIBUSTERERS.
Twenty Men Taken in Custody and
Ammunition ConfiSCated in
Delaware.

Washington, D. c., Aug. 31.-The first
information regarding the Cuban filibus-
tering expedition captured at Whining
ton, Del, yesterday afternoon reached
the state department today in the shape
of warning from the Spanish consul
at Philadelphia. Acting Secretary Adee
thereupon sent the following letter to
Secretary Carlisle:
1.-The Spanish consul at Philadelphia
is about to make complaint under oath
at Wilmington, Del, on knowledge and
belief that an armed expedition left that
port at midnight last night on the tug
Taurus to be transferred to a steamer
for hostile purposes against the peace of
Spain in violation of the neutrality laws
of the United States The name of the
steamer to which the expedition was
to be transferred has not been ascer-
tanned. The Spanish consul asks in the
name of the Spanish minister that steps
be taken to hold any steamer with a
suspicious assemblage on board and to
detain the Taurus until an opportunity
can be afforded to institute due judicial
proceedings today.
The treasury department acted with
great promptness. Acting Secretary Cur
tbs telegraphed the collector of customs
at Philadelphia, apprising him of the re-
ported expedition and instructing him to
dispatch the revenue cutter Hamilton to
Wilmington. The collector at Whining
ton was informed that the Hamilton had
been ordered to report to him and that
the naphtha launch at the Delaware
BreakWater quarantine station could also
be used if desired. The result was that
at $50 last night Mr. Curtis received
the following telegram from Collector
Townsend at Wilmington: Have capt
ured the steam tug Taurus bound for
Cuba with arms, twenty men and twenty
seven cases of ammunition"
Wilmington, Del, Aug. 31.-Three
Pinkertons accompanied the officers on
the tug Meteor. A quick run was made
the officers clearly discerned the camp
of the flibusterers. Lying alongside the
wharf, at PENIS grove, was the War
ner's line tug Taurus, in which the Gu
bans had taken passage from this city
at an early hour this morning. When
the Meteor left the creek she steamed
down the river for a short distance and
then turned and headed for the Jersey
shore.
The Cubans had evidently been warned
of the approach of the officers, for as
soon as the Meteor turned her bow the
Taurus left her moorings at the Penn s
Grove steamboat landing and started up
the river at a rapid rate. She was
signaled to stop by the Meteor and lay
to until the latter steamed up close to
her. A search failed to reveal any trace
of the Cubans. The Meteor then pro-
ceeded to the steamboat landing, where
the officers found number of huge cases
piled up apparently ready for shipment.
An examination Of the cases convinced
the officers that they We're on the right
track, so they proceeded to make further
inveStiga ton. In the meanwhile, how
ever. the Cubans beat a hasty retreat
and sought hiding places with the hope
of Guiding the officers. Some fed to the
railroad station near the outskirts of the
little village, while others attempted to
escape through the woods. The officers,
however. We're on the alert and succeed
ed in capturing the entire party.