Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-11
"A MYSTERIOUS CRUISE.
Two Steam Yachts Hired In a
 Suspicious Manner.
SMUGGLING OR FILIBUsTIRINe.

Rev. w. L. Moore Owned One of the Yachtr
 and Sent Orders to Stop What He Thought
 Would Re Unlawful work-The Amadl.
 Not ' 4sard From.
 NEW YORK. Jan. 1.-Two steam yacht. -the Lagonda and the Amadis-sailed trom this port last Friday for Fernandina, Fla, chartered, it was said, for a crnis: In the West Indies. Yesterday the marine underwriters who had insured the vessels cancelled the policies and informed the owners that they would accept no insur. Ance risk upon them.
 Both yachts arc suspected of having been chartered for unlawful purposes, and the Rev. William L. Moore, owner of the Lagonda. has had his fears aroused to such an extent that he has autographed to Fernandina to Captain GrifinR of the Lagonda to return to this port upon the first suspicious action of sfhe charterers. The Amadis, the smaller q the two. has disappeared since leaving here and last night there was not trace of her where abouta
 The circumstances that led up to the ac- tion of the underwriters are these: There came to New York about Dec 10 0 short, swarthy. we'll dressed man who registered at the St. Denis hotel as ID. c. Mantell. Central Valley" Nothing was known of him, and there was no one at the hotel who had ever seen him before. A few per sons visited him, and among these was N. B. Borden, Q tall, curly haired Eng tishman, who, 1t later transpired, was at one time English consular representative at Fernandina, Fla, and is at present en- gagged In the lumber, shipping and phos- phat0 trade at that port
 Hunting For Vessels.
 A few days after Mir Mantell's arrival here Mir. Borden turned up in the lower part Of the city. where the shipping trade clusters about the Maritime Exchange, and asked in the open market for a small steamship. There was no trading vessel for charter apparently that combined the requisites he demanded, and he then turn. cd bis attention to the yacht broksrs.
 HemAde known the fact that he wanted lafge sized yacht of good speed-one that could show her heels to tho usual run of steam craft The steam yacht Lagonda, owned by the Rev. William l.. Moore of S01 West Seventy second street. was in the market, and along about the middle of December Mfr Borden made a bid to char ter her.
 He told the brokers who had her for
 
 English gentleman about to cruise in the West Indies. The Engiish gentleman, MT. Borden, said, was wealthy, and while the price asked was no object he wished of course to get her as cheaply as possible
 The price was eventually fixed at @, 400 6 month. and Mir. Borden engaged her for that period. with the permission to hire her for longer time at the same terms.
 Then he announced that the English gentleman for whom hs had hired the yacht was E- ID. Mantell. But Mir Man tell never appeared on the scene here. It was said that he would board the yacht at Fernandina, and as everything was reg ular up to this point Mir. Moore was satis- fled. Mir. Borden appeared content also But in the light of moro recent events 1t seems that the Lagonda was not the only craft he had use for.
 He scurried around among other bro- kerS, and few days after chartering the Lagonda he made a bid to NJ. Hubbe, a yacht broker at g State street, for the steam yacht Amadis. owned by George Fl. Ktmball of Cleveland. For this yncht somewhat smaller than the LaTonda, be bid Sl, 400 for a month 6 use als6::with the stipulation that he might hire her for Q longer term or buy her if he would. He paid the charter money with O certified check bearing the signature "E D. Man tell, and said in explanation that he was hiring the yacht for him. 4 cruise in the West Indies was what Mir Mantell wish cd the yacht for and as he was in Q hur- ry to get her south the yacht was turned over to him.
 Asked Gould For Coal.
 The Amadis was lying at Rockland, Me. but Mir. Borden proposed to take her from there to Fernandina, stopping at this port and nt Savannah for water and coal The Lagonda. which was chartered by Edwin Gould last summer, was lying in South Brooklyn. and as there was some of his property aboard he sent Captain Nelson, tho yachts master, to put it ashore. While the captain was on this mission he met MT. Borden, and. as he says, was un- impressed.
 Among other things of Mr. Gould's on the yacht were II tons of coal. which Mir Gould had given to the captain. The cap tain offered to sell the coal to Mir. Borden tor $40, but Mir. Borden went, the captain says, to Mir Gould and asked him to give tho coal to him, Mir. Gould refused, and from that time on the captain looked askance at Mir. Borden.
 After getting hold of the two yachts NIr. Borden went about looking for crewS After many delays both yachts put to sea Where they have gone or why Is not known. Old salts who heard of the prep arations shake their heads and hdnt about filibustering, priyateering and snug