Evening journal., 1895-11-18
MADE MERELY A CATSPAW
THE SPANISH OFFICIALS SIMPLY
USING THE GOVERNMENT.

To Harass Merchantmen I'm the Exercise
it AS an Outrage hut Believe it
Cuitivates Sympathy for Them--The
Leon Agents Suffer.
The Laurada, In which the Spanish
consul has recently shown the llveliest
interest, is In the custody Of the United
States Government. having been seized
ir Charleston, s c. and Captain
HuR hes, her commander. Is in jail there
having failed TO give f3 600 bail Libel
proceedings are also pending against the
ship. the law firm Of Trenholm, Rhett
& Miller representing ] f Kerr q Co +,
OF New York, the Laurada's owners. the
claim being for $40, 600 damages Should
this libel be sustained, prominent law
yers say that many complications will
arise over the question Of prior claim
between the government and the
libslants
Colonel Emilio Nunez agent Iof the
Cuban revolutionary party In Pbiladel
phia, denounces the seizure as an out.
rage and says the government is being
made a cstspaw Of by the Spanish
Ambassador and Spanish Consuls to vex
merchantmen in the exercise OF their
rights. Be limited that there was n
conspiracy between the New York
people who chartered the Lsursda and
the Spanish Consul of that city
''WhY should the American Collectors
Of Ports put themselves about so much. "
exclaimed Mr.. Nunez, ito oblige the
Spanish Consuls and harsss vessel
owners and shippers on the strength OF
every foolish rumor that enters the
head OF Spanish Consult The absurdlty
of It lies In the fact that /, II so disposed.
could start such rumors, and they would
run right into the ears OF the consul
and then II the collector readily becomes
his catspaw, he can ruin almost Gny
| business man Just make II known,
please, that there Is nothing l could more
desire than that the Spanish Cousnls, and
officials Influenced by them, should 60 on
annoying American shippers and inter-
fering with the commerce OF this ana
other ports The commercial men can
see who is responsible for It, Only the
other day an important and perishable
cargo WAS held up for forty eight'hours
at the whimsical behest OF the consul. A
little while ago there was some dynamite
on cargo bound for Mexico, and at the
interference Of the consul the collector
undertook to meddie. He demanded pa
pers guaranteeing that the dynamite
should not got to Cuba He was told
pretty quickly that the shipper did not
care where the dynamite went after II
reached the consignee In Mexico, and IL
would then not be his business nor the
collectors business to inquire whore II
went.
"Let the Spanish so on vexlng Ameri
! can business II they wish to. l am glad
to have them cultivate all the sympathy
for us that they can. They have already
driven men out of the port. 1t Is Ic
light thing to hold up ships and make
them lose time on trivial pretexts.
Colonel Nunez says that General
Calixto Garcia is expected In New York
from Paris. shortly. Garcia Is the mosi
feared Of all the patriots and he will
be watched closely.
The agents of the Leon, which waE
detained for inspection at the Delaware
Breakwater. Reedy Island and Marcus
Hook. claim that had she not beer
delayed she would have arrived at hel
wharf on Saturday in time to have dis
charged aud cold her cargo, which. thel
say, has been damaged by the delay tS
the extent OF over $4,000