Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-09-26
CUBANS NOT GUILTY
The Jury So Declared on Mon
day, After a Delihefation
Lasting Fifty Minutes.
GREETED WITH APPLAUSE
The Marshal in Vain Tried to Stop the
Shouts Of Approval.
EACH JUROR GAVE HIS ASSENT
And Said That the Verdict as
Announced Was His.
.,FUEL TEXT OF JUDGE WALES CHARGE


End OF the Famous Trial of the Twenty-one
n Alleged Cuban FiIibusters In the United
States District Court-Fuli Text of the
Charge to the Jury by Judge waies-A
Verdict of Not Guilty After y Deiiberation
LASTING Fifty Minutes-Applause Greets
the Verdict.
a, When the United Sta tas court opened
Wednesday afternoon District Attorney
Vandegrift made a irief address to
the jury in the trial of the alleged
Cuban filibusters, stating that the gov
ernment was prepared TO show that the
prisoners had planned and organized a
military expedition and large quaint
ity of guns and ammunition were
found in their possession.
X United States Marshal Hewson E.
Lannan was The first witness. He told
the story of the arrest as has already
been published. He was cross examin-
ed by Senator Gray, who brought out
the fact that some of the Cubans were
arrested in the pleasure grounds at
tached to the hotel at Penn's Grove,
N. j., while the rest we're caught at
the railroad station. On cross-ex-
animation it was also brought out that
although Marshal Lannan had the
warrant in his pocket he did not pro-
duce it or read it to the prisoners when
they were arrested.
fDid any of the defendants ever lay
claim to any of those boxes you found
on the wharf and contained arms?'
asked Senator Gray.
"No, sir, !" answered the marshal
In whose custody were these boxes
when you seized them?"
They were in charge Of the freight
agent at Penn's Grove and were ready
to be shipped TO Philadelphia by the
steamer Major Reybold. y
did you examine the contents of
these boxes!'i asked Judge Wales.
rYes, sir. One box examined had
guns, another machettes, another cart
ridges" was the reply. M
Capt. Thomas Nicholson of the tug
boat Taurus, stated that the prisoners
got on his boat about 12 O'Clock at
night and also put on board the cases;
The tug was to steam near Gordon
Heights and cruise around until a
south bound steamer was to come down
the Delaware and blow three whistles,
when the Taurus was to go alongside.
Capt. Nicholson identified Ralph De
Soto as the man who gave him orders
in regards to the movement of the tug.
De Soto left the boat in the morning at
Gordon Heights. In the afternoon
Harry Graham, clerk for the Charles
Warner Co., came aboard and said
there was trouble in Wilmington and
wanted the Cubans to leave the Taurus.
The tug then went to Penn's Grove,
when the Cubans got off and the boxes
were put on the wharf, preparatory to
shipping them to Philadelphia. After
the men had got off the Meteor, with
the officers on board arrived at Penn g
Grove.
Senator Gray gave Capt. Nicholson a
very short ross-examination, after
which Robert H. Graham, clerk for
the Warner Co., was the next witness.
He made part of the arrangements with
Ralph De Soto for a trip on the Taurus.
He had his suspicious aroused after the
z boat had left and on Friday went to
Gordon Heights to get the men off the
boat. The witness got on the Taurus
with the men and went to Philadelphia,
where he consigned the goods to De
Soto Bros, by the steamer Major Rey-
bold. Graham was given only short
crossrexamination by Senator Gray and
no new developments were brought out.
Albert Stout, a clerk for the Warner
Co., testified that he had two colored
Htevedores to load on the Taurus 27
cases or boxes and a lot of luggage.
The stevedores were paid by Ralph De
Soto The witness did not see any men
60 on the boat but saw about ID going
toward the tug. Some of the goous
came from De Sotos store, while the
rest came from Bush's freight depot.
Charles D, Ritter, shipping clerk fol
George w. Bush & Sons Co., testified
that the cases that were given to the
Warner Co. came from Philadelphia,
and were shipped by William Sellers.
l.. p. Bush saw the boxes come of
Of one of their boats that run to Phila.
flelphia.
Court adjourned at A O'Clock until
Thursday morning.
The attendance at the trial of the
alleged Cuban filibusters in tho United
States court on Thursday was larger
Than that of Wednesday. Senator Gray
and the other lawyers entered the room
few minutes before 10 O'Clock, and
fudge Wales appeared promptly on the
A hour.
Sitting Just outside of the railing
we're some women friends Of the
pubans. Among these is one remark
Ably pretty young woman, who hai
attracted the attention of everybody IL
lhe court room. She is the friend oi
lhe De Soto boys, but who she is, is {
mystery. Among the other visitors
we're DIR. John Guiteras and severa
lther prominent Cubans of Phila
lephia. n
William Sellers of Philadelphia anG
Brandywine hundred was called tc
IDENTIFY the signature on the freigh
ill of the George W. Bush & Sons
10. Senator Gray objected and sale
was not the witness who signed the
lame of William Sellers. 1t was an
ther party of the same name. This
he defence would admit Mr.. Sellers
ras then excused.
John G. Bennett of the Wilmington
heamboat Co. testified that on Angus
Bth five boxes marked glass and three
,arked hardware came by the boa
,om Philadelphia and were consigned
De Soto Brothers The witness
iautifed a shipping receipt for th'
DXes "a
District Attorney vandegrift said b,