Evening star., 1896-12-29
TREASURY OFFICIALS DISSATISFIED.
They Think Filfbustering Has Not
Been Stopped AS II Should Have Been.

They Think Filfbustering Has Not
Been stopped as 1t Should Have been.
No information has been received at
either tine Treasury Department or the De-
partment of Justice respecting the sus-
pected ilibuster, Three Friends except
the announcement of her seizure, nor have
any special instructions been given to the
local officials as TO the legal course to be
pursued. The officials are not entirely sat
ished with the way, the business of IRE
venting filibustering expeditions from leav-
ing our ports has been conducted and il is
stated that Assistant Secretary Wike, who
is now in Florida will investigate the mat
ter.
here has made repeated complaint at the
State Department that some Of the govern
ment officers in Florida have money in
terests In some OF the steamers engaged in
violating the neutrality laws by carrying
expeditions to Cuba These complaints have
been forwarded to the chief customs Off
GERS in Florida, and while the reports ad-
init the fact of subordilates or members Of
their families holding interests in some Of
the well-known filibusters, it is claimed
that this fact has not had and could not
have any influence upon the official acts Of
the officials. Up to this time these state
ments have been allowed to pass as satis-
factory answers to the charges, but the
of11cials here are greatly annoyed by the
frequent successful trips of the filibusters
and 1t Is not unlikely more stringent meas
ureS to put stop to them will be adopred
Whether the subordinates owning interests
In these vessels will be required to resign
Is not known, but il 1t is made to appear
that any one Of them is under reasonable
suspicion, prompt action will be taken.
Told of the Three Friends.
: DR.. Zertucha IS now charged with having
given Information to the Spaniards con-
corning the Three Friends, as we'll as hay-
ing betrayed Gen. Maceo. A dispatch to a
New York evening paper says:
Zertucha had the complete confidence Of
Maceo, and was aware of the nature of all
the correspondence that passed between
the insurgent leader and the 1unta here
When Maceo received word as to the land
Ing point for the expedition, he co1fided
the news to DIR. Zertucha, as he did to the
members Of his stan.
At the earliest opportunity the traitor
communicated this information to the Span
iards, and the gunboat and launch were Sc
cretly dispatched to the rendezvous to lie in
wait. There is no other possible way that
the exact spot and time Of landing could
have been learned except through treach-
cry In Maceo's camp.
The statement that the San Juan river
was favorite place for fliblstering eApe-
dltions to land their carsoes is without
foundation. No other expedition had ever
been landed at this particular point before
The two Spanish vessels would not have
been waiting there concealed IL they had
rot known what was coming. 1t was the
merest chance In the world that the Three
Friends escaped. She came within a hairs
breadth Of being drawn into trap Just as
Maceo was, and by the same agency.
The rage against DIR. Zert lcha is growing
constantly since it has been learned that he
pointed out to the enemy the cave used as
shelter for the wounded, and was RESPONSE
BILE for their butchery.
1t was Zertucha who intercepted the
mails and cut OF the secret communicate
between the patriots and their friends I'm
Havana for more than two weeks. This
strange silence could not be accounted for
at the time, but now that Zertucha is no
longer in the insurgent camp the commu-
nication has been resumed, II is understood