The San Francisco call., 1896-05-11
UNCLE SAM--Wel you have done it,

years of age. The latter carried a satchel,
and was accompanied by a15-year-old boy,
who might have been his son. The Dali
zell then steamed out to the Laurada. and
the party climbed aboard.
On board the steamer all was quiet A
few sailors paced the deck, but there was
little sign of activity on board. AT that
time, 1t is believed, there could have been
no arms on the vessel as she was only
drawing twelve feet of water. Finally
Hart and his clerk climbed down the
Laurada's side and got aboard the Dalzell,
which took them to the city.
All this time there was an interesting
hunt for the Laurada's arms going on. A
steam lighter had been lying at pier II
East River, during the early afternoon.
On the Spanish line, pier 10, a party of
Spanish spies watched the lighter, while a
tug with steam up lay down at pier 8
ready to give chase in case the lighter
loaded and started down the bay.
A little after O'Clock the lighter began
| to load cases and boxes at pier IL. The
spies made dash for pier 3, got aboard
their tug and waited. Slowly the lighter
moved out into the river. Her head was
turned and she started at fast rate of
speed up the stream until she was oppo-
site Corlears Hook. Then she tied up at a
pier there and took on more cases and
boxes. The tug with the spies on board
followed, and steaming up the river a
short distance stopped and waited.
1t was getting dark when the lighter
again steamed out into midstream. She
turned and when she got Strengthened her
honQn ha into
white wake. The tug with the employees
OF the Spanish Government on board took
no chances. The tugs engine was "hooked
up and the chase began. Lighter and
tug sped down the river, lodging the
ferry-boats and other craft. The former
took the Brooklyn shore and going across
Buttermilk channel rounded Governors
Island. The tug was right in her wake
and was just about to turn back and call
for the United States revenue cutters
Chandler and Hudson. which lay at the
Barge Office with steam up, when the
lighter suddenly disappeared. She had
gone around Governors Island instead of
across the bay to the waiting Laurada.
The tug followed and saw the quarry
glide through the gap into the Atlantic
Basin and tie up. A few men disem barked
and in few minutes her lights were put
out and the basin was in silence.
The spies on board the tug were thrown
entirely off their guard by this maneuver
and steamed about the bay, around the
Laurada and back to the barge Office.
where, it is said, they reported to the
Spanish Consul, Signor Baldasano, who
was awaiting the tug in company with
United States Marshal Mccarthy and sew
eral assistants. They were ordered back
to Atlantic Basin.
When they got there a sight met their
gaze that dumfounded them. There was
the lighter still tied up, but her decks were
innocent of single box or case. They
had been removed while the spies were
chasing about the bay on another errand.
1t is alleged that the Excelsior made
three mysterious trips from the vicinity of
the basin to the Laurada before $50
o'clock, when she lifted anchor and
steamed out through the Narrows. 1t was
announced about the Battery that four
Gardiner guns, 400 cases of ANN unition,
and twelve long cases, supposed to contain
Winchester rifles, composed the Laurada's s
cargo. but this could not be verified. 1t
could not be learned for what port the
Laurada had cleared.