The Anaconda standard., 1896-05-09
BY SPANISH JUSTICE
The Trial of the Men Captured on The
Schooner Competitor.
COURT MARTIAL IN HAVANA
All the Men Are AdJudged Equally
Guilty of Conspiracy Against
the King-1 he Testimony
of Witnesses.
COURT MARTIAL IN HAVANA

ACy "CCts II Ao-s w eAC oPohaSAA 81
boat Mensjere on April 80, began in
the court of justice this morning. The
prosecutor was Lieutenant Miguel
Suarez. Before beginning their work,
the members of the court assembled
in the chapel of the navy yard and wit
messed the celebration of mass, going
thence directly to the court of justice,
where many other officers had assem-
bled. guard of picked marine in
fantry soldiers then brought in the
prisoners. The first to enter the court
room was Alfredo Laborde, who Is
classed as the leader of the fiilibuster-
ing expedition. After Laborde came
DIR. Elias Bedia, a man named John
Milton, said to be a native of Kansas;
William Gildea, said to be British
subject, and Teodora Mata, described
as a fisherman
The prosecutor opened the proceed
ings by describing in detail the cap
ture of the Competitor. He said that
Lieutenant Butron, in command of the
gunboat Mensjere, was notifed py
some fishermen on April 70 last tnat
a suspicious looking schooner, appar-
emily a pilot boat, was off Berracos.
The Mensjere was headed for that part
of the coast and when within hadling
distance of the schooner called her to
show colors The schooner did not do
SO. and the men on board of her jump
ed overheard and swan for the shore
Two of the latter were seen to go down
and others may have been drowned
In addition, two more OF the so-calied
filibustcrers were killed by rife fire Of
the crew of the gurboat while trying
| to reach the shore.
The filibusterers who were already on
| land, contineud the prosecutor, opened
| fire on the gunboat, but did not sue
ceed in hitting anybody. The schooner
was then seized. Lieutenant Com
| mander Butron confirmed the state
| ments of the prosecutor. Continuing
Lieutenant Butron said he found on
board the captured schooner a number
| of documents, inscribed and classifed,
| orders from Colonel Munson, an in
surgent chief to Callazo, another In
surgent leader; proclamations signeo
by Laborde; lists of members OF the
expedition and war material on ooaro,
and a permit for the Competitor 70 De
used as life boat" Lieutenant Bu-
tron also said the war materiai cap
| tured consisted of so Remington rifles
40 carbines, 200 pounds of dynamite
and so, 900 cartridges.
| Alfredo Laborde was the first or the
| prisoners to be examined.
Laborde testified that he was 35 years
| old and came from New Orleans. He sale
he left Key West with "a passengers
/ who. at cape SaDlep ODliBCd " PN
| In towards the shore and forced him tt
| take on board arms, ammunition and ex
| plosives. saying that they would trans
| fer the material to steamer whlcf
would meet them at sea-
Colonel Munson, Laborde added, landed
on the island of Cuba eventually ana M
| Gaborde) remained on board the snip
| He did not fire on the Spanish gunboat
| although men on shore did so. When tn
| prisoner was questioned regarding an In
| surgent flag found on the schooner III
said IL belonged to one of his passengers
a man named Quesada who was among
the drowned.
DR.. Elias Bedia said he was 81 year
old and a medical student. Bedia de
clared he had repeatedly refused to TAX
part in any expedition to Cuba, an'
that he merely went on board the schoon
er Competitor to say goodbye to som
friends But when the schooner lef
these friends refused to allow him to e.
ashore. When they landed on the coas
OF Cuba he remained on board the Com
petitor. He said they did not hoist tn
national flag.
Theodore Mata declared he went o.
board the Competitor in order to see tn
| expedition leave and that the men o.
board obliged him to go along. He as
| serted that no one of the fve prisoner
in court fired a shot at the gunboat. Con
tinuing Mata said at Key West he wa
considered a spy of the Spanish govern
ment. and he further claimed he ha
fought with the Spaniards against tn
. insurgents and was well known to Ger
eral Prats.
William Gildea testified that he wa.
like Mata, compelled by the others o
board to accompany the expedition, a
though he had only gone to see theI
start
49,, Nau.o, aaoiarad ba aIso bad hae
compelled, against his will, to accom-
pany the expedition, which he had gon
to see start. He added that he believe
Laborde, the commander of the schoone
was not aware that he was taking a paI
ty of flibusters until IL was too lat
Milton further said he was going as
newspaper correspondent to the insul
gent camp in order to interview the men
, bers of the insurgent government
The prosecutor classed all the prisoner
! as traitors and as assisting in the insul
rection The schooner was classed as
pirate. worth about 81 900, and having O
board an insurgent flag valued at cen
' He denied that Mata could be considere
Z a friend of Spain. as he was treated c
D board the schooner in the same mann'
as the other members of the expedition
As to Laborde, the prosecutor pointed ol
e that he was the man who had signed Il
c proclamation found on board the school
er when he was captured
The pilot of the Mensjere and n
crew of that gunboat declared that II
time the schooner was captured 81
v was not showing any flag. In his d.
( fense Laborde firmly declared he ha
h not written or received the letters ar
other papers found on board and tn
he had not signed the proclamatio
: captured on the schooner.
The prosecutor then read the pen
record of Laborde, showing him TO ha'
: been a forger thief and kidnapper al
produced letters written by him
board the Competitor 10 persons
! Key West advising them OF the
! rival of the expedition in Cuba
Lieutenant Butron, recalled. said
could not affirm that the prisoners ca
, tured on board the Competitor fired {
the gunboat and the pilot Of the Men
iere. also recalled. declared the pr
oners had not fired on the war vesse