Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-02-28
Big Filibustering Expedition Inter
cepted at New York.
Steamer Bermuda, Quantities of Arms
and Ammunition and Large Body
Of Men Captured.

McCaldin, which had carried about 60
Cuban filibusterers aboard the Ber-
muda. United States marshals and
employ of the Spanish government, aid
Ell in the seizure and took the filibusters
ashore. Marshals have been placed
aboard the Bermuda, which is lying Off
Bedloe's island, and her engines have
been disconnected, thus rendering her
hors du combat for the time being.
The Bermuda has been under surveil-
lance by Spanish spies for some time.
Recently she was purchased by firm
suspected of being in league with the
Cuban revolutionary party, and there
fore close watch was kept upon her
by the spies.
Last Saturday the steamer was taken
to Port Liberty, where she coaled On
Saturday last she went to the Bedloe
island anchorage. Clearance papers
were taken out Monday for the Ber-
muda to sail to Santa Martha, United
States of Colombia. A crew was then
shipped and everything made ready for
departure.
Watched by Spies.
The spies watched all this and made
arrangements for her seizure.
Early Monday night the tugs Nc
Cabin Bros. and William j. NlcCaldin
lay at q pier near the Battery with
steam up. This was noticed by the
Spanish spies, and also that men, sing
ly, in twos and in small groups went
aboard them. The tugs, after taking
aboard about GO men, left the pier.
On receipt of the news of the gather
ing of the filibusters United States
Marshal McCarty, with Deputy Marshal
Kennedy and Is Pinkerton men, all
heavily armed, Were quickly taken
aboard swift tug which the Spanish
consul-general, Senior Topelc, had ready
for the emergency.
Down the bay the revenue cutter
Hudson had been watching the Ber-
muda for several days. Capt. Bradley
concealed his vessel behind huge coal
hulk and not light was visible aboard.
The tug ran cautiously alongside the
revenue cutter Hudson and the officers
were taken on board. In half an hour
a tug was seen creeping up to the
Bermuda and the rafting of anchor
chains was heard. Black smoke poured
out of the steamers funnel, and there
was every indication of her hasty de-
parture.
The Capture.
The tug which proved to be the w. j.
McCaldin threw out her lines to the
,1yfn md %1,N
scrambling aboard. Then Capt
Bradley gave the command to go ahead
full speed and the Hudson shot out
from her concealment. She was bare
]y 200 yards from the suspected steam
er. The crew of the tug saw her COM
ing and casting off lines with all haste,
the tug darted down the bay with a
stream of fire pouring out of her fun
mel. The revenue cutter paid no atten
ton to the tug, but ranged alongside OF
the Bermuda. AS soon as she was fast
the marshals and Pinkcrton men
swarmed aboard. No resistance was
offered by the frightened crew and Gu
bans, who had just come aboard. Every
man was seized.
A number of marshals were left in
charge of the Bermuda and the Hudson
then started down the bay in pursuit
OF the tugs which had carried the fill.
busters. The cutter Chandler alone
Joined in the chase. They went after
the steam lighter J. S. Z. Stranahan,
which it was known had left the foot of
King street, Brooklyn, loaded with
arms and ammunition. The revenue
cutters soon overhauled The tugs and
lighters and brought them to this city
early Tuesday morning.
Gen. Calisto Garcia's son was among
the prisoners captured on the Bermuda.
All the filibusters were arraigned be-
fore Commissioner Shields Tuesday
morning.
A suspicious-LookingC Craft.
The steam lighter is very sus-
picious looking craft. Her deck is
laden down with numerous boxes of
various sizes, which contain arms and
ammunition. There are about $50
long, narrow boxes. such as are usually
used to convey rifles. On one of the
square boxes is marked in bold letters
Medicine" A deputy marshal is in
charge of the lighter and refuses to
permit anybody to go aboard. The
crew are all held as prisoners. Down
in the hold of the lighter are said to
be three Hotchkiss guns two light Ma
poleon guns and some riot guns. There
are said to be over 100000 cartridges
in the boxes. The Bermuda was still
anchored Off Bedloe's island Tuesday
morning in charge of the revenue cut
ter Hudson. Deputy marshals are also
aboard the Bermuda.
United States Marshal Mccarthy
went down to the steamer early Tues
day morning to make thorough
search for contraband.
The order to watch the movements
of the Bermuda came from Washington
last Sunday and was signed by Attor-
ney General Harmon. The documents
were addressed to United States Mar
shals Mccarthy, of New York, and Hay
den, of Brooklyn, and notified those
officials of information received at
Washington to the effect that the Ber-
muda was fitting out fol the Cuban ex-
petition.
Sympathy for Filibusters.
| There was quite gathering of ship.
ping men about the seized tugs and
lighter Tuesday morning and every
body, even to the government inspec-
tors, expressed regret that the ship did
not succeed in eluding the officers and
getting away. The men aboard the
seized boats did not seem at all appre-
hensiye. They saw the bermuda was