Evening journal., 1896-12-30
THE CAPTAINS STORY.
Alfredo Laborde Tells How the
Competitor Was Captured.
SAYS SHE WAS NOT A TnlBUsTER.

Declares Tha. after She Cleared He Was
Compelled at Pistol Point to Take on
Arms-He was Cruelty Tortured by
Spanish oEiesrs.
New York, Dec. sO-The Herald pub
ishes the following letter from Alfredo
1aborde, the captain Of the Competitor:
On April 10 was engaged to command
the schooner Competitor of Key West, and
On the 10th went with the owner and my
license TO the custom house to clear the
vessel for Lemon City tMiamD. We start
ed the following morning at O'Clock and
went out as far as the bell buoy. Finding
that the vessel was leaking badly, we put
back for repairs. had only four sailors,
and the pump was in very bad condition.
On Saturday morning we hauled on the
ways and remained there until Monday
morning at o'clock, waiting for the high
tide. We commenced at that time to haul
off the ways. At IL o'clock we hauled to
the dock to take on "a passengers for Lem
on City. They Mt once came on board, and
we proceeded on the voyage. Next day we
had head winds and anchored of Big Ba
hia Honda at o'clock in the morning
We were there until the following morn
ing, when we started again, at a. m.
We got abreast of Cape Sable at 9 o clock
in the morning, when it fell dead calm
again 1 was in the cabin, when five of
the passengers came TO me with revolvers
in their hands and told me that had to
give up the captaincy They made me
prisoner, not allowing me to go on deck.
At that time the mate was on watch at
the wheel. Five passengers went to him
and compelled him to anchor.
-. IL. srrffh
men and loaded down to the gunwales
with boxes and rifles We lay there all
night and got under way IN the morning
at O'Clock, when they came to me and
asked me the route for the Rebccca light.
l took the chart and told them the route.
They went on deck and gave the route to
the mate.
Made For Cape Antonio.
We arrived at the lighthouse the follow
ing morning at o'clock. There they told
me to steer for Cape Antonio, as they
wanted to land at Punta del Fraile, south
of Cuba, but this they changed TO Punta
Berracos, at which place we arrived at
noon on Saturday, 25th.
Before we arrived at Punta Berracos
they allowed me to come on deck to steer
the schooner, as there was no pilot aboard
and it was a very dangerous place to go4n
the channel. Then the party proceeded to
land, forcing me to get into the first boat
with them. The boats made about four
trips.
told the party that had to go on
board, because everything was too slow,
and 1 wanted to get away as quickly as
we could was allowed to do so and was
speaking with the mate on deck and tell
ing him that gunboat and "a LAUGH were
within five miles Of US, when the launch
came around the point and commenced to
fire at us.
The Cubans who were on board hurried
down into the boat and left for the beach
and shouted to me and the mate TO come
along, rs the Spaniards would kill us.
Neither of us would abandon the schooner,
because we thought under the American
fag. they would stop all their brutalities.
/ sent the mate down for the American
flag and when no came on deck he found
we could not hoist It. as the halyards We're
foui nfOund the topmast rigging and out
rigpers, so l sent the mate mp the rigging
lG6 he went up about / 3 feet and held the
flag He had to come down. however, on
.atcount Of the shots. Then / took the dag
and waved it from the rigging about 20
feet, but had to come down Immediately
ON account of the shots
We had a 90 pound box Of dynamite on
deck, and as the fire grew hotter we
Thought VIC had better chance in the wa
ter. The mate climbed over the stern and
started for it, shouting to me to follow.
This 1 did, with another Cuban.
A boat with five men in it left the Span
ish launch and followed us. Two were
rowing, and the other three were firing at
us as fast as they could. A shark caught
the other poor fellow about ten feet from
my side Then the men in the boat picked
up the mate first. / was almost drowned,
because / had to swim under water to
avoid the bullets.
Then the party went back to the schoon
or, where they made Melton, DR.. Vedis
and Maza prisoners. Maza said: Don
shoot us l will give you all the news yoI
wish"
"Jump overboardr' said the quarter
master, aiming his rifle at them.
Then they took us on board the launcl
and tied us up, and then proceeded to rol
the schooner, taking everything belonging
to her, S45 In greenbacks and even the wa
ter supply. They waved the Spanish tlal
at the topmast of the schooner. They tool
us on shore at Esperanza about o'clocl
In the morning and tied us up on tn
dock When they united us, we almos
tainted.
On the following morning they took m
on board the schooner Cabello Marino ant
tortured me by putting cord around m
wrists and then putting an iron bolt In
and twisting it until they nearly brok
my arms.
The captain of the Spanish launch, Car
los Buitron, told me l was pirate. an
swered that the schooner was not a pirate
and that she had her papers and was un
der the American flag.
where Is that flag?' he asked.
"You must have it, because the flag wa
on board tho schooner" " l replied, an
you must take down the Spanish flag fror
that mast, because she Is an America
schooner "
He told me to shut Up and not say an
more about being an American.
am going to shoot you down, b
said. Then he called sailor and sent fc
brandy and bandages to heal my wound
on the wrists, because they were bleedin
profusely. After that he took me on boar
the launch, where expected to be kille
at any moment.