Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-19
COLLASEO LANDED.
Bis Arms and Ammunition Safely IN
Hands Of CubanS.
usronrASon OF EXPEDITION.
IL VIII Render the Insurgents Inde-
pendent for Time Being I'm Matter
Of Means with which to
right.

West Fla. says: The steamer Three
Friends, of Jacksonville. In command
OF Captain Napoleon u. Broward. ar
rived here at noon to-day. having sue
ceeded in landing in Cuba, General En-
riQue Collaseo. Major Charles herman
tiez, and Duke Estrada. besides hfty-
four men, taken off the schooner Ardeil'
from Tampa, and the entire cargo OF
arms and ammunition of the schooner
Mallory. from Cedar Key. 1t was by
long odds the most important expedition
that has set out from this country ana
the Cubans here, when they learned that
the Three Friends had safely fulfilled Ter
mission, shouted. viva la Cuba" until
they were hoarse. They declared that
II would change the character of the
whole war, as the unarmed men would
now be armed. and those without am
munition would be supplied, and that
Macco, who had before been wary and
cautious. would be more aggressive
than he had ever been berore. The cargo
OF arms landed by the Three Friends
and the Mallory was as follows
Seven hundred and fifty thousand
rounds of cartridges.
One thousand two hundred rifles.
Two thousand one hundred machetes.
-Four hundred revolvers, besides stores,
reloading tools. etc.
The Three Friends met the Mallory at
Alligator Key. The Ardell had just
finished transferring the men to her
While they were rendeZyoused there pc
hind the pines in a deep corai-walled
creek three big Spanish men-of-war
steamed slowly by. but they did not dis
cover that there was anything suspicious
looking in-shore, although. with a glass;
men could be seen in their lookouts scan
ming the horizon, as well as searching the
shore Sunday, about noon, no Vesseis
being in sight. the Three Friends tooA
In tow the Mallory, and steamed SOUTH
ward under a good head OF steam. Inc
Three Friends is a powerful tug, ana Dy
Monday night was close enough 10 the
cuban shore to hear the breakers. Several
shIp-lichts to the west were seen, one
Of which was evidently that of Spanish
man-of-war. for the ship had search-
light al her bows. and was sweeping
The waves with II, but the Three Friends
was q long way off, and had no hSnt'
and was not discovered by the Spaniards'
Alto o'clock that night, by the aid OF
naphtha launch and two Dig SURF
boats, which had been taken out OF JACK
sonyiile, the Three Friends landed the
mon and ammunition from her hold and
from that of the Mallory. 1t took four
and a half hours to complete the Jop.
There were hundreds Of men on shore 10
assist. and they did 1t silently, appre-
eating the peril Of the undertaking.
THE CUBANS OVERLOOKED.
The Cubans on shore recognized General
Collaseo Immediately, and no words can
describe their 10y upon seeing him. lie
IS q veteran of Cuban wars, ana Is one
whom Spain fears. In fact, II IS known
fact that during his sojourn in f4orlaa
he has been Swallowed BY detectives "ho
have been instructed to spare no expense
to keep Collaseo from reaching Nup@'
when il was whispered around that COL
laseo was really among them, they seemed
NOT to believe their ears. but came lot
ward and looked. and seeing that there
was really no mistake threw down thelr
arms and wept
Major Charles Hernandez and Duke Es-
trada were also enthusiastically WEI
coined.
1t was reported that night that Maceo
had received the arms OF the eApealtion
that set forth three days before tnat Oh
the Three Friends landed. This was not
that of the Commodore. for they reported
that they were now. ON the LOOKOUT ior
that vessel They said, too, that at the
end of the week four expeditions were
afioat. Two. including that or the Ihree
Friends. had landed, and two more "ere
on the way.
On Tuesday morning, as the Inree
Friends was returning, she slghteu a
steamer that answers the description Oh
The Commodore She was headed SOUTH
ward. and pushing along apparently at
the rate Of fifteen knots an hour. This
vessel has an engine capable OF driving
a shin twice her size, and has speed
of seventeen knots an hour.
on wednesday, March Sd. General Col
iaseo. Major Hernandez, and Duke fs-
trada left Tampa. and reached Jackson
vile the next day. They remained at tn. .
house of j. NJ Bars, incognito, until
the 18th. General Collaseo knowing tnat
detectives had been on his trail for weeks.
They intended to leave on the night OF
March 5th, but their departure was de-
layed on account of the capture OF tne
Nallorv until the 18th. After release, the
Mallory sailed with part OF the arms
seized at Cedar Key last fall. some on an
island some in house, ana some tnat
had been jettisoned. and had been re-
leased through the efforts Of n. >. Ru-
hens. general counsel of the Cubans.
THE ARDELL.
The schooner Ardell left Tampa the
same night with fifty-four men and
Brigadier-Generai Yasques. brother-in-
law OF General Collaseo. Five tons OF the
Mallory's arms and ammunition were
taken from her at Tampa ana shipped
by Knight & Wall to George Foster
Jr.. of Jacksonville. in q sealed car. with
Instructions not to open until called TOT.
When Il arrived at Jacksonville one oil
the clerks OF the railroad, not knowing
of the orders opened the car and UNI
loaded It IN the freight depot OF the
Florida Central and Peninsula railroad,
and this discovery led to all sorts OF
rumors getting afoat. 1t was known
that the boxes contained arms. for they
were heavy. and were labelled Colts
FIREARMS Company" They were
promptly taken TO the warehouse OF
Wightman Il Christopher. the junior
member bf which firm is known here as
the president of the Friends Of Cuba
Club, OF Jacksonville. The arms re-
manned In this warehouse until the night
OF the 18th instant.
Meanwhile, the Mallory sailed from
Tampa with the remainder of the cargo
10 Alligator Key. the appointed rendez-
vous. Alligator Key Is about 100 miles
south Of Biscayne bay. II Is a part OF
the Florida reef and being well wooded
Is a splendid spot for the purpose. There
the Mallory was joined by the Ardell
and these two waited for the Three
Friends.
This vessel left the dock Of the Alaba
ma Coal Company In Jacksonville at
O'Clock on the night OF Thursday, the l2tl
instant and proceeded to the dock in tn
rear OF Kohn, Furchgott & Co.'S, wher'
q large lfeboat was taken on board. A
8 O'Clock she proceeded TO the Wightmai
a (hriatoDher dock where she loade(