Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-29
FILIBUSTER SUNK.
Carcia's Expedition to Cuba q
Disastrous Failure.
NsURGEET CAUSE LOSES HEAVILY.


ing Hotchkiss Guns and Explosive Ma
terials. Goes to tho Bottom. and 12O Men
Haves Narrow Escape-six Men Drown.
Among Them a Chemist who Was to Aix
tho Explosivcs-llcrnand Story.
NEW YORK, Jan cat no time since
the beginning Of hostilit:es has thero
been such excitement Mt the headquarters
Of the Cuban revolutionists in this city as
there was yesterday when 1t was learned
that the steamship J w Hawkins, which
had been fitted out at great trouble and
expense as n filibustcr. had been wrecked
of the eastern end Of Long Island on Sum
day night and had been abandoned by tho
rcvolutionists and the crew on Monday
morning The news came as q thunder
bolt among the leading spirits in the
Evolutionary camp here, for the evening
papers in their late editions published o
report to the effect that tho steamer
Hawkins had been fitted out ut One Hun
drcd and Thirty-cighth street and the East
river. this city, with arms and ammuni-
tion, and this, II proved. was likely to get
the leaders into trouble with tho govern
mcnt.
Report Made to Minister Palma.
The story was to the effect that the revo
1utionary party had recently purchased
the steamer in Baltimore. She had been
engaged in the fishing trade, and was Of
1e5 tons net jose G. Hernandez, one Of
the fllibusters, who has arri we'd in this
city, was credited with having called ut
the revolutionary headquarters and with
cir do. full Nf l.,
and all the circumstances attending it to
the revolutionary minister, Palma. Tho
latter is said to have given him money to
assist the members Of the party who arc
now in this city and Boston. This was
not denied by Minister Palma. Herman.
dcz reported to Minister Palma that tho
rcvolutionists numbered about 10 men
and the crew numbered sixtccn.
The Garcias Were I'm Command.
Early Monday morning rough weather
was encountered and the steamer began
tn leak badly. There was over SS0UO0
worth of arms on board the steamer be.
sides two Ho.chkiss guns, 1900 Reming.
ton rifles and l,0JO,O0O rounds of ummuni.
ton. The water had gained so much by
Monday morning that the fires were put
ont In the engine room and the revolu.
tionists helped ut the pumps. Finally all
the arms and ammunition, including a
lot Of dynamite, were thrown overheard,
but even this was Of no avail and the shir
had To be abandoned. In command of tho
Evolutionary party was Calisto Garcia.
and his son, Carlos Garcia, was second in
command.
Hcruandes Talks to q Reporter.
a reporter got hold of Hernandez and
found little difficulty in getting his story.
Ho said the Hawkins "left New York al
midnight last Saturday from the foot OF
Onc-Hundrcd and Thirty-Eighth street,
East river. We put out quietly In the
dead of night. and in few minutes were
stcaming for the sound. We ran smoothly
enough. We had no trouble until o clock
Monday morning" Then he told the
story Of the fires being put out and the
throwing overheard OF the cargo which
was kept up until everything, even til,
coal, was overheard. But it was of no use
The ship kept ON making water.
six OF the Fiiibusters Drowned.
They had burncd,rockcts and blue light.
nll night. and about n. III. they sighte,
three schooncrs. who sailed rs close to tht
sinking vessel as possible. and after muci
trouble and danger the whole Of the crew
and passengers of the IIawkins-savc 81,
--wcrr safely landed on the schooncrs
The trip from the sinking ship to th
schooncrs was made in the boats whicl
wcrc all overloaded. In attempting {,
got into the last two boats six of the fill
busters wcrc drowned. "Onc," said Her
nandcz. was French chemist who wa
with the expedition to make explosive
when we got to Cuba. Another of thos
who wcrc drowned was n man named AL
vcrichc. He was "A member of the rcvolu
tionary party, rs were the other four VIII
went down in the sea-"
Cuban Junta Don't Know Nothing"
IL was learned at the Office o
Il. II. Dalzcll n CO. that their tug. whicl
brought Hernandez to this city was halle
by the schooner Lcandcr V. Bccbe fort
miles southeast OF Barncgat, n. j. Tn
Hawkins survivors on board asked to b
taken oil snd brought To New York Sex
cnty of them were trasfcrrcd to the Da
zcll and brought to this city. At the Gu
ban headquarters, 56 Broadway it wa
denied that the Hawkins was on its wa
To Cuba, and Minister Palma was ey
IDENTIFY afraid to- do much talking. sayin
that in his official capacity" he knew al
splutcly nothing about the filibustcrs.