Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-26
STOPPED A PARTY OF CUBANS
Many Of Them Were Also on Board the H.
Tated Hawkins.
ONLY LEADERS WERE HELD FOR TRIAL
Charged with Violating the Neutrality
Lnws-Arrest Was Ordered by
the state Departments
Spanish Mn h Elnted.

1
Spanish Mn h EInted.
| NEW YORK, Feb. 25-The iron steamer
Bermuda, flying the British flag, was boarded
| and seized by revenue officers of Liberty
island last night. The Bermuda has been
| under the watch OF Spanish spies for some
| time. They had reason to believe 1t had
| been bought by Cuban revoiutonists and
was fitting out as filibuster. 1t has been
anchored off Liberty island since last Satur-
day, and yesterday there was evidence that
the ship was preparing for sea. At II
O'Clock, Just after a large party OF Cubans
had gone aboard, the revenue cutter Hudson
| steamed alongside and boarding party ar
| rested all on the Bermuda. At midnight
| the revenue cutter Chandler started down
| the bay to catch lighter loaded with ammu-
nition and took another party of Cupans
| who had started to board the Bermuda. The
| Bermuda, an English-built steamer. was re-
Gently purchased by a firm suspected OF
| being in league with the revolutionary party
| Last Saturday 1t was taken to the coal docks
at Port Liberty and there coaed up. Then
| it went to the Liberty island anchorage
| When the tug ran alongside the marshals
and Pinkerton men swarmed aboard. No
| resistance was offered by the frightened
crew and Cubans, who had just come aboard
| Every man was seized. Among the captives
was General Garcia's son, and several ether
prominent Cubans. Four bags of gold were
seized by the marshals, and a quantity of
| ammunition.
Commissioner Shields has ordered the re-
| lease of all the men arrested in connection
with the Bermuda alleged filibustering expe-
dition, with the exception of General Garcia,
| Captain Hughes and two other leaders.
These will be arraigned before the commits
/ sioners at once.
| The prisoners were released because their
arrest was in violation of the instructions
sent out from Washington last week by At
| torney General Harmon, that suspicion was
merely not sufficient ground for arrest, but
| that evidence Of intention to violate the
| neutrality law was required.
Besides the charge that the United States
| makes against the prisoners of violating the
neutrality laws, the Spanish consul general
| accuses them of the same offense in connec-
| tion with the expedition on board the ]. w.
| Hawkins. When the prisoners were brought
before Commissioner Shields, United States
! District Attorney McFarlane took charge of
| the case. General Calixto Garcia was first
arraigned. The charge of having violated
| the neutrality laws was read to him, after
which his case was set for hearing on March
| 3, and on the two complaints the bail was
| placed at 1000. Similar action was taken
in the cases Of Captain Samuel Hughes and
| John Brabazon. John d. Hart asked for a
speedy examination. III was SET 1Or FRIDAY
next The fifth prisoner, Benjamin j. Guerra,
| was also charged with violating the United
| States statutes in taking part in a m tary
| enterprise against the kingdom Of Spain.
| AS there was but one complaint against
| Guerra, bail was fixed at 81, 500 and the ex-
animation adjourned until March 3.
MANY WE'RE ON THE HAWKINS.
| Many of those whom the marshals took
| into custody last night are survivors of the
| expedition which set out for Cuba on board
| the steamer j. w. Hawkins, which craft
| sank about as soon as 1t put to sea, num-
| ber OF the party being drowned John d.
| Hart of j. d. Hart & Co. of Philadelphia was
! n prisoner at the barge office all the fore
! noon He expressed great indignation at
| the treatment he had received from the mar
halls.
! Il chartered the Bermuda, which vessel,
| I understand, was recently sold by Outer
| bridge to firm in Germany. / went aboard
| the vessel at 8 o'clock last night hearing
there was some trouble. When l went up
| the gangway l found about $50 Pinkerton
men, marshals and newspaper men on board,
| | was at once placed under arrest / am
still under arrest. The captain and steward
were taken eff last night and so was about
| $4,000 in silver. which has not been re-
| turned" Mr.. Hart denied all knowledge
| of what the cargo of the vessel consists of
| or that the people on board were flibusters.
Among the others arrested on board the
| Bermuda was Benjamin Guerra, treasurer of
the Cuban junta in this city. The money
| captured amounted to $4,000 in silver, in
four bags. The money. was in Spanish soils
and pesos. Tags on the bags showed that
| they had been put up by Handy & Harmon,
brokers Of this city Being questioned on
| the subject, Mr.. Handy said: 1--WE are con-
| tlnually supplying silver currency of the
South and Central American republics to
exporting houses in this city in amounts
Of all Sorts and it would be next to i'm
possible for us to trace the four bags that
the United States marshal holds by the
| marks, which specify only amount and
weight. The amount in the captured bags
$4,000 in soils and pesos, is worth in Ameri-
can money about 50 900, the sol being the
South American dollar and the peso the dol
lar of Central America and the West In
dies"
A. C. Gonzales, a lawyer OF this city con-
nected with the Cuban junta, estimated that
the expedition had cost about 100000. The
Cubans, he said. were by no means discour-
aged by the present disappointment in car
rying out their plans. There was no way
he said, of discovering who had given the in
formation to the representatives of Spain.
II am almost sure" he said, that there
are at least a half dozen Spanish spies in
the room with the prisoners. No one can
pick them out and their identity can only
be learned by chance incident or informa-
tion from outside sources. The Cubans can
play that game, too
MARSHALS MAKE A STATEMENT
The man who gave his name as Captain
Hughes was supposed to be the captain Of
the Bermuda, and the Spaniards were par
ticularly interested in his capture. 1t is
said 1t was he who conveyed the Martini
Calixto party and quantity of arms and
ammunition to Cuba and landed them be-
tween Guantanamo and Santiago.
Marshal Mccarthy authorized the follow
ing statement, made by Deputy Kennedy,
showing how the capture was made, and that
the authorities were acting under orders
from Secretary Olney at Washington:
"On February 81" said Kennedy, 1.-THE
marshal received an intimation that the sup
porters OF the junta were about to fit up
an expedition bound for Cuba. An investi-
cation was made and the report found to
be true. On February % Attorney General
Olney telegraphed that the Bermuda, lying
off Bedloe's island, would soon attempt to
carry men and ammunition TO Cuba He
stated that II there were indications to that
effect the marshal was to detain the ship.
THE attorney general. however, told the
marshal that he must have positive proof Of
a ilibustering expedition before taking any
action. He was not to act upon suspicion
Upon the receipt of this order a revenue
cutter was engaged and sharp watch kept
on the Bermuda. The marshal kept in con-
slant communication with the Washington
authorities.
For the past week tugboats have visited
the Bermuda with provisions. but until last
Aa N. a.t