Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-05-09
COMPETITOR TRIAL.
Fllibuslsrs al The Mercy Of a Span.
lSh Oufl-MartIal,
STATEMENT OF THE PROSECUTOR.
Tho Story Told by the Prisoners
Death Sentences Asked
For.

HAVANA, April s.-[Copyright, 1896,
BY iheA,sociaied Press. THE trial by
court.martial " tho men captured on
board the American schooner Compe'
tltof, OIL Key West, Fla, by tho span
ish gunboat Msnsajers, on April 23td,
begun in the court Of Justice at the
navy yard here, shortly before eight
o'clock this morning.
The court.mArllal was composed Of
Captain Emilio Ruiz, president, and
Naval Lieutenants Saturnino Montoio,
Antonio Martin, Posadilla Antonio,
Perez Rondon. Eduardo Atias, Sal
pado Diego, Canine 5uplonts, jose
ssvillAno n I'd Carlos Canine.
The prosecutor WAS Lieut. Miguel
sugTes. Beiote beginning their work
the members Of tho court assembled IN
tue chapel OF the navy yari aud TO-
yerentially witnessed tue celebration
IT muss, going thence directly 10 the
crutt Of Justice, whero many other
tfilcers had assembled. a guard Of
picked marine infantry soldiers then
brought IN the prisoners.
The frat TO enter the courtroom was
Alfredo Labordo, who IL ciassod ~ the
leader Of the filibustering expedition.
After Labotde came DR.. Elias
Bedia, a man named John Milton,
said to be native Of Kansa'; william
Gildea, said 10 be n British subject, and
reodoro aud Mats, described ma nsher-
men aud chased a. Witnesses, The
prosecutor opened the proceedings by
describing In detail the capture OF tbu
Connection. He said that Lieut.
Rutron, ia command OF the gunboat
MensAjsra, was notified by some ffh'
utmen on April 18th last that n suu-
plCloug looking schooner, apparently n
PILOT boat, was oil BurTnc0s. Tue
Monsajefn was heAdud Tor that part OF
the ooast,and when within hailing dis
lance u the schooner called upon her
TO show her oOl0rs. The schooner dld
not do 20, and the men on board Of her
Jumped overheard aud swan Tor tue
shore. Two oil the latter were seen to
10 down, ana many others may have
been drowned. In addition, two more
VI the ao-oalled fibbusters were killed
by the Tltlo Ore Of the crew OF the
Gunboat while trying TO reach the
shore.
The flllbusters wi no were already on
land, continued the prosecutor, opened
lire on tho gunbOat, but did not sue
coed In hitting anybody. The
schooner was then seized.
Lieutenant Commander Butronl con-
flfmed tho statements OF the prose-
cutOr.
Continuing, Lieutenant Butron said
lie found ON board the captured sch0on.
or number OF doeuments, inscribed
u Il classified; orders from Colonel
Munson, an insurgent oilitef; recon-
mendatlons from E'lrads, the insurgent
chief, TO CallazJ, another intufgont
leader; pTociamatloDH eigned by La.
horde, lists Of the members OF the eHpe-
ditlon aud OF the war material on
board, aud permit Tor the Competitor
10 be used AZ "lifeboat." Lieutenant
Butron also said that the wAr material
captured consisted OF sixty Remington
rides, forty oarbines, 200 pounds VI dy'
Mantle anu 10000 cartridges.
Alfredo LabOrde was the nrst OF the
prisoners TO be examined.
Laborde testified that he was 80
yeatH old and that he came from New
Orleans. Hs said he left Key West with
twenly.four passengers, who, ut Cape
Sable, obliged him TO put Ia toward the
shore and forced MIN 10 take on board
arms, ammunition anu explosives, say
Ing that they would transfer this mate.
rial 10 asteameT which would meet
them at sea,
Col. MuHson, LAborde addoc, landed
ON tue coast OF Cuba eventually, and
he (LRborde) remained on board the