Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-19
HOT AFTER F|L|BUSTERS
The Laurada's Masters Now on
Trial.
SOME DAMAGING EVIDENCE
By Members of the Expedition fNbo Landed
!, Cuba: Z
A PlNKERToN DETECTIVE sNAS ALONG
And He is on Hand Witt 8 is Part of the
Evidence Wanted Get Even
With the owf of the
Laurs s
PlNKERTON DETECTWf sNAS ALONG

New York, Nov. 1S-The trial of Col.
Emelio Nunez and Capt Charles b. Dick
man upon the charge of having engaged
in Cuban filibustering expedition in
May last was begun in earnest in the
United States criminal court this morn
ing. District Attorney McFarlan opened
for the prosecution. He insisted upon the
necessity of preventing expeditions
against the Spanish in Cuba, being sent
from this country If the United States
desired to remain at peace with Spain,
and as emphasizing this necessity, the
verdict of the jury would be most inn
portant. He cited the law forbidding the
filling out of filibustering expeditions
against country with which we are at
peace and reviewed the charge against
the defendants, giving in the course of
his remarks a brief history of the expedi-
ton which left American waters for Cuba
in May last in the steamship Laurada,
and Of which Capt. Dickman is said to
have been the commander.
Mr.. McFarlan described Col Nunezs
alleged activity in getting the expedition
away and told of the landing of a por-
tion of the men in Cuba He also de-
scribed the return of the Laurada to
Jacksonville, Fla, and the throwing
overheard of the remaining arms and
ammunition which had not been landed
In Cuba, owing to the appearance of a
Spanish man-of-war.
When he had concluded Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Hinman offered in evil
dence President Cleveland's latest pro-
clamation in connection with the Cuban
revolution. This was objected to by Mr..
Reubens. and was ruled out by the court
on the ground that the proclama ton was
issued after the offence charged against
the defendants. A previous presidential
proclamation regarding the Cuban mat
ter was, however, admitted.
Thomas ]. Dunn, clerk in the marine
division of the custom house here was
the first witness called. He testified to
having issued clearance papers to Capt.
Dickman on May 8 last, the ships mani
fest giving her destination as Port An
tonic, jamaica The vessel for which the
papers were procured was the Laurada.
Capt. Dickman, the witness said, took
the masters oath" as to the accuracy
of the statements upon which the clear
ance papers were issued.
James Quinn testified that he sailed on
the Laurada on May 8 last. He knew
Nunez and Dickman. The witness made
arrangements with Gen. Ruiz to go to
Cuba and had also had conversation
with DR.. Castillo regarding the matter of
going to Cuba.
DR. Castillo had also arranged for wit
Laurada. Witness said Bernardo j. Bue-
no and an American named Joyce were
the leaders of the party which were to
be shipped on the Laurada. He told of
eighty men going on board the lighter at
Astoria and being towed to the Laurada
at Montauls Point by the tug Commander.
He saw Col. Nunez, Capt Dickman and
DIR. Castillo on the Laurada and saw an
other lighter come alongside loaded with
bales and boxes. Witness said they
.A44x
ness said that there were twenty-five
boxes of dynamite transferred from a
second lighter to the Laurada, besides
numerous other boxes from which rifles,
ammunition, saddles, electrical appar-
atus, etc, were subsequently taken. Arms
ammunition and uniforms were distrb-
uted to the men and the men were drilled
by the witness two days, about three
hours each day. Then a Cuban officer
interfered with the witness method and
the latter refused to drill the men fur
ther.
Witness next described the two at
tempts made to land the men and arms on
the island of Cuba and the third and
partially successful one. He said that
those who were landed in this last at
tempt buried such arms and ammuni-
tion as they did not carry as their equip
ment and then proceeded inland, witness
accompanying them. After a march of
four days they fell in with troop of
Cuban cavalry with whom they marched
for twenty days until they reached Presi-
dent Cisnero's camp. Subsequently wit
ness received permission to return home,
leaving President Cisneros at San Bias
as spy.
On cross examination by Gen. Tracy
witness said he had been allowed to reach
Havana by permission Of Spanish gen.
eral. Then witness came to New York,
Consul Fitzhugh Lee paying for his pas
sage.
Witness said that there was a PinSer-
ton detective with the United States mar
shal who handed him subpoena in this
case at Boston. Three or four days ago
witness was brought to New York by
man whose name he did not know and
lodged in the Morton house. The man
promised to pay witness expenses.
Witness admitted that he had solicited
letter from Cubans In Boston to enable
him to sail on the Laurada.
And So" said Gen. Tracy, you got
this letter at your own request? You
went to Cuba. and you are here now tes-
tifying against the Cubans?"
In the course of his direct examination
the witness referred to the following let
ter he had received from President Cis-
neros, and 1t was offered in evidence
'Mr. James Quinn: l hope you will
never forget that Cuba needs the help
of every man that loves liberty. Yours
SALVADOR CIsNERos.
San Bias, Aug. /, 1885,
Under redirect examination, the wit
ness said that he had gone to Cuba with
every intention of acting right by the
Cubans.
But they did not act right by me. and
that Is the reason l came home" he
said.
He also testified that he had never seen
District Attorney Masfarlane before to-
day, and had not gone to Cuba to act as
a spy.
Gustave Rroderman, who said he was
a native of Cuba, refused to say whether
he knew Nunoz and Dickman or not, on
the ground that 1t would tend to incrim-
mate him. Witness said he was in Ha-