Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-09
SECRETARY oLNEY PROTESTS
No Right to Court Martial Americans at
Havana
Instructions Sent to Consul General
Williams-Cases OF LabOrde
and Milton.

| respondent of the New York Journal,
writes regarding the court-martial of those
| captured on the schooner Competitor that
| United States Consul General Williams,
who entered formal protest against the
| summary court-martial of the Americans,
Laborde and l.. Milton. also declared that
! the schooner had been stolen from Key
West and the United States would demand
the extradition of the thieves.
| Mr.. Williams took no action on the per-
| emptory order of Secretary Olney, who had
| ordered him to make an energetic protest
| against any violation of the treaty.
Consul Williams and Vice Consul Springer
| yesterday went to the arsenal and saw the
prisoners. MIR. Williams learned there was
| to be a summary trial.
He Informed the judge advocate that he
| would not give the color of official sanction
4 to the trial by his presence. and also that
| ne would write an additional note to the
! general OF marine. protesting in the name
| of the United States government against
the trial. Mr.. Williams went directly to
| the consulate and sent a note to the gen
eral of marine. making a demand for the
extradition of the vessel thieves. This ex-
| tended to all the prisoners. The protest
| against the summary court-martial applied
only to Laborde and Milton. the Americans.
| The Spanish assume two positions regard
| ing the Americans. They claim the Cush-
| Ing treaty cannot be invoked because the
| prisoners were caught with arms and be-
| cause they were caught at sea. and the
| treaty applies only to prisoners arrested on
| land. who have compiled with the Spanish
| laws which require that American citizens
| be registered at the consulate and neces-
| sary papers of identified ton be issued by
the Spanish civil authorities.
| AT a courtmartial, which began yester-
| day, as telegraphed to The Star, Alfre 10
| Laborde was the first of the prisoners to
| TESTIFY. He said he was thirty-nine yea -
| old, and that he came from New Orleans
| He said that he left Key West with TWEEN
| ty-four passengers, who. at Cane Sable,
| Obliged him to put in toward the shore and
forced MIN to take on board arms. ammu-
| milton and explosives, saying that they
| would transfer this material TO a steamer
| which would meet them at sea
colonel Munson. Laborde added. landed
| on the coast Of Cuba eventually and he
| I-aborde remained board the Connect
itor. He did not fire on the Spanish gun
| boat, although the men on shore did So
| Dr. Eilas Bedfa was next called upon.
| lie SAID he was twenty-Seven years of age
| and medical student. He declared that
| ne mad repeatedly refused to take part in
any expedition to Cuba and that he mere
| iy went OH board the Connection i'm order.
| to say goodbye to some friends But
| when the schooner left these frien.ls ra-
| fused to allow him to go ashore and when
| they landed on the coast of Cuba he
| Bedla. not being DESTROYS of landing re-
| manned on board the Competitor until she
| was captured. and he was made prisoner,
| lie said they did not hoist the national
| flag
Teodoro Mata was the next nrisoner
| brought forward. He declared he went on
| board the Competitor in order to see the
| expedition leave. and that the men on board
| Obliged him to go with them. He added
| that he did not land. and asserted that not
| one of the five prisoners in court fred a
| shot at the EunbCat. Continuing Mata said
| that at Key West he wa, considered a sny
| OF TIE spanish government, and he further
| claimed that he had fought with the Span
| iards against the insurgents, and was known
| to General PratS.
| William Gildea then testified He declared
| he was, like Mata, compelled by the Others
| on board to accompany the expedition al
| though he had gone only to see them start
| ana for this reason, he added, he did not
| land.
| John Milton. the fifth prisoner. declared
| that he also had been compelled. against his
| will, to accompany the expedition, which he
! had gone TO see start. and that Iaborde. the
| commander of the schooner. was not aware
| that he was taking a party of filibusters
| Milton further said that he was going as a
| newspaper correspondent to the insurgent
| camp in order to interview the members of
| the insurgent government. He afterward
! intended to return to the United States.
Death Demanded.
| The prosecutor classed all the prisoners
| traitors assisting in an Instruction In
| his defense Laborde had firmly denied that
| he had written the letters or signed the
| proclama.ions found on board.
| The prosecutor then read the penal record
| of Laborde. showing him to have been forger
| thief and kidnaper. and produced letters
| written by him on board the Competitor to
| persons at Key West. advising them of the
| arrival of the expedition in Cuba.
The prosecutor thereupon read the formal
act of accusation. declaring the prisoners to
| be h!ibusterS. captured in state of rebellion
| against the Spanish government. and class
| ing the Competitor as being Key West life
| toat found landing arms and ammunition on
| the coast of Cuba. Therefore in the name
| or the King of SPAIN the prosecutor asked
| mat the death sentence be imposed ON all
| the prisoners.
| Lieut. Pardo, for the defense, said that he
| did not consider the prisoners should be
| treated as being all equally guilty. For in
stance, he said 1t seemed clear that Laborde
| and Bedia were more guilty than Milton and
| Gildea, and that Milton was only guilty of
| excessive zeal in trying to obtain informa-
| ton.
Admiral Navarro approved of the dea tn
| sentence being imposed on ALL
The court adjourned at ~ o'clock without
| having come to any decision regarding the
| cases.