The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-06-02

THE BERMUD.d'S ESCAPE.
Was Chased by a Spanish Gunboat


New York, June 1.-The Cuban Junta
has received word from Salvador Cis-
neros Betancourt, president of the Gu
ban republic, that thirty-four members
of the last Bermuda expedition landed
safely in Cuba with $4,000 rounds Of
ammunition, one Calling gun, several
cases of machetes and quantity of
medical and commissary supplies.
This letter contradicts in part the
story sent out from Philadelphia to the
effect that the expedition was a sail-
ure.
The Bermuda sailed from PhiIadel-
phia on April 20, under the command
Of Captain O'Brien. Her destination
was Jacksonville, Fla. There she is al
legged to have shipped 100 Cuban revolu.
tionists and quantity of supplies. The
commander of the revolutionary force
was Colonel Vidal, an officer of consid-
! cradle professional skill and a veteran
of the Ten Years war.
The Bermuda steamed out of Jack
sonville under the command of Captain
An attempt was made to land off the
northern coast of Cuba on the early
morning of May A. The spot selected
for the landing Captain Reilly thought
safe from the interference of any of the
Spanish men-of-war. In this particular
he was mistaken. The Evening Sun
says:
The two boats had scarcely returned
after landing thirty men, one Calling
gun and $4,000 rounds of ammunition
| before the lights of man-ofwar were
seen in the darkness. All haste was
made to get the boats loaded again and
| landed. 1t was evident that the man
of-war knew the position of the filibus-
| ter, for she bore down on her rapidly.
A flash light disclosed to the man-of-
war the position of one Of the small
boats, and a shot came close from one
of her big guns
In the commotion that followed this
shot the boat was overturned and her
crew with the Calling gun dumped into
the water. Several men were drowned,
but the majority escaped to the Ber-
muda. The men in the other boat
landed in safety.
Day was rapidly dawning and as soon
as the men from the swamped boat got
aboard the Bermuda made all haste to
leave taking with her Colonel Vidal,
fifty men, 100, 900 rounds of ammunition
and some of the small arms.
She was closely followed by the man
of-war which kept up an incessant fire
from her large and small guns.
CAPTAIN Reilly succeeded in escaping
| by steering for shallow water, into
which the man-of-war could not pur-
sue him without running the risk of
grounding.
In the excitement of the pursuit of
the Bermuda the men who landed made
| their escape with arms and supplies
from the shore, and after enduring
many hardships Joined one of the in
surgent detachments sent to that To-
cality in anticipation of the appearance
| of the Bermuda.
| The disappearance of Barrancco &
| Co.'s mail box from 1872 Water street,
containing the correspondence of Ben
| iamin Guerra, treasurer of the Cuban
| Junta, was not the work OF Spanish
spies. A painter named Schmidt occu-
MED a floor above Barrancco Il Co. In
moving one Of his paint counters on
| Saturday afternoon the mail box was
scraped from it's fastenings in the hall
way. Schmidt took it up into his office
| for safe keeping. He returned 1T to
| Barrancco & Co. to-day.
Senior Guerra said this morning that
| the Cuban Junta's financial affairs
| were never in a more fourishing con-
| dition.
1--WE have money sufficient to meet
our Immediate needs" he declared,
land we expect the receipts from the
| Cuban fair will be large.
| ''The people have responded gener-
ously and we feel very grateful toward
| them. I don't know what the exact re-
| ceipts are. That is in the hands of a
| committee of which ]. Pierra is chair
man. While we are in fairly good finan-
| ciaI condition Just now, we still need
money We are fighting an obstinate
| and enterprising enemy who is inspired
| with the courage of desperation. Spain
| is fighting to retain Cuba as she never