The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-29
ANOTHER BLOW
TO PATRIOTISM
Cuban I'ilibuster Springs Leak Off
Long Island and Founders.
SIX MEN WERE DROWNED
A Large Quantity Of Mar Maaitioas for the
Struggling insurgents LOst--Ship
Saak il TKenty Minutes

I New York, Jan. &.--Joseph c. Herman
dez, a Cuban who was on board the
steamer J. w. Hawkins, an aged hllbus-
ter. which was wrecked of the western
end OF Long Island last Sunday night
told the following story to a reporter Of
the Associated Press today:
We left New York in the Hawkins
last Saturday night. The steamship be-
! Ionged to the Cuban revolutionary par
/ ty, having been purchased recently by
them for hlibustering work against the
I Spaniarls On board her were 12e men OF
the Cuban revolutionary party. In addi-
tiou to this was the crew OF sixteen men.
The ship was commanded by Captain
Hall. with C. H. CrowelI as mate.
I'VE left New York at midnight. We
put out quietly in the dead Of night, and
In few minutes were steaming for the
Sound. We ran smoothly and until .hc
next day we had no trouble, until
o'clock Monday morning AT that time
the sea was beginning to get pretty
rough and the engineer asked for help.
He said the engine room had sprung a
leak and that the pumps were choked up.
Two men Of the revolutionary party were
detailed to assist in bailing the engine
room out with buckets. The water kept
gaining on them. At last the water came
III 50 last tNdl Cdptdtn ran lOiQ US 10
tighten the ship by throwing over bags
OF coal The coal was piled on deck.
We threw II over as fast as we could
but # did not sem to do any good Then
we began to throw over cases OF arms
and ammunition, OF which we had a
great quantity on board. There were
over $4,000 worth OF arms alone We had
two Hotchkiss guns. some Remington
and Winchester rifles. and a million
rounds OF ammunition. In addition to
this there were 5000 pounds OF dynamite
and a lot Of raw material for making
heavy explosives. All these things we
threw into the sea. which by this time
was boiling around us and sending great
waves over the decks.
I'VE worked all night and, when day
light came. we had thrown all Of the
cargo and coal overheard Next morning
we were ordered TO take to the boats. We
got into our boats as fast as we could,
but there was terrible sea by this time
and the work was DANGEROUS and slow
was in the first boat. There were about
twenty men besides myself in that boat.
The other sixty or more men came IN
other boats. Six were drowned in trying
to get into the last two boats. The boat
l was in was picked up by the schooner
Leander Beebe, Captain Holmes. OF Bos-
ton. She picked up the first three boats
to leave the steamship. and the others
were picked up by the schooners Helen
NJ. Benedict. of Boston. and Alicia b.
Crosby. of Portland. Me.
I'VE left the ship at o'clock Monday
morning. and twenty minutes later we
saw her go down. She gave a great
lurch to one side and then settled into
the sea-"
There were no Americans on board the
Hawkins They were all Cubans who
had been enlisted in this city to fight for
the cause OF freedom for Cuba.
New York. Jan. Sat no time since
the beginning OF hostilities has there
been such excitement at the headquar-
ters of the Cuban revolutionists in this
city as there was today when it was
learned that the steamship ] W. Haw-
kins, which had been fitted out at great
trouble and expense. as a flibuster, had
been wrecked.