Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-05-09
-. Associated Pressl

Their Vessel a Pirate.
-.-r-.,6- Associated PressO
Nav S.-The trial by court
The men captured on board
an schooner Competitor OF
v-. Fa.. by the spanish gunboat
,...sr on April %, began in the
..s ms..cs at the navy yard here
,- rst'-a y o'clock this morning.
s13we was the first OF the
.-.-s-s examined.
..-.-ss testified that he was SO
ss,.s and that he came from New
s--s-. BE said that he left Key
r... .-f q passengers, who, at Cape
n, Obliged him TO put in towards
:. ..--s and forced him to take on
..-l arms ammunition and eXplO-
..s. saving that they would transfer
.s.. material 90 a steamer which would
-ss- -lem at sea.
Do did r1- fire on the Spanish gun
,r- Enough The men on shore did so.
Vear rrl- prisoner was questioned re-
r,-frg IN inSurgent flag which was
rI on board the schooner. he said
that h belonged 20 one of the passen-
s,-, man named Quesada, who was
among fac drowned.
DR. Elias Bedia was next called
.Bsla declared that he had repeatedly
,sasaI .1 take part in auy expedition
0 Cuba. and that he merely went on
board ,he schooner Competitor in or
ter .1 say goodbye 10 some frieniS.
Bgt. when the schooner left, those
,l's refused TO allow MIN % ~n
ashore and Wien they landed in the
cols -oi Cuba ne (Bedia). not being de
s-1gs Of landing. remained on board
,he Competitor until she was captured
and ha was made prisoner. He said
ihey iid not hoist the national flag.
TeodO-o Mata was the next prisoner
brought forward. he declared he went
O, board The Competitor in order to see
ue expedition leave. and that the men
on board obliged him to go with them.
VIM Gildea then testified. He de-
cared he was like Mata. compelled by
he others on board 10 accompany the
expedition. although he had only gone
% see them start and for this reason.
b added. he did not land.
John Milton. the fifth prisoner. was
-sn called I'D. and he declared that he
lso had been compelled against his
T.l 20 company the expedition which
b 1af gone 10 see start.
The prosecutor classed all the pris-
Cs-S as traitors and assisting in the
rurrectiOn. The schooner was class
q as pirate worth about $4,000. aud
nT1g on board an insurgent flag val
-si az one cent.
Asto Laborde. the prosecutor pointed
or that he was the man who had sign
q .1e proclamation found on board the
gio0aer when he was captured.
Referring 10 Bedia. the prosecutor
Sibe vas well treated while on board
a-i was believed to have been the OBJ
.a 0i the expedition.
The commander of the Nensajera,
Lieut. BUrOn. further testified that
VtIe pursuing the insurgents in a boat
with six men. some Of the flibusters
sore drowned and two were captured
F.le in the water. The men made
UNlers in the water were LabOrde
anil Illea The other three prisoners
were captured on board the schooner.
The pilot Of the Mensajera and the
'-eg O. that gunboat declared that at
natme -be schooner was captured she
sA 1o. showing any flag.
10 ll, defense. LabOrde firmly de-
cared that he had not written or re-
Fre9 The letters and other papers
'''l on board. and he had not signed
- l-2clmaJi0n captured on tho
Anmer.
--. prosecutor then read the penal
'',I- Of Iab0rde. showing aim to have
- q iorger. THE; and kidnapper and
.tai .s.,erS written by him on
me Competitor to persons at Key
' advising them OF the arrival of
Na-t11 in Cuba. In the name
Nng of Spain. the prosecutor
ma. ,he death sentence be inn
'.- Oh 3i the prisoners.
rardo. for the defense, said
.... 'id no- consider the prisoners
-. treated as being all equally
POP Instance. he said. il SEEM
" .aa' LabOrde and Bedia were
sun" than Milton and Gildea.
'a.on was only guilty of ex-
-... l..- ~ trying to obtain infor-
sa- Navarro approved of the
l,ena- being imposed.
..m2r,ial adjourned for the
- COCK without having ar
judgment on the cases.