The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-05-14
ON TRIAL IN HAVANA
CAPTIvEs FROM THE AMERICAN
SCHOONER COMPETITOR.
Spanish Ganboat Captured the Other
Vessels with Arms and Mu-
nitions OF War.

justice this morning.
The prosecutor was Lieutenant Miguel
Suarez. Before beginning their work the
members of the court assembled In the
chapel of the navy and reverently Witness
ec the celebration of mass, going thence
directly to the court of justice, where
many other officers had assembled. A
guard OF picked marine infantry soldiers
then brought in the prisoners.
The first to enter the court room was
Alfredo Laborde, who is classed as the
leader of the nlibustering expedition. Al
ter Laborde came DIR. ELIAS Bedia, man
named John Milton. said to be a native OF
Kansas, William Gilbea, said to be
British subject, and fedora and Mata,
described as fishermen, and classed as
witnesses.
The prosecutor opened the proceedings
by describing In detail the capture of the
Competitor. He said that Lieutenant But
ron, in command of the Spanish gunboat,
was notified by some fishermen on April
25 last that a suspicious looking schooner,
apparently pilot boat was Off Berracos.
The Mensajera was headed for that part
of the coast and when within hailng
distance of the schooner, called her to
show her colors. The schooner did not
DC so. and the men on board of her jump
ell overheard and swan for shore. Two
of the latter were seen to 90 down, and
the others may have been drowned. In
add. ion two more of the so-called fili-
brsterers were killed by the rifle fire OF
the crew of the gunboat while trying to
reach the shore.
The filibusterers who were already on
land, continued the prosecutor. opened fire
or the guns, but did not succeed in hit
ting anybody. The schooner was then
seized.
Lieutenant Commander Butron confirm
ed the statements of the prosecutor. Con-
II ulng, he said he found on board the
captured schooner a number of docu-
ments, inscribed and classified orders
from Colonel Muisson, an insurgent OIL
Ger, recommendations from Estrada, the
irsurgent chief, to Callazo, another insur-
gent leader. proclamations signed by La
borde lists of members OF the expedition
and Of the war material on board, and
permit for the Competitor to be used as
'lifeboat."
He also said the war material captured
consisted Of 60 Remington rifles, 40 car
bines 200 pounds Of dynamite and 10000
cartridges.
Alfred Laborde was the first OF the
prisoners to be examined.
Laborde testified that he was 30 years
old and came from New orleans. He said
he left Key West with 81 passengers. who
at Cape Sable Obliged him to put in
toward the shore and forced him to take
on board arms, ammunition and explo-
sives. saying that they would transfer
this material to steamer which would
meet them at sea-
Colonel Laborde told OF the landing on
the coast of Cuba and that he CLaborde)
remained on board the Competitor. lie
did not fire on the Spanish gunboat, al
though the men on shore did So When
the prisoner was questioned regarding an
insurgent flag found on the schooner he
said 1t belonged to one of his passengers,
man named Quesada. who was among
the drowned.
Dr. Elias Bcdia said he was "a years OF
age and a medical student Bedia de-
clared he had repeatedly refused to take
part In any expedition to Cuba and that
he merely went on board the schooner
Competitor to say goodby to some friends
But when the schooner left these friends
refused to allow him to go ashore. Whom
they landed on the coast of Cuba he re-
manned on board the Competitor. He said
they did not hoist the national flag.
Theodore Mata declared he went on
board the Competitor in order to see the
expedition leave and that the men on
board obliged him to go along. He as
serted that not one of the five prisoners
in court fired a shot at the gunboat.
Continuing, Mata said at Key West he
was considered n spy for the Spanish
government. and he further claimed he
had fought with the Spaniards against
the insurgents and was known to General
Pratt.
William Gllbea testified that he was, like
Mata, compelled by the others on board
to accompany the expedition, although he
had only gone to see them start.
John Milton declared he had also been
compelled against his Will to accompany
the expedition, which he had gone to see
start. He added that he believed La
horde, the commander of the schooner,
was not aware he was taking party of
filibusterers until It was too late. Milton
further said he was going as a newspaper
correspondent to the insurgents In order
to interview the members of the insur-
gent government.
The prosecutor classed all the prison
ers as traitors and as assisting in the in
surrectlon. The schooner was classed as |
a pirate, worth about $1,000 and having on |
4 n.
He denied that Mata could be considered
a friend of Spain, as he was treated on |
board the schooner in the same manner |
as the other members OF the expedition. |
AS to Laborde, the prosecutor pointed out |
that he was the man who had signed the |
proclamation found on board the schoon- |
er when she was captured.
The pilot OF the Spanish gunboat de- |
clared that at the time the schooner was |
captured she was not showing any flag.
In his defense Laborde firmly declared |
he had not written or received the letters |
and other papers found on board. and that
he had not signed the proclamation cap
tured on the schooner. The prosecutor
then read the penal record of Laborde.
showing him to have been forger, thief
and lddnaper, and produced letters writ
ten by him on board the Competitor to
persons in Key West advising them of
the arrival of the expedition In Cuba.
Lieutenant Butron, recalled said he
could not affirm that the prisoners cap
tured on board the Competitor fired on
the gunboat, and the pilot of the Men
sajere. also recalled. declared the pris-
oners had not fired on the war vessel and
asserted that no cartridges had been
found In their pockets.
The prosecutor thereupon read the for
NAL act of accusation declaring the pris-
oners to be flibusterers captured In a
state of rebellion against the Spanish
and classified |