The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-26
CUBAN FILIBUSTERS CAUGHT.
MARsHALs swOOP DOWN ON THEM
IN NEW YORK HARBOR.

and q steam Lighter iniphcDteu IN
the Expedition-NearIy 200 Men
Taken Into Custody, But All But
Two or Three of Them Quickly
ReIensed-A Large Quantity OF
Arms and Ammunition Seized.
New York. Feb. 25.-The largest fill
clustering expedition that has yet been
fitted out in the interest of the Cuban rev.
olutionists came to grief shortly before
midnight last night, by the detention in
this harbor of the steamer Bermuda, fly
ing the British flag. The steam lighter I.
5. L. Stranahan, loaded with arms and
ammunition, was also siezed, as were the
tugs McCalden Brothers and William J.
McCaldin, which had carried about sixty
Cuban flibusters aboard the Bermuda.
United States Marshals and Pinkerton de-
tectives the latter In the employment of
the Spanish government, aided in the
seizure and took the finbusters ashore.
Marshais have been placed aboard the
Bermuda which is lying off Bedloes Is
land, and her engines have been dscOn-
nected. thus rendering her "hors de COM
bat" for the time being. Gen, Calixto
Garcia's son was among the prisoners
captured on the Bermuda.
The revenue cutters Manhattan and
William e. Chandler are in charge of the
two tugs McCaldin Brothers and William
J. McCaldin and the steam lighter James
S I. Stranahan. The seized boats are
tied up at the government pier, at the bat
terry. James McCaldin. the owner of the
tugs is a prisoner aboard one of them.
He was in personal charge of them last
night when the seizure took place.
I'he steam lighter is a very suspicious
looking craft. Her deck is laden down
with numerous boxes of various sizes,
which contain arms and ammunition.
There are about 80 long, narrow boxes,
such as are usually used to convey rifles.
one of the square boxes is marked in bold
letters Medicine" A deputy marshal is
in charge of the lighter and refuses to
permit anybody to go aboard. The crew
are all held as prisoners Down in the
hold of the lighter are said to be three
Hotchkiss guns, two light Napoleon guns
and some riot guns. There is said to be
over 20000c0 cartridges in the boxes
Inc bermuda is in charge of the reve-
nue. cutter Hudson. Deputy marshals are
also aboard the Bermuda. The order to
watch the movements of the Bermuda
came from Washington last Sunday and
was sent by Attorney General Harmon
There was quite a gathering of shipping
men about the seized tugs and lighter this
morning and everybody, even to the gov
eminent inspectors, expressed regret that
the ship did not succeed in eluding the
officers and get away.
The men aboard the seized boats do not
seem az all apprehensiVe They say the
Bermuda had not been cleared for Cuba
ana II VIII be impossible for the govern
mleent to connect her in any way with a
nlbustering expedition ta
The men arrested on the tugs and on the
Bermuda passed the night on board the
tugs and steamer, and early this MORN
ing siXty-seven of them. including the
leader. Gen. Calizto Garcia, DR.. e. w.
Rodriguez and Capt S. Hughes of Phila-
We're landed at the Battery and marched
10 the federal building. They were for
bdden to communicate with any one.
United States marshals say they had in
all nearly 200 prisoners. The arrests were
made in four raids at 10 o'clock last night
and at O'Clock, O'Clock and O'Clock,
his morning
None of the suspected vessels have been
seized; They are simply detained under
az the barge office and the Bermuda with
the marshals on board is still al her an
chOrage off Bedloes Island.
At the United States district attorneys
office it was said that no definite charge
had been made against the prisoners.
shortly after y o'clock all the prisoners
We're released except Gen. Calixto Garcia,
capt; Hughes and two others under tele-
graphic direction from the attorney gen.
eral at Washington. previous order had
erected that no arrests be made merely
on suspicion, but that those on whom evil
dence had been fastened should be arrest
ed These previous instructions were re-
celVed last Sunday and the opinion is that
Ihe wholesale arrests made were clearly
without warrant.
benjamin j. Guerra, treasurer of the
cuban Junta, was arrested this afternoon
by the United States marshal. He is
charged with having given receipt for
certain money used in fitting up the fill
pustering expedition on the steamer Ber-
muda.
sNCW 1OTht req. 70, III p. III
At the examination before Commission
er Shields this afternoon United States
District Attorney MacFarlane directed the
calling of Gen. Galixto Garcia, Capt
hughes, Benjamin Guerra, Capt. Bra
basen and John D. Hart. The first four,
through their counsel, were granted
3ostponement until March 3 at 3 o'clock
~ me afternoon, but John Hart asked for
q speedy hearing.
L can furnish no bail" he said, land
H1ybi a hole 10
next.
The bail of Garcia, Guerra and Hughes
Gen. Garcia and Capt Hughes were sub |
SSqdently arraigned upon another count. |
me Two charges including the Hawkins" |
aud the "Bermuda' filibustering Addi- |
1iohal bail of $500 each was required on |
Ile second charge. The charges against
u the United States. but the additional |
Cldrges against Cen aGrcia and Capt. !
CLarses against Gen. Garcia and Capt |
SUI general
=, Upon consent of District Attorney Mac
dIiahe the deposit of a cash bail bond |
~ ~ gle cases of Gen. Garcia, Capt. Hughes
capt Barbasen and Benjamin Guerra was |
accepted and they were set at liberty.
John ID. Hart at first refused to be BALL
y ~, out hnaliy he consented and was al |
owed 10 go free
Gen; Garcia, Capt. Hughes and Benja-
WIN Guerra each furnished their own bail
apt. Brabasen. Mr. Harris bail came
rom the Cuban Headquarters
ne released Cubans were happy when !
~, -lu mat they might go away. They were |
~ ~ permitted to see Gen. Garcia or the |
d, Marshal Mccarthy had in his Office to-
Jay $4,000 in gold. which he captured dur
T -Ts the raid last night on the Bermuda. |
ne money was in Spanish coin.
no DuIihs the morning many friends |
- the Cuban prisoners and sup |
Porters of the Junta gathered |
the corridor of the federal |
vy-llolng Among those in the corridor |
-, - a. q. Gonzales, lawyer He esti- |
SSIi5a,te e that the expedition had cost about |
T.0iVW The Cubans, he said were by no /
means discouraged by the present disap- |
Eminent in carrying out their plans.
r.itleFe was no way, he said, Of discovering |
10 mad given the information 10 the |
svpresentatives of Spain. Il am almost |
baIIe' he said, that there are a least /
III III dozen Spanish spies In that room
with the prisoners No one can nick