The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-09-23
GEN. R0L-OFF: ON TRIAL
The Cuban War Minister ArralgNsd In
New York for Helping His Country.
THE STORY OF THE lAURADA'S CRUISE
witnesses rcntify as 10 How the vea.
sci Carried Mon and arms To C,s
witnesses Admit t!,ni tho spnnIsh
Consul wa. s'as in.: their expenses.

New York Sept. 22.-Gen. Carlos Ro-
loft, wno was arrested last week charged
with having aided and abetted fill
clustering expedition to Cuba In August
last. appeared for examination before
United States Commissioner Alexander
This afternoon. Hc was represented by
Lawyer Horatlo Rubcns. Assistant u.
$. District Attorney nlnman appearing
for the Government.
Jacob +. Burn,a, Clearance officer at
the Philadelphia Custom House. the
first witness, testified that on the Sd of
Angus; last the steamship Inurada WAS
cleaied for Wilmington, Del. the pas
sengers being sworn 10 by Edward
Murphy.
GJorge F. Townsend. Collector of the
port of Wilmington. also testified TO the
clearance of the Lnurala from there for
Port Antonio. He also testified en-
trance papers OF the vessel on he. re-
turn 20 Wilmington on Sept. 10.
Collector James +. Trench, OF Port
Antonio. Jamaica, told Of the arrival of
The laurada there on August 25 Wit
ness said 1t struck him as peculiar that
after leaving Wilmington on August :.
as the rapers showed, the vessel should
not have reached Port Antonio until the
I3th. as it was only n six days voyage
lie questioned Capt. Murphy who said
tho vessel had sailed slowly and denied
that he had stopped anywhere en- route
or disembarked any Passengers Wiz
ness examined the vessel aud found
three rifles hidden Between the Skin of
the ship and the planknS at the side
He asked the captain for an explanation
III writing, but received none The riff
were X minEtons. The vessel only car
ried her regular boats
Under croSS-eNaminatinn witness said
he was employed by The British oye,.n-
10 IN II a
isn consul to come to this city 10 testify
He was paying his own expenses and
did not know whether he would be reiln-
Dursed or not. He had searched the yes
Sci by order of the Colonial Secretary
Jabe2 Bowen. one of the water police
al Port Antonio. told OF having searched
the Iaurada three times The first time
he FOUND cartridge belt the second
tim" three rifles ana the third time q
number OF cartridges
Under croSs-eNamination Bowen said
ne had been sent here by the British Gov
ernment. and lie supposed the Spanish
Governments would pay his EXPENSES
fcorge Towley. a seaman. said he had
been transferred from the steamship
BermudI 10 the I.aurada Al leo on
thc morning after leaVingF Wilmington
four SURF boats We're taken on board
After leaving he mouth OF the Delaware
River THE vessel steamed north That
was not the way to Jamaica. Later tho
baurada lay TO. and the steam launch
Richard X Fox came alongside Nen
boxes, bags. etc. were taken on board
the baurada from the other vessels.
Later. the witness said. the boxes a nd
bags wete opened. and from them were
taken rifles ana cartridges. and in one
large bag there was Il cannon There
wfrc also packages marked dynamite E"
ABOUT tWeHty-four men We're taken on
board the Laurada from The three YES
sells. AmOrg those who came OH board
was Gen. Rolon
Did YOU see anyone else come on
board, and who was called the Colonel"
witness was asked.
gave description of the ''Colonei" as
se!n2 a tall, slim man with flowing side
whiskers. The description strongly sus-
sested Col. Nuncz
Witness said the cargo ana men were
landed on NaVassa Island. and from
there they were taken to cuba in a ing
boat. which made several trips Cant
Murphy had told witness that he was OK
pectlng the steamship Three Friends TO
meet him.
The witness. under ross-examination.
became considerably In!xed, and was NOT
anywhere near as sure whether he lsad
seen dynamite, etc, on board tine Lau-
rada as he had been under direct ex-
animation. He would not swear that A ny
OF the men taken on board ne Laura ia
went W ol itllid4 4Ntl III CuDl or not and
he admitted that the rifles were uul6adnj
In boxes and not carried In the hands
OF the men.
Other witnesses testified to Rolofr's
presence on the I.aurada. and one wifi
ness sworc 10 having en- Col. Nuna2 90
on board. Mos, Of the Witnesses admit
ted that they expected TO have their ex-
penses paid 10y the Spanish Consul. The
hearing was adjourned until Thursday
Chicago. Sept. 22.-A ID. Powers. di-
recto! ana manager of the Cuban Relief
Corps. which only last week opened Of
fees at No. 291 Wabash avenue. Is miss
ing. and fears are entertained tllat ha
has been made away with by emiss1rlas
of the Spanish Government. Las. Wed
ncSday Powers received q letter rlIu of
threats against his life, and stating that
there was secret society in Chicago
the members Of which were Snnniar,js
which had sworn rev ngc upon all Amer,
leans VINO would lend hand to helm tho
Cuban rcvolutionists. Last evenins.
Powers went TO his Office as usual. At
ii o'clocis the watchman found both front
and rear doors open. This morning the
door which had been secured bv ths
watchman was forced open PoYers's
coat and hat were found in thel. c,Is-
tomary places. but there was no trace or
the missing man.