The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-04
SEVEN men MISSING
From the Cuban Filibuster CommO-
dOre, Which Went Down.
Wreck Of Vessel Said to Be
! Work Of Traitor.



traitor to the Cuban cause was on board
the flibustering steamer Commodore
and caused the less of the vessel and
cargo Saturday morning off New Smyr-
ma. Is believed by many Cubans in this
city. They i'll not make known the
name of the suspected man, but say
sopenly that IL their suspicious are con-
frmed, the man had better leave Florida
at once.
Seven members of the expedition are
missing. and it is thought they have
Pc led.
hen II was seen that nothing could
fave the vessel from sinking. Captain
Murphy gave orders to take to the
boats. A panic almost ensued among
'the excited Cubans. Twelve of them
burriedly entered one Of the large surf
boats and pulled away for Mosquito In
let light without any thought of those
left behind.
A second boat was lowered into which
IL more of the crew hastily crowded, and
had scarcely left the steamer when the
boat was swamped I'm the heavy sea that
was running.
Captain Murphy, Stephen Crane. the
novelist. C. B. Montgomery and Will
lam Higgins. who were still aboard
after the launching and swamping OF
the second boat, gathered together a
quantity Of timber and spars and rail-
tngs, and lashing them together threw
overheard the hastily improvised raft.
A small 10-foot dingy was the only
boat remaining on the steamer. and this
was launched and entered by the re-
manning members of the expedition only
a moment before the vessel finally set
tied below the waves.
As those on the raft had no means of
propelling the craft, the four men in the
little dingy endeavored to tow ii toward
the shore. The waves were running high
and sweeping the raft constantly, and
the men were being washed off, until
only eight were left. At this time the
line parted and the raft was carried
away in the darkness. After rowing
about for some time in search of the
others, they were finally given up as
lost, and the four men in the dingy re-
sumed their laborious pull for the shore.
The oars were carried away after going
q short distance, and a sail was impro-
yised by each Of the four taking turns
at holding UP the captains overcoat.
The boat successfully rode the noun
famous waves until it struck the surf in
shore, when IL capsized.
Captain Murphy, Crane and Mont
,gomery. after hard fight, succeeded in
getting safely to shore, completely ex-
hausted. Higgins was drowned, and his
body was cast upon the sands. These
three men made their way to Daytona,
arriving there late in the morning. They
there learned of the safe landing of the
first boat. A late dispatch from Port
Orange, near Daytona. says the boat
containing four men had succeeded
In landing there. No particulars were
given. They are supposed to have been
those who were washed overheard from
the raft, and who succeeded in righting
the overturned surf boat.
Late last night the Three Friends left
for the scene of the disaster in search
Ror those who may still be on board the
raft. The steamer, however. will not
he able to reach the locality until about
daylight, and there is little hope Of saw
ing the wrecked men.
The Cubans charge treachery in the
wreck of the steamer, saying that so
soon as ii was discovered that the yes
sci was leaking the pumps were tried,
lbut they were found to have been tam.
lpered with and " were useless. The men
were then set at work battling out the
vessel with buckets, q futile task that
was soon abandoned