The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-21
RILIBUSrERlNG EXPEDITION
THE SCHOONER SILVER HEELS
REFUSED CLEARANCE!

THE SCHOONER SILVER HEELS
REFUSED CLEARANCE!
| The Mate Filled Up With Boose and Gave
Her Away to = Detective-Ho says She
Txansfcrred . Cargo OF War Material to
the rug DaunAsss as Sea-District Attor-
ney Ayeock Investigate the Cnse-Hs Or
dered Clearance Papers to be- vvithhsld
A considerable sensation was Gre
ated in the city yesterday by the ar
rival here of United States District At
torney C. B. Aycock. OF Goadsboro. who
was sent here by the treasury depart
merit to investigate the American
schooner Silver Heels in connection
with her alleged connection with a Gu
ban fiiibuste-ing expedition.
The district attorney came here on
treasury department by the Spanish
minister at Washington, through Mr..
F. A. Lord. Spanish vice consul here
and detectives who were sent here in
the interest of the Spanish government.
The Silver Heels arrived in Whining
"hA 0ANNA CA
here a few days she was chartered by
the Kidder Lumber Company to take
a cargo of lumber to Barbados.
The Silver Heels left New York UNI
der suspicion, and she has been under
close surveillance since her arrival in
this port. A few days ago her mate,
Alfred Thompson, q Maine nan, while
under the influence Of liquor, made a
statement to a Spanish detective to the
effect that upon leaving New York the
Silver Heels carried out a cargo of
arms and ammunition and transferred
them out at sea to the famous filibus-
ter steam tug Dauntless which carried
them to Cuba. He "a the details of
the matter to the detectives, and the
Spanish authorities laid the matter be-
fore the treasury department.
Upon arriving here yesterday District
Attorney Aycock made a thorough in
~vestigatien Of the Silver Heels. Her
master, Captain Peter Quinlan, Mate
Thompson, and two Of the crew were
summoned before him and he examined
them and took their sworn statements
concerning the vessel and her move
ments
4 Nate Thompson made a sworn state
ment entirely contrary to the state
ment he is alleged to have made to the
Spanish detective. He said he was
drunk when he made the statement to
the detective, and has no recollection
of What he aid and denies having said
the vessel transferred a cargo of arms
and ammunition to the Dauntless.
The testimony of the captain, the
mate and the two men was that the
Silver Heels cleared from New York
October 18th with a part cargo of coal
as ballast bound for Norfolk or Will
mington for a charter to the West
Indies. She arrived in Wilmington De-
cember 5th, with ninety tons of coal
aboard and the captain sold it to Mr..
J. A. Springer, dealer in wood and
coal.
The schooner having left New York
October 18th, and having been heard no
more of until she arrived here fifty
days afterwards, this circumstance was
very suspicious. In their examination
the captain, the mate and the men
testify that the vessel was driven off
the coast by head winds, bad weather.
and rough sea, and that this accounts
for her very long passage. They state
that they had not Leen in any other
port sine leaving New York, October
18th, and their arrival in Wilmington
December 9TH, and that they had no
other cargo than coal aboard the
schooner, had not delivered any Of the
cargo to any other vessel and that upon
arrival here the coal aboard was sold
to Mr.. Springer. They also state that
the crew consisted of five when the YES
sci left New York and that is the num-
Der of the crew now.
The district attorney also examined
Major Lee, Robert Russ, John Ander-
son and Henry Lewis, stevedores, and
they testified that they had loaded the
vessel with lumber at Kidder's mill
since the coal was discharged, and that
She had no other cargo.
The Silver Heels has finished loading
and was ready to leave port today, but
she will be refused clearance until the
facts are laid before the treasury de-
partment and an order is sent here for
manifest to be given her.
The question is did Mate Thompson
tell the truth in his statement to the
detective or the one to the district at
torney.
One Minute Cough Cure cures quick
/ ly. That what you ant. r. r. Bel
| lamy.