Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-07-29
LAuRADA FonrE,rUnE c.tsE
Opening for tho Defence in the United
states Court

Opening for tho Defence in the United
states Court.
In the United Staten court Monday
afternoon the defence opened 10 the
forfeiture case Of tho government
against the steamer LauIada.
II. II. Ward conducteI tho defence
and placed four witnesses on the stand,
but outside of the Testimony of A. S.
Chesebrough. the naval architect, the
testimony of the other Witnesses was of
little Importance. Although First Mate
Henry OF the Laurada was in court, the
lawyers for the defence did not call
him, and announced that they would
call none of the officers Of the bont to
rebuff the testimony of ono of tue fire.
men and several seanen that the
Laurada carried iilitustering party
to Cuba last February.
Whom the court open,d Charles Jen-
kins, u Baltimore pilot, who has u
claim Of s49 against the Lnurada for
pilotage, was allowed to intervene. and
he testified to plotting lie steamer out
OF Baltimore, and when he left her of
Cape Henry Capt. Hughes told the
pilot that he was going 10 Wilmington.
Pilot Jenkins said that ho had not yet
been paid for his services, and 1T was
for this reason that he hal entered suit.
When Pilot Jenkins had finished
giving testimony In his suit he was
called by Mr.. Ward as tho first wit
ness for the defence. Nj. Ward merely
wanted to prove by the pilot that while
he was aboard the steamer she was not
| equipped with cannon, and had no
other persons on her ether than the
regular crew. On cross exam inatiou
District Attorney Vandtgrift brought
out the information that when the
pilot left the Laurada tie stenmer was
headed up the coast, AID could have
either heen coming to this city or
going to Barnegut, N. j., where, 1t Is
alleged, she received the tilipusteriug
expedition.
A. S. Chesebrough Of Bristol, r. J.,
| the naval architect, was next called by
Mr.. Ward as an expert To tell wbsther
or not tho Laurada had ever been fitted
with cannon or arms, as testified to 10y
witnesses for the prosecution, Mr..
Chesebrough had made complete ex.
animation OF the boat and found tho
Laufada in very bad condition, the
plates on her hull being ristod 10 badly
That they were now only about one
fourth of an inch thick. Tho woodw
was also very poor. lie bad made u
careful examination to SO, II any rapid
firing guns or other cunnon had ever
been erected on hor deck and could not
ind the slighest evidence that they
had boen. IL guns, such as alleged.
hal been erected on tho Laurada they
would have needed fastenings and these
fasienings would have left marks.
District Attorney VANDERBILT examined
Mr.. Chesebrough at great length, but
brought out M new material facts.
Marshal Lannan and Customs In
spector j. b. Allen, who have hnd
charge of the Laurada siIcu hor seizure
last March, testified that they found
no evidence of where glns had been
erected on the dock, aud since they
have had charge of the boat no repairs
have been mado that would hide marks
where cannon had been fastened to the
steamer.
No definite time has been fixed for a
continuance of the hearing, hut it will
probably be resumed in few days.