The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-08-18
RECOLLEcTIOAS OF
A FILIBUSTER.
Experiences in the Expedi.
lions to Cuba in 1850-'52.
Another Enterprise-A Failure-Fate of
Lopez-Reminiscenc from Another Fill
buster.
BY IRWIN MOTE.
(Continued from last tceek.,

working IN shoe factory III WAS hiiteu 'ha
another expedition, the third, was on loot IL
90 to Cuba. One Saturday night we got oul
nav for a weeks labor, and on Sunday shop
mate proposed to me that we so to Savannah
and ioin the expedition THAT seemed to be
the point or place where a company was to
be organized), and l agreed to 60 with him,
90 on Monday morning embarked with my
shopmate for Savannah.
We were soon made fast to the quay, and i
and my shopmate were not long In finding
ont the whereabouts of the expedition, and
we Joined it. We were quartered short
time at boarding-house In the city, when
we were moved to place east of Savannah
about five uiles,-at BaliZe, believe,-where
we camped short time. We were then
moved south to the st. Mary's River, which
is the line between Georgia and Florida. We
encamped there until we got information
that the venture to which we had joined our
lives and fortunes had become failure
The steamer that was at anchor In the river
close by, and had been for week or two
and that, as we supposed, was to take us over
TO Cuba, had taken load over to the island,
and had landed them and returned for an
other load, and we were to be part OF her
second trip. But while waiting for some
thing, l never knew what, we got word OF
the disaster of the last expedition that had
preceded us, and that ended the third expe-
dition, that know anything about. The
first was the Round Island expedition, the
second the Filibuster, 1850, and third the
expedition of 1852.
DoDGING A MARSHAL.
As soon as we got word of the failure of
our expedition the steamer that was at an
Choir in the river waiting for us steamed up
and started to get out of the way OF the u. 5.
Marshal We, company of nearly hun
dred, had to walk about 10 miles to place
wherewe could get ON the regular packet line
boats that ran between Savannah and Palatka,
Fla
We had quite a difficult time of it getting
30 a place where we could be taken on board
the boat, the ground round about being
marshy. But we finally found place solid
enough and where the water was deep enough
for the boat, and by wading little bit we
got aboard. We found the United States
Marshal aboard Also and after our steamer,
which in the morning had left for parts I'M
known to us, and we were detailed by the
Marshal to assist in the capture of the rum
away boat. / never knew its name.
We went on the inside passage to Bruins
wick, and On and up the st. Johns River to
Jacksonville, unloaded freight, and on and
up Black Creek, small, narrow, deep stream
with a color suggesting its name, up to
landing, and unloaded freight While pass
ing up and down this Black Creek we had
lots of fun shooting alligators. There were
thousands of them, all sizes, from three to 10
feet long, lying On the logs and on the bank.
Turning at this landing BLACK Creek
down to and up the st. Johns, which runs
north to Palatka the head of navigation at
that time, we unloaded freight and some pas
sengers, and went ON up the st. Johns to a
little narrow stream called Deep Creek, SO
narrow and crooked that it seemed almost
impossible for US to navigate or make
passage.
Sometimes it looked to me that we were
running right into the bank The brush and
limbs of the trees would brush the passengers
off the upper deck and nearly tear the pilot
house off But we wound and twisted around
for several miles up that creek and finally
came On to our runaway steamer that had rnn
Just as far up that creek as it was possible for
her TO 60
The United States Marshal went aboard
and took possession without any trouble or
opposition from anyone, and then we man
aged to turn down Deep Creek to st. Johns,
and down ST. Johns to Palatka again. We
made another stop at Palatka for some pur-
pose unknown 10 me. We left the Marshal
and his Deputies on board our runaway
steamer in Deep Creek to find their way out
as best they could, and how they got out
never knew, but / guess they made it all
right.
HOME AGAIN.
We came back on the packet liner, and, as
] said before, made another stop at Palatka.
There Was saloon about so yards from the
wharf kept by a Polander After refresh
ment "AIl aboard" was the cry, and
niz,,aged to get there / soon found berth
or bunk in the front part of the boat, and ]
turned in and did not wake any more until
we reached Jacksonville on our way back to
Savannah, Ga.
The day was spent in talk and speculation
on the events of the past few weeks and
future destiny of the Island OF Cuba. ]
took an old musket and got permission to
keep it, and that day after we got to Savan-
nah ] sold my musket for $500, all that
ever realized out OF my two adventures in
the Filibustering business.
i believe We did not learn of the fate a. She
boys and Lopez in the last expedition until
we landed, or got TO Savannah, and then We
learned that 81 OF the noblest sons Of America
had been compelled TO kneel and had beer
shot by the Spanish authorities; among whom
was young Col. Crittenden of Kentucky
who, on being commanded to kneel TO be shot
refused to do 50, and said that g He only
knelt TO his God" Lopez was hunted dowI
and captured in the house of friend, be
trayed, and afterwards garroted, and tina
was the end of the expeditions.
When the Georgians learned of the shoot
Ing Of our noble sons, the best blood o
America, they were very mad and curse,
the American Consul there, who was
Georgian, and said if he could do no bette
he could have done as an English Consul di,
once on a similar occasion-wrapped the Ma
tional colors around them and dared them t
fire at that.
A REMINISCENT LETTER
append extracts from a letter from s.
Scott, of Erlanger, KY, dated in January
1897. He was member Of the first expedi
ton.
IF you remember" he says, "the me
were recruited as if they were going to Cali
fornia, but had such hints given them tina
none need have been deceived. Mai Hard
and myself recruited all who went from Gin
cinnati. and chartered a boat to take us t
New Orleans, and at Louisville were joine
by Col. OHara and % others from Shelb
and Franklin Counties, KY.
"You will remember about our stay
New Orleans, and our embarkation on tl
Georgiana for Contoy Island, and our unitin
with Lopez and the Others that came out o