The evening times., 1898-06-17
UNDERTAKERS.
CRUISE OF THE FANITA.
She Sailed for Cuba. But Carried
Men and Arms to SBn Domingo


mystery mystery that deals with the
sensational filibustering cruise Of the
steamship Fanita 10 San Domingo.
Il is known that the Fanita. loaded with
arms and ammunition furnished by the
Government. was under instructions to
proceed 10 the coast of Cuba. where it
was proposed she should land her cargo
for the use Of the insurgents. The mys-
terry begins at this point
Not only vas the Fanta a chartered
vessel of the United States at the time
she went to San Domingo but the leader
of the expedition was in the employ OF
the Government as a secret service agent.
Furthermore. there is every reason 10
believe that the arms and ammunition
which the vessel carried were Govern
ment property.
Notwithstanding this array of facts. it
turned out that she was really on tiii-
clustering expedition. Such an expedition
was of course not set on foot by or with
the knowledge of the United States. On
the contrary. if the Government had
known the true nature Of the expedition
1t would instantly have taken steps TO
prevent such culpable violation of neu-
trality.
But il is peculiar feature of the case
that the Department of Justice at the re-
quest of the War Department directed
the Fanita be libelled, and, subsequently.
at the request of the same department
instructed .he District attorney to with
draw the libel if 1t had been filed. If the
libel had not been filed the District attor-
ney was instructed to withhold 1t.
Besides determining to quash the libel
proceedings it was decided that no pro-
ceedings would be instituted against
Jiminez. the leader of the expedition: the
Governments secret service agent, or
the captain of the vessel notwithstanding
the apparent violation of neutrality in
which they were concerned.
The War Department officials were
naturally disinclined to discuss the af-
fair, other than to assert that the expe-
dition was entirely private hlibuster-
ing one handled by private parties. and
that the Government knew nothing or
what Jiminez or the Fanita was doing at
the time she attempted to land a force
in Santo Domingo to overthrow Presi-
dent Heureaux.
Uminez was the leader of the expedi-
tion and 1t is supposed that at his direc-
ton the ship was taken to Port de Paix
and thence to Monte Christi, where the
landing was attempted. and where four
teen out of the fifteen members of the
party were shot by President Heureaux's
forces, which were awaiting their arri-
val.
The Fanita, after this unfortunate end
ind to her strange cruise. put back to
Key West where libel proceedings were
inaugurated against her. her captain and
Jiminez the leader of the expedition
These proceedings have been stopped.
The story of the cruise how the filibus-
tering party secured control of the ship
and diverted her from her true course.
and the part played by the Government
in the matter will, perhaps. never be
known. as the authorities are making
strenuous efforts to keep the matter Sc
cret.
1t is regarded as highly probable that
il Santo Domingo has not yet filed
protest with this Government. she will
do so. together with claim for dam
ages.
upon the United States to bring Jiminez
to Justice. He is after that hlfbuster
himself. 1t was learned today that Jim
inez after his escape from Monte Cristi.
hastened to Inagua, one OF the erftfsh
Bahama Islands. with President Heur-
eaux. in command of the San DOMINICAN
gunboat Independencia, in hot pursuit.
The Independencia did not catch the yes-
sci on board of which Jiminez had taken
passage, and President Heureaux made
a demand on the British government
that he be surrendered Great Britain
refused. President Heureaux, however.
Is after his would-be successor and his
gunboat Is cruising in the vicinity Of Ina
qua ready to seize Jiminez the moment
he attempts to leave.