The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-27
MAY BE PARDONED.
Senator'S Petition for the Release of
Capt. Hart.

Capt. Hart.
Every effort is being made to secure
the pardon of Capt. John d. Hart. the
convicted filibuster, who. on March s.
1897. was sentenced to two years i'm
prisonment in the Eastern Penitentiary,
of Pennsylvania, and to pay fine of
$500. The movement IL gaining ground
daily and it finds support in the feeling
that, while the country is now engaged
in a war to secure the freedom of Cuba,
the continued punishment of an Ameri-
can citizen for personal efforts he made
in the same humane direction is unjust.
The following United States senators
have signed petition TO President Nc
Kinley for the release of Capt. Hart:
Nelson w Aldrich William Allen,
William b. Bates, Julius c. Burrows,
Frank ]. Cannon Clarence ID. Clark,
Francis NJ. Cockrell. John w. Daniel,
Cushman X. Davis, Charles ]. Faulkner,
Arthur p. German. George Gray, Eu-
gene Hale. Mark Hanna, ]. r. Hawiey,
Henry Cabot Lodge, Lee Mantle. J. l..
Mitchell, Edward Murphy, jr, Samuel
Pasco. Redfield Proctor Matthew S.
Quay, William n. Roach, w. NJ. Stew
art, David Turpie, S. NJ. White, ]. L.
Wilson. A. o. Bacon. Lucien Baker, j.
II. Berry, Marion Butler. Donelson CAT
fiery, Thos. ii. Carter. w. +. Chandler,
Horace Chiffon, Shelby NJ. Cullom.
Stephen b. EIkins. w. p. Frye, ]. II.
Gear, William A. Harris. Richard r.
Kenney, William Lindsay, George w.
Mcbride. james Mcmillan Thomas S.
Martin, John T. Morgan, Knute Nelson
Richard F. Pettigrew, William j. Sew
ELL George l.. Shoup. John NJ. Thusrton,
Benjamin r.. Tillman, Francis Z. War
rem, George i. Wetmore Edward o.
Wolcott. William b. Allison. Alexander
S Clay Charles A. Fairbanks, Joseph b.
Foraker. Jacob III. Gallinger, Henry c.
Hansbrough, Henry Heitfeld. James X.
Jones John i. Jones, James II. Kyle,
Samuel ID. McEnery. William E. Mason.
Justin s. Morrill,. Boies Penrose. George
c. Perkins. Edmund w. Pettus, Orville
II. Plat Thomas c. Plat. Jeter G.
Pritchard. Joseph l.. Rawlins. Henry NJ.
Teller, John c. Spooner. George r. Tur
ner, George c. Vest and George l.. We'll
lngton.
AS soon as President Mckinley re-
ceives an official opinion on the case from
Attorney General Griggs he viii take
action.
The following petition has been sent to
the President by the Characterization
League:
There Is an American citizen. Capt. J.
D. Hart, of Philadelphia. serving a two
years sentence in the Eastern Peniten-
tiary, Philadelphia, convicted of doing a
little earlier than the rest of US what we
are all doing today. that is. aiding the
cause Of Cuban freedom.
The Cuban-American League would
urge upon you that at the earliest posi-
BILE moment you would issue 10 Capt.
Hart "A pardon; and more, that you would
call him at once into the service of the
Government in connection with transpOr-
tation services in the Gulf and around
Cuba. He can be Of very great service
TO the cause.
capt. Hart has suffered. is suffering
Imprisonment did Capt. Nathan Hale
in the earlier period of our history and
for the same cause. His business has
been broken up and his health impaired
and it does seem TO us that we but voice
the unanimous wish of the American peo-
pie when we urge that everything that
can be done be done at this time to give
him the appreciation he deserves and 10
help him To recoup his business and re-
cover his LOSSES.
1--WE believe i'm this matter that we are
but calling to your mind the carrying out
duties of your life"
Captain Hart was indicted on Novem-
Der Il. 1896, on three sparate charges of
filhustering in the steamer Laurada. His
trial lasted several days. This was not
the first time he had faced the United
States court on similar charges On
April S, 1896 after a prolonged trial. to-
gether with Capt. Samuel Hughes, Capt.
Lawrence Brabazon. Benjamin Guerra
and Bernardo ]. Bueno, he and the others
were acquitted on a charge of iilibuster-
ing on the steamer Bermuda.
On the notable voyage which led to the
trial and acquittaI in 1895. the Bermuda
was fitted out for an expedition on a
magnificent scale. The fast steamer was
practically a man-of-war when she left
these shores for Cuba. She had on board
400 men. and was armed with many can
non. including several rapid-fire guns Of
the latest pattern.
When the Spaniard learned that she
had evaded the vigilance of the United
States patrol they were seized with ter
ror. Three Spanish warships were de-
tailed TO pursue her. but she evaded them
after several narrow escapes from cap
ture.
1t is generally admitted that this expe-
dition resulted disastrously-that but
small part of the guns and ammunition
were safely landed. and that many of
the 400 recruits for the Cuban service
were captured by the Spaniards and
slain.
From the disastrous voyage. too, 1t is
believed. began a certain disaffection
among some of Capt. Harris men, which
ultimately led to some of them turning
States evidence. and thus NATURALLY aid
ing in the conviction of the flibuster.
At the time of his sentence, March s.
1897. Capt Hart was forty years old,
and had been in the fruit importing bus
mess for nearly twenty years. Shortly af-
ter the Cuban-Spanish war broke out he
leased two of his steamers-the Laurada
and Bermuda-to the Cubans, for the
of arms. ammunition and
men to Cuba Some of the largest ex-
petitions that touched the shores of Gu
ba were shipped in these vessels, and
their success was due in a great meas
ure to the skillful manipulation of the
steamers by Capt. Hart.
Caps. Harris family consists of a wife
and two daughters-Laura and Ada-af-
ter whom tho Laurada was named.
When the ca plain came up for sentence
his lawyer made a strong but unavailing
plea for mercy. He asked for an extern
sion of time, so that the filibuster's fam
lily might not become charge on the
He assured the court that
Capt. Hart had exhausted all his money
in conducting his defense. and said that
had never made cent out of filibuster-
ing. and that what he had done had been
done from his heart.
Judge Butler refused to listen to the
plea. and, in sentencing Hart, said he
"My wife retains her youthful
ness and good looks and baby is fat
and we'll because the little mother