The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-11
SERIOUS CHARGES ARE MADE.
AMERICAN TRANSPORT SEARCHING
FOR SPANISH TREASURE,


Agent of the ward Line Had Located
Safe Supposed to Contain
Large Sum-American Transport
Williams Sent Down Diver and
Got the Safe-Resisted civil Pro-
cess-COnduct of the Officers to he
Investigated.
Santiago, March 10.LThe rivalry over
the possession of a safe belonging to the
sunken Spanish torpedo gunboat Furor AL
most caused a second naval battle.
Condoya, the agent of the Ward Line,
with his Cuban partners. has been en-
gagged for several months in wreckihg the
warships, and has performed considerable
work in dynamiting the Furor, which
work was difficult on account of the depth
of the water. twelve fathoms.
Recently he located a safe supposed 40
contain $1,000 in Spanish gold. and re-
turned to find the buoy removed He
was compelled 20 come to this city for
Pilot, and returned to the wreck at the
Furor yesterday, where he found the
American transport Williams, with a diver
down.
A rival diver thereupon descended. and
each of them claimed he was the first 20
take. possession of the safe. A quarrel
ensued and the transports diver came up.
alleging that his rival had threatened him
with knife.
Fight Over the Safe.
Condoya's diver attached line to the
xErh ba l,fe
the American officers took forcibly, intim-
idating them with rifles from he trans
port Cant. Parr says the line failed 10
raise the safe and their diver succeeded
in attaching a line which secured the
treasure On board the Williams were
Capt. Blunt, assistant quartermaster, in
charge of the transport; Lieut.. Hamilton,
an engineer officer, and Superintendent
Fowler of the Barbour Asphalt Company.
The American officers disclaim any
financial interest in the expedition.
Capt. Blunt said he allowed the divers
and Others to use the williams because
temporarily, She was not needed and stood
on her deck with a rifle, which, he says,
was not loaded during the quarrel. He dis
claims any intention of using his posi-
ton, his uniform or arms to intmidate
the Cuban divers.
Lieut. Hamilton says he accompanied the
expedition as a spectator.
Both boats eventually returned to the
harbor and Condoya secured an order from
the court directing the police to take pos
session of the safe
Resisted Civil Process
Fifteen armed policemen, on the tug
Colon, followed the williams, maneuver-
ing around the bay for an hour. Finally
the tug went alongside the Williams and
the police, with drawn revolvers, prepared
to boar her, wnen Capt. Cooper, COM
manding the Williams, confronted them
with rife and announced his intention to
kill the first man who stepped on board.
He claimed the civil courts had no juris-
diction over government ships. The police
thereupon retreated behind the pilot
house and the Colon returned to her
wharf.
Condoya then reported the affair to De-
partment Commander Whiteside, who or
dered Staff Adjutant Hartford TO inves;i-
gate the matter. Hartford and some press
representa- tives searched the Williams az
midnight, and no safe was found. Capt.
Blunt and Capt. Cooper disclaimed any
knowledge of the present whereabouts of
the safe, which Fowler says was thrown
overheard
Fowler declined to say whether the con-
tents had been removed. He had a half
interest in the expedition, and says he is
q partner of McGrail, a civil employe of
Capt. Blunt's office. Condoya is an Amer
lean citizen and makes serious charges
against Capt. Blunt, which Commander
Whiteside will investigate.
The Cubans resent the action of Capt.
Cooper in refusing to accept the service
of legal process, and they call Williams
pirate under the American flag.
Many Americans criticize Capt. Cooper's
action.