The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-06
LEFT ON BARREN ISLE THRILLING EXPERIENCES OF DEPORTED STRIKE LEADERS Members of Tampa Resistencia were Kidnapped, Carried Away on
 Schooner and Marooned oh
 Coast of Honduras.

New York. Sept. 5.-A special to The Herald from Key West. Fla, says: "Thc thirteen, abducted leaders of the striking cigar makers of Tampa, Fla. have returned from exile. The men who composed the Central Committee of Re- sistancia Union of Tampa. arrived here on small fruit schooner, the Gertrude. of this port. Marooned on a barren. un- inhabited isle off the coast of Honduras, they had by an unexpected turn of for tune. escaped death from exposure and starvation and made their way to civi- lization and safety. They believed 1t was the intention of their captors that they should never return from exile.
 'The authorities of Washington have instructed the United States District At. torhey at Jacksonville. Fla. to make ar investigation of the matter. Sworn de- positions of the men taken before Fed ersl officials have been mailed to Wasi'- ingt1o,n. .. ..,... ., .,x s,.n,.r,. six Cubans and one Engllshman. The are naturaiized American. citizenA The men, whose names are Francisco Rodri- guez. Ramon Pignero. Louis Garcia. Rev ino Prieto. Jose Fuego, Pedro .Corelias. dillio Parronda, Joseph k. Helen Velda1. Crecencio Gonzales and Charles Kelly. all bear evidence of the hardships en-, countered during their forced exile and present a pitiful appearance: The stories they tell arg substantially the same. dif- fering only in minor details as to the violence reSOrteu to tHelT dDOucLoIS.
 Taken Away at Night.
 Luis Barcia. who was taken at mid night from the bedside of his wife. whose accouchment had taken place three days before, and whose death has since been reported as a result of the shock in- cident to her husbands disappearance, says he was forced into closed carriage and taken to the railroad station. where he was put into an. electric car. of which been bee Shut shut of. Eight of his comrades, who had been similarly captured, were put with himself into the rear compart- Point, few miles west of Tampa. on HilIsborough Bay. Four other members 1 of Resistancia Union had previously been the same place. where Il tug with steam up awaited them. Several of the guards on the car, the men say, were prominent citizens of Tampa, and well known to
 Placed on a Schooner.
 After a brief conference at Ballast Point. the thirteen men were dragged aboard the tug. and the start was made amid derisive farewels from the abduct- ors on the dock. The tug headed for the schooner Marie Cooper, which was riding at anchor in the stream with all sails schooner under heavy guard. This was | on Tuesday night, August 6.
 "A stiff breeze soon carried them down | lowed day in dull monotony. without any 1 indicatRn that landing was cor1tem- plated, the kidnapped men, who had fate. but of their probable destina tion. became uneasy and requested to know | where they were being taken. They were told they would be landed on Eng fish soil, far enough away to prevent return to the United States for long time,
 On a Barren Beach.
 "On the seventh day land was sighted | AL. l..fz Al,,N ns, destination had heen reached. Nearer approach revealed long. low stretch of land without a sign of human habl- tatiSn The men were landed Sax at If nignt; snd crackers. two small hams. three cans of beef and about gallon of water were placed on the beach. The boats then re, re | ately set sail and disappeared in the
 For days they wandered along the beach husbanding their meagre supplies and without encountering a human being or sighting sail. Their small stock of provisions finally gave out, the water supply was exhausted. their hands and faces were burned by the tropical sun. and their feet blistered h~ long marches.
 Indian Aided Them.
 They began to despair of ever reaching home and had almost given up the fight when tEey were discovered by an Indian. He brought aid. took them to the main land, aTd guided them to the plantation of MY Bruno where they were well received. Their immediate wants were supplied and they procured small boat to take tho m to Truzillo. They were told by Nr. Bruno, that from tho description tfey gave hirn of the island they had evidently heen landed near the mouth of Plantation Fiver
 At 'rruzilio they had the good for tune to meet two Cubans. formerly resicen:s of Florida ard now ergaged in frnlt cLi- ture there. who supplied funds and hired q schooner to take them to BonaCco, where they were equally fortunate to ind the fchaoner Gertrude seeking cs1qsn---ae fruit for this market. Thex chartered her and sailed for Key west