Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-09-06
NARROWED FOR DAYS
UPON BARREN ISLAND
Adventures of kidnapped Re-
sistencia Leaders.
LIKE A STORY OF FICTION

LINZ III ~ i O4G n. Va GAO4@ON
In Despair and Almost Starving, They
Wandered Aim.essly About Day At
ter Day Until at Last Rescued by
Friendly Indian.
NEW YORK, Sept. ga Herald special
from Key West, Fla, says: The 13 alb
Quoted leaders of the striking cigar
makers of Tampa, Fla, have returned
from exile The men, who composed the
central committee of Resistencia union
of Tampa, arrived here on "A small fruit
schooner, the Gertrude, of this port.
Marooned on a barren, uninhabited
isle, off the coast of Honduras, they had,
by an unexpected turn of fortune, es-
capped death from exposure and starva-
tion and made their way to civilization
and safety. They believed it was the
intention of their captors that they
should never return from exile.
The authorities of Washington have
| instructed the United States district at
torneys at Jacksonville, Fla, to make
an investigation of the matter. Sworn
depositlons of the men taken before fed
eral officials have been mailed to Wash
ingtOn.
The party consisted of six Spaniards,
six Cubans and one Englishman. The
Cubans and the Englishman, however,
are naturaized American citizens.
The men, whose names are Francisco
Rodriguez, Ramon Pignero, Luis Bar
cia, Revino Prieto, Jose Fuego. Pedro
Carellas, Estanislaus Latza, Eustacio
| Veldaz, Bedilio Parronda, Jose Belen
| Veldaz, Crecenoio Gonzales and Charles
| Kelly, all bear evidence of the hardships
encountered during their forced exile
and presenC-a pitiful appearance. The
stories they tell are substantially the
same, differing only in minor details as
to the violence resorted to by their alb.
ductors.
Abducted In Dead of 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 result of the
shock incident to her husbands disap-
pearance, says he was forced into a
closed carriage and taken to the railroad
station, where he was put into an elec-
trio car of which the lights were out,
the current having been shut Off Eight
of his comrades, who had been similarly
captured, were put with himself into
the rear compartment of the car and
taken to Ballast Point, few miles west
of Tampa, on Hlllsborough bay. -Four
other members of ResisuenCia union had
previously been taken through the woods
in a wagon to the same place, where
tug with steam up awaited them.
I g 81 10, kIaA EIA
men say, were prominent citizens of
Tampa and we'll known to them.
After a brief conference at Ballast
point, the 13 men were dragged aboard
the tug, and the start was made amid
derisive farewelIs from the abductors
on the dock. The tug headed for the
schooner Marie Cooper, which was
riding at anchor in the stream with all
sails set. The men were transferred to
the schooner under heavy guard.
This was on Tuesday night, Aug. 9.
In Ignorance of Their Fate.
A stiff breeze soon carried them down
the bay and out to sea. AS day followed
day in dull monotOny, without any in
dication that a landing was Contem-
plated, the kidnapped men, who had been
kept in ignorance, not only of their fate,
but of their probable destination, be-
came uneasy and requested to know
where they were being taken.
They were told they would be landed
on English soil far enough away to pre-
vent return to the United States for a
long time. On the seventh day land
was sighted and the captives were in
formed that their destination had been
reached. Nearer approach revealed
long low stretch of sand beach without
a sign of human habitation. The men
were landed at night, each one receiv-
ing S..
A box of crackers, two small hams,
three cans of beef and about gallon of
water were placed on the beach. The
boats then retupned to the schooner,
which Immediately set sail and disap-
peared in the distance.
For days they wandered along the
| beach, outstanding their meager sup.
| plies, and without encountering a hu-
man 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
by long marches.
Rescued by an Indian.
They began to despair of ever reach
| ing uOIne3 anu udu d4uOSG given up Iu6
fight, when they were discovered by an
Indian. He brought aid, took them to
the mainland, and guided them to the
plantation Of Mr.. Bruno, where they
were well received. Their immediate
wants were supplied and they procured
small boat to take them to Truxillo.
They were told by Mr.. BruEo that
from the description they gave of the
island they had evidently been landed
near the mouth of Plantation river.
At Truxillo they had the good fortune
to meet two Cubans, formerly residents
of Florida, and now engaged in fruit
culture there, who supplied funds and
hired a schooner to take them to Bo.
nacco, where they were equally fortu.
nate to find the schooner Gertrude seek
ing a cargo of fruit for this market
They chartered her and sailed for Kew
West.