The age-herald., 1901-09-06
Abducted Cigarmakers of Tam-
 pa, Fla, Have Returned from Exile
READS LIKE STORIES OF OLD
Men Wandered About On the Unin. hablted Island Without Food Or Drink Until Rescued By An
 indian-Pitiful Sight.

New York, September 6.-A special to the Herald from Key West says:
 "The thirteen abducted leaders of the striking cigarmakers 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 barren, unin- habited 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 civili- zation and safety. They believe 1t was the intention of their captors that they should never return from exile.
 The authorities at Washington have instructed the United States district at- torney at Jacksonville to make an investi- gation of the matter. Sworn dispositions of the men taken before Federal officials have been mailed to Washington.
 The party consisted of six Spaniards, six Cubans and one Englishman. The Cu- bans and the Englishman, however, are naturalized American citizens. The men, whose names are Francisco Rodriguez, Ramon Pignero. Louis Barcia, Reyino Prieto, Jose Fuego, Pedro Carollas, Es- tanisfaus Lanza, Fustacio Veidaz, Badillio Parronda, Joseph E. Belen veldaz. Gre cencio Gonzales and Charles Kelly, all bear evidence of the hardships encoun- tered during their enforced exile and pre- sent a pitiful appearance The stories they tell are substantially the same, dsf- fering only in minor details as to the vio- lence resorted to by their abductors.
 Kidnapped at Night.
 otshrdl mfwy rdl fwy dlhu fwy al, Luis Barcia who was taken at mia. 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 incl dent to her husbands disappearance. says he was forced into a closed carriage and taken to the railroad station, where he was put into an electric 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. compart- ment of the car and taken to Ballast Point a few miles west of Tampa, on Hillsborough Bay Four other members of Resistancia union had previously been taken through the woods in a wagon to the same place where a tug with steam up awaited them. Several of the guards on he car, the men say, were prominent citizens of Tampa, and well known to them.
 %After a brief conference at Ballast Point, the thirteen men were dragged aboard the tug and the start was made amid derisive farewells from the abduc~ tors on the dock. The tug headed for the schooner Marie Cooper, which was riding at anchor in the stream with all sail set. The men were transferred to the chooner under heavy guard This was on Tuesday night, August 6.
 Carried Out to Sea.
 "A stiff breeze soon carried them down the bay and out to sea- As day followed day in dull monotony, without any indication that a landing was con- templated, the Kidnapped men, who had been kept in ignorance, not only Of their fate, but of thsfr probable destination, became uneasy and requested to know where they were being taken. They were told they would be landed on English soil, far enough away to prevent a re- turn to the United States.
 On the seventh day land was sighted and the captives were informed that their destination had been reached. Nearer approach revealed long, low stretch Of land without a sign of human habitation. The men were landed at night, each one receiving s5. A box of soda crackers, two small hams, three cans of beef and about a gallon of water were placed on the beach. The boats then returned to the schooner which immediately set sail and disappeared in the distance.
 Not :. Sail In Sight.
 For days they wandered along the beach husbanding their meager supplies, and without encountering a human being or sighting a sale. Their small stock of provisions finally gave out, the water sup ply was exhausted, their hands and faces were burned by the tropical sun, and their feet blistered by long marches.
 They began to despair of ever reaching home and had almost given up the fight when they were discovered by an Indian. He brought aid, took them to the main land, and guided them to the plantation of a MT. Bruno, where they were well re- ceived. Their immediate wants were sup piled and they procured a small boat to take them to Truzillo. They were told by MT Bruno that from the description they gave him 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 schooner to take them to Bonacco, where they were equally fortunate to find the schooner Gertrude seeking a cargo of fruit for this market. They chartered