The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-09-06
NARROWED ON
DESERT ISLAND.
KIDNAPPED CIGAR MAKERS
FINALLY RESCUED.
INVESTIGATION ORDERED
| United States District Attorney
Will Examine Into the Facts
OF the Abduction.

New York, Sept. "a special from
i Key West says: The 13 abducted
leaders of the striking cigar makers
j of Tampa, have returned from exile.
The men who composed the central
committee of Resitencia union Of
i Tampa. arrived here on small
freight schooner, the Gertrude, of
i this port.
i Marooned on a barren uninhabited
isle off the coast of Honduras, they
have by an unexpected turn Of for
tune escaped death from exposure and
starvation and made their way to-
civilization and safety. They believe
it was the intention of their captors
that they should never return from
exile.
The authorities of Washington have
instructed the United States
district attorney at Jackson
vile, Ala, to make an in
vestigation of the matter. Sworn
dispositions of the men taken before
federal officers have been mailed to
Washington.
| The party consisted of six Span
iards, six Cubans and one English
man. The Cubans and the English
man, however, are naturalized Amer
lean citizens. The men, whose names
are Francisco Roderuiguez, Ramon
! Pignero, Lois Barcia, Revino Prieto.
| Jose S. Fuego, Pamro Caroltas, Es-
tanislau LAMA, Eustocio Veldaz, Ba-
dillo Parronde, Jose Belen Valdez,
p Crecencio Gonzalaes and Chas. Kelly,
\ all bear evidence of the hardships
/ encountered during the forced exile
Al and present a pitiful appearance.
A The stories they tell are substanti-
4 ally the same, differing only in de-
II tails as to violence resorted to by
4 their abductors. Lois Barcia, who
4 was taken at midnight from the bed
side of his wife, whose death since
i has been reported says he was fore
ed into a closed carriage and taken
to the railroad station where he was
put into an electric car CT which the
lights were out, the current having
been shut off. Eight Of his comrades
who had been similarly captured
were put with him into the car and
taken to Ballast Point, few miles
west Of Tampa on Hillsborough bay
Four other members of Resistencia
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 the car, the men say were
prominent citizens of Tampa and
we'll known to them.
ii After a brief conference at Ballast
Point, the 13 men were dragged
aboard the tug and the start was
made amid derisive farewells from
: the abductors on the dock. The tug
\ headed for the schooner Marie Coop
er which was riding at anchor in the
stream with all sails set. The mer
were transferred to the schooner un
der heavy guard.
This was on. Tuesday night, August
6. A stiff breeze soon carried then
down the bay and out to sea. Day
followed day in dull monotony with
out any indication that a landing was
contemplated.
The kidnapped men, kept in ignor
ance not only Of their fate but Of theil
probable designation, were at length
told they would be landed on English
soil Tar enough away to prevent re
turn to the United States for Ion,
time. On the seventh day land wal
sighted and the captives were inform
ed this was their destination. It wa
q long stretch of sand beach withou
sign Of human habitation. The mel
were landed at night, each one re
ceiying S.. a box Of soda crackers
two small hams, three cans of bee
and about gallon Of water whic
was placed on the beach.
The schooner Immediately set sal
and disappeared. For days they wal
dered along the beach. husbandin
their meagre supply, without encoun
ering a human being or sighting
] sail. Their small stock Of provision
finally gave out and the water suppl
was exhausted. their hands and face
q SD Il.