The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-05
IA ABDUCTED C1GARMAKERS
TELL A PECULIAR STORY.
NARROWED ON BARREN ISLAND
Dragged From Their Homes at tampa
md Taken to Sea, Where They
Undergo Many Hard
ships.
(Ry Associated Press.)

Quoted leaders of the cigar makers union
Of Tampa, Fla, have returned from
exile One of them arrived here on
small fruit schooner, the Gertrude. OF
this port.
Marooned on a barren, uninhabited
island off the coast of Honduras. the
men had. by an unexpected turn OF Tor
tune, escaped death from exposure and
starvation and made their way to civil
iaztion 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 at
tcrney at Jacksonville. Fla, to make an
Investigation OF the matter. Sworn
dispositions of the men taken before fed
e-al officials have been mailed to Wash
ipgton.
The party consisted of six Spaniards,
six Cubans and one Englishman. The
Cubans and the Englishman. however,
are naturalized American citizens.
The men, whose names are Francisco
Rodriguez, Ramon Pisnero. LUIS Barcia.
Reveno Prieto. Jose Fueso. Pedro Car
Ci'as, Estanislaus Lanzo. Eustacio Val
des, Badile Parronda. Jose Belen Veldez,
Crecensio Fonbzalles and Charles Kelly.
all. bear evidence of the hardships they
encountered during their forced exile, and
present a pitful appearance.
Tell the Same Story.
The stories they tell are substantially
the same, differing only in minor details
as to the violence res rted to by their
ebSuctors.
Luis Barcia. who was taken at mid
night from the bedside of his wife, whose
uah 1,oI 3aly ,,1oo throo
days before. and whose death has since
been reported as a result of the shock
incident 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 companions, who had been
similarly captured, We're put with him
self into the rear compartment of 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 wagon to the same place,
where tug with steam up awaited them.
Several of the guards on the car, the
men say, We're prominent citizens of
Tampa and we'll known to them.
Dragged Aboard a Tug.
After a brief conference at Ballast
Point the 10 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 Cooper, which was riding
at anchor in the stream with all sails
set.
The men We're transferred to the
schooner under heavy guard. This was
Tuesday night, Aug. 6. stiff breeze
soon carried them down the bay and
out to sea. AS day followed day in dull
monotony, without any indication that
landing was contemplated, the kid
mapped men, who had been kept in ignor-
ance not only of their fate, but of their
probable destination, became uneasy and
requested to know where they were be-
ing taken.
They were told they would be landed
on English SOIL far enough away to pre-
vent return to the United States for
long time. On the seventh day land
was sighted and the captives were in
formed that their destina alton had been
reached.
Near approach revealed a long, low
beach of sand, without a sign of human
habitation. The men were landed at
night. each one receiving IS.
A box of soda crackers, two small
hams, three cans Of beef and about
gallon water We're placed on the beach.
The boats then returned to the schooner,
which Immediately set sail and disap-
peared in the distance.
Not Sail in Sight.
For days the men wandered along the
beach, outstanding their meagre sup
plies without encounteriny a human be-
ing or sighting a sail.
Their small stock of provisions finally
gave out the water supply was exhaust
ca, their hands and faces We're burned
by the tropical sun and their feet Bills
tered by long marches.
They began to despair of ever reaching
home, and had almost given up the fight
when they We're discovered by an Indian.
He brought aid. took them to the main
land and guided them to the plantation
or a Mr.. Bruno, where they We're Well
received.
Their immediate wants We're supplied
and they procured small boat to take
them to Truxillo. They We're told by Mr.
Bruno that from the description they
gave of the island they had evidently
been landed near the month of Planta-
ton river.
At Truxillo they had the good fortune
20 meet two Cubans, formerly residents
o. FLORIDA and now engaged in fruit cul-
ture there, who supplied funds and hired
schooner to take them to Bonacco.
where they We're equally fortunate 70
ma the schooner Gertrude seeking a
cargo of fruit for this market
Ihey chartered her and sailed for KEY
West.