The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-06
All Say They Were ForcibIy Abduct-
ed, Taken to Ballast Point and
Placed on Schooner.
SPENT SEVEN DAYS AT SEA
AND WERE LANDED ON A BARREN,
UNINHABITED BIT OF LAND.
Finally Escaped and Returned TO
FIorida-Cigar Makers Secretary
Found at New Orleans.

KEY WEST, Fla, Sept 5.-The thirteen
abducted leaders of the striking cigar MAX
ers of Tampa, Fla, have returned from
exile. The men who composed the central
committee of Resistencia Union of Tampa
arrived here on q small fruit schooner, the
Gertrude, of this port. Marooned on
barren, uninhabted isle off the coast of
Honduras. they had. by an unexpected turn
of fortune, escaped death from exposure
and starvation and made their way to
civilization and safety. They believe it
the intention of their captors that they
should never return from exile. The
thorities of Washington have instructed
the United States district attorney at
Jacksonville. Fla. to make investigation
Of the matter. Sworn depOsitions of the
men taken before federal officers have been
mailed to Washington.
The party consisted of six Spaniards, six
Cubans and one Englishman. The Cubans
and the Englishman, however, are natural
lied American citizens. The men, whose
names Francisco Rodriguez, Pamon
PignerO, Luis Barcia. Revino Prieto, Joseph
Fuego, Pedro Carellas, Estanislaus LAMA,
Eustacio Veldaz, Badio Parronda, Jose
Belen Veldaz, Crecencio Gonzales and
Charles Kelley, all bear evidence of the
hardships encountered during their forced
exile and present pitiful appearance. The
stories they tell are substantially the same,
differing only i'm minor details as to the
violence resorted to by their abductors.
Luis Barcia. who was taken at midnight
from the bedside of his wife whose ac-
Couchement had taken place three days be-
fore, and whose death has since been re-
ported 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 of. Eight
of his comrades, who had been similarly
captured, were put with himself into the
rear compartment of the 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.
After brief conference at Ballast Point
the thirteen men were dragged aboard the
tug and the start was made amid deriSiVe
farewels 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 a heavy
guard This was on Tuesday night, Aug o.
a 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
naped men. who had been kept in ignorance
not only of their fate, but of their 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 return
to the United States for a long time.
On the seventh day land was sighted and
the captives were informed that their des-
tination had been reached. Nearer approach
revealed a long, low stretch of sand beach,
without sign of human habitation. The
men were landed at night. each one receiv
ing s.. 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. For days they wandered along
the beach, outstanding their meager sup
plies, and without encountering a human
being sighting a 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. 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 mainland, and guided
them to the plantation of a Mr.. Bruno,
where they were we'll received. Their i'm
mediate wants were supplied and they pro-
cured small boat TO take them to Truxillo.
They were told by Mr.. Bruno that from the
description they gave of the island they
had evidently been landed near the mouth
of Plantation river.
At TruxiIo they had the good fortune to
meet two Cubars, formerly residents of
Florida, and now engaged in fruit culture
there who supplied funds and hired q
schooner to take them to BOnaccio where
they were equally fortunate to find the
for this market. They chartered her and
sailed for Key West