The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-06
LEFT TO PERISH
ON BARREN ISLAND
Peril of Strikers Kidnapped
From Key West.
WERE NEARLY STARVED
HAD GIVEN UP HOPE WHEN DIS
COVERED BY INDIAN.
WERE NEARLY STARVED

New York, Sept 5.-A special to the
Herald from Key West says: The thir-
teen abducted leaders of the striking
cigar makers of Tampa, Fla, have re-
turned from exile. The men who COM
posed the central committee of Rests
tencia union of Tampa arrived here on
a small fruit schooner, the Gertrude, Of
this port. Marooned on a barren, un-
inhabited island of the coast Of Hon
duras, they had, by an unexpected turn
of fortune, escaped death from expos
ure and starvation and made their way
to civilization and safety. They believe
il was the intention of their captOrs
that they should never return from eX-
lie.
The authorities of Washington have
instructed the United States district at
torney at Jacksonville, Fla, to make
an investigation 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
Cubans and the Englishman, however,
are naturalized American citizens. The
men, whose names are Francisco RO-
driguez, Ramon Pignero, Luis Barcia.
Ravino Prieto, Jose TuegO, Pedro Ca
rellas. Estanislaus LAMA, Eustacio
Valdez, Badille ParrOnda. Jose Belen
Valdez CrecenciO Gonzales and
Charles Kelly. all bear evidence of the
hardships encountered during their
forced exile, and present a pitiful APP
pearance. The stories they tell are
substantially the same differing only in
minor details as to the violence re-
sorted to by their abductOrs.
Luis Barcia who was taken at mid
night from the bedside Of his wife,
whose ACCOMPLISHMENT had taken place
three days before, and whose death has
since been reported as a result of the
shock incident to her husbands Gisap-
pearance, says he was forced into
closed carriage and taken to the rail-
road 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, were 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 Rests
tencia union had previously been taken
through the woods in a wagon to the
same place, where 4 tug with steam up
awaited them. Several of the guards
on the car. the men say. were prOmi-
nent citizens of Tarlpa 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 farewelIs from the alb
ductors 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. s. A
: stiff breeze soon carried them down the
bay and out to sea.
Landed on Barren Beach
As day followed day in duh monoto-
ny without any indication that land
/ ing was contemplated, the kidnapped
men, who had been kept in ignorance,
not only Of their fate. but of their prob
able destination, became uneasy and
requested to know where they were
. being taken They were told they would
+ be landed on English soil far enough
I away to prevent a return to the United
] States for a long time.
( On the seventh day land was sighted,
and the captives We're informed that
their destination had been reached
Nearer approach revealed a long, low
stretch of sand beach without sign
of human habitatiOn- The men We're
landed at night. each one receiving %.
] A box of soda crackers, two small
hams. three cans Of beef and about
gallon of water were placed on the
/ beach. The boats then returned 10 the
] schooner, which Immediately set san
and disappeared in the distance
For asvs they wandered along the
beach. outstanding their meagre sup
plies and without encountering hu-
man being or sighting a sail. Their
| small stock of provisions finally gave
ont the water supply was exhausted.
their hands and face were burned by
: the tropical sun and their feet blistered
/ by long marches
They began to despair Of ever reach
I
/ fcortinued on Page u