New-York tribune., 1909-07-01
HELD AS FILIBUSTER
LOEB'S MEN ON STEAMER.
Hayti Complained That Santo Do
mingdns Planned Expedition.

The Ethelwold small and apparently harm
less little steamer lying at the outer edge Of the
forest of shipping which skirts the South Brook
lyn waterfront. was held up by United States
customs officers last night on suspicion that the
vessel was about TO engage in fIibustering ex-
pedition against the little West Indian republic
Of Santo Domingo
The order 10 detain the steamer was received
last evening from Assistant Secretary McHarg
Of the Department of Commerce and Labor. at
Washington, and was executed promptly BY Col
lector Loeb The Washington advices said that
" Leger, minister from Hayti. had complained
to the State Department that the British stea,-
ship EtheIwold was believed to have been en-
gagged by Jose St Pierre Giordani ard General
Juan Jinnenez. San Domingans. 10 ala in fiji
clustering expedition.
within an hour after receipt Of TIE order
Collector Loeb had Chief Inspector Peter Brad
ley. take t7ro customs officers to the little ship
They we're placed aboard with orders not 90 let
her sail. The EtheIwold at the time was lying
with considerable list 70 port. tied UP az the
end Of a long pier at 26th street. IN South
Brooklyn
The engineer and two members Of the crew.
who were the first persons discovered in the
darkness, said that Captain Brown and all
when do you expect to san2" was asked
Tonight or Tomorrow" volunteered ore
Not for week yet persisted another Both
were English sailors.
And your destination"
sydney" was the reply.
Sydney. y. 50?
NO. Australia" they replied in concert
What cargo are you taking there2"
Cases of oil"
Were you aboard when she was loaded?"
None would admit that he was but al that
moment a white capped customs officer ap-
peared from abaft.
He was Inspector William E Dodge. and ex-
planned that he and Inspector R ". Reulberger
had come aboard scarcely an hour before by
order of Chief Inspector Bradley 10 see that the
vessel did not sail He said no inspection had
been made of the cargo. and none would be
undertaken last night, and that. although he
knew nothing definitely of any flibuster, he did
know that something of the sort was suspected
He added that when he came aboard the agent
of the boat. whose name he did not know. ap-
peared greatly agitated and denied that he had.
any intention of clearing his vessel for some
time to come
But the customs officer pointed out that full
steam was up. a matter which the chief en-
gineer was unable to account for better than
to say Those were nv orders" The customs
officers suggested that the list 20 port was af-
f6cted to make the vessel appear unseaworthy
and TO indicate that she was not ready for
sailing They said that three men were on
board when they first arrived. all with captains
papers-aH expert mariners. and. as one OF the
men admitted. experts too in handling fire
arms
Yes" one of the customs officers said. "the
crew of a dozen or fifteen were aboard when we
arrived Most of them were English sailors and
had been shipped only few days ago. OF
course. they would not have been aboard to-
night with steam up. unless the boat was about
TO sail None OF them appear TO know much
about the cargo. for they did not handle IT, and
those who had seen. some Of it said IL was oil
in tin cases We have not been authorized TO
make any inspection. That will probably be
made to-m morrow.
The Ethelwold is a steamer of little more
than 500 tons, and has been around New York
for several months. She was until recently in
Erie Basin. and is said to have loaded at Fran
els & Bannerman's warehouse At Banner
mans deck hands admitted last night that fire
arms were sometimes handled there, but none
knew of loading the Ethelwold
jose ST Pierre Giordani. whom the Washing
ton advices implicated in the alleged hlibuster
was formerly consul general here from Santo
Domingo and later said to be the agent
of fornida BILE conspiracy against Hayti. Santo
Domingo and Cuba. He convicted here
about year ago and sentenced to six months
Imprisonment.
General Juan Jimenez is former President
of Santo Domingo and leader of the Jiministas
plot to overthrow the little republic.