Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-12
VENTURES SAD END
Sailor Who Sought Fame and
Fortune Is in Ships Brig
SAILED SOUTH ON HORNET.
Persuaded by Tempting Offers to
Join Estrada Forces.
CAUGHT AT NEW ORLEANS
Escaped, Offered to Fight for Madriz,
Finally Surrendered as Deserter
From Navy.
CAUGHT AT NEW ORLEANS


ing the battles of Estrada in Nicaragua,
Arthur Allen, a sailor lad from Massa-
chusetts, is in the brig of the naval re-
ceiving ship Franklin at Norfolk await
ing trial and punishment for desertion
from the navy. Allen is shpfitter, sec
ond class, IN the navy He was on duty
at the Norfolk navy yard when the old
naval gunboat Hornet, which had been
sold to representatives of the Estrada
party, was being fitted out at that port
for service in the revolution in Nicaragua
Inspired by visions of sudden wealth
and glory, Allen was persuaded to join
the expedition. His services were wanted,
he was told, in mounting four six-pounder
guns on the vessel and otherwise in fix
ing her up for action against the Madriz
navy.
Arrested at New Orleans.
Big wages were promised and the pros
pect was so alluring that Allen took
French leave of his job in the navy and
accompanied the Hornet to New Orleans.
Evidently somebody gave him away, for
he had hardly arrived at the gulf me-
tropols when he was taken into custody
as a deserter Detective Holyland of New
Orleans was intrusted with the job of
taking the prisoner back to Norfolk by
rail and securing the usual reward of $50
and expenses.
Allen seemed perfectly willing to re-
turn, and got on SO well with his captor
that the latter omitted the precaution
of putting manacles on him. The result
was that while the train was moving
slowly along near Petersburg, Va, Allen
left the berth which they occupied joint
ly, and jumped through an open window.
He landed in bed of sand and was not
hurt The train continued calmly on it's
journey to Norfolk, where the detective
produced Aliens hat and coat in cor
roboration of his report of the manner
of his escape.
Sought Job of Madriz.
About the time that the Hornet ar
rived at Bluefields and began to dis
charge its large cargo of guns and am
munition for use in the humiliation of
Madriz. Allen appeared in this city and
made a dicker for employment in the
services of the Madriz faction. He laid
his case before Mr.. Stadden, councillor of
Nicaragua. He said he was down on his
luck, and was frank in his expressed de-
sire to make some money out of the trOu
bles in Nicaragua. His experiences on
the Hornet, he said, had satisfied him
that he could make much better terms
with Madriz than with Estrada.
Allen said it was the common under
standing among the American members
of the crew of the Hornet that the vessel
would go to Bluefields under the protec-
ton of the American Navy, and that she
would there mount her guns and engage
the Madriz gunboat Venus and endeavor
to recapture Bluefield Bluff and the other
places which had surrendered to the
Madriz forces
Among the crew on the Hornet, Allen
said, was q young man named Key of
this city, who went to the vessel with
letter from CaStrillO, the agent of Estrada
in Washington. He is an electrician and
was engaged to fix up the electric appa-
ratus and look after the searchlights on
the ship, and to make himself generally
useful According to Allen, Key went to
Bluefields with the ship.
Advised Him to Surrender.
Mr.. Stradden advised Allen to surrender
himself to the naval authorities and aban-
don all idea of going to Nicaragua. He
told him that Madriz did not employ
Americans to fight his countrymen, and
that If Allen went down there he certain
ly would get into trouble of some kind,
and might even be taken prisoner by the
enemy. AS he could make no terms with
the Nicaraguan representative and had
no other recourse, Allen finally agreed to
surrender and take his medicine Mr.
Stadden accompanied him to the Wash
ington navy yard and saw him give him
self up. His arrest was reported to the
Navy Department and he was sent under
guard to Norfolk for trial by court-mar-
tial. Mr.. Stadden said that Allen told
him he was willing to tell all he knew
about the Quitting Of the Hornet to any
American commission that might be APP
pointed to investigate the matter. He
stated positively that the vessel had been
fitted out for purposes of war in the in