The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-19
GRAND JURY ACTS
IN CASE OF REBELS
Returns Indictments Against
Leaders Of Honduran
Revolution.

New Orleans. La, February lS.-Iu-
dlctmentS were returned to-day nv ,ha
lnited States grdnd jury against Man
~ Doniila. leader Of the evolutionary
forces IN Honduras; Lee Christmas. ,,is
chief lieutenant; .Toseph w. Reer ana
i lorlan Davids, in connection with Tho
ulleged hi1bustcrinG expedition on he
,ioInet' wnich sailed from his port
.ast december. The Indictment charges
bohilin, Christmas, Beer and Davids
with fitting out a military cxpcdition
asaihat honduras. and that the men
named consDtrcd to have tho Hornet
cleared for Cape Gracios, but diverted
the vessel TO Ship Island, Off the
coast OF Mississippi, where '.tllcy clan
"est'neiy took aboard rifles, machine
guns. and ammunition, boarded the
VesSci themselves and sailed for Thrce
FONTS, near Port Barrios, where 9TH
or arms and men were taken aboard
and two boats taken In tow for the
island Roratany: that, with military
force, they did capture this island. II
part OF the Honduran domain, all OF
Which constituted Il violation OF the
criminal statutes OF his country"
Following the Indictment OF the
fiornet's crew, Il report gained cur
rcncy here that an independent in
~ iloI y NtN I|t.d ION.
made by the State Department at
Washington, disclosed tina both Qua
temala and Nicaragua had already aid
ed the Bonilla revolution in violating
the Washington agreement.
Washington, D. c., February IS
The indictments OF the four persons
named as concerned in tho hitting out
OF the Hornet last November for ope-
r.1 4 in n Z, .rnipSt III E.L n, ,tIo -
IN Honduras are tho outcome OF many
weeks OF patient investigation by four
departments of the governmcnt-the
state. the Navy, the Treasury and the
Department OF Justice.
The charges are believed 10. be that
the persons indicted c%onspired to VIC
late tho neutrality laws by purchasing
tho Hornet and dispatching her to
Central America to be used as part of
an armed expedition directed against
the government of President Davila.
1t is not alleged that the vessel
actually carried an armed expedition
from American territory; which con
stitutes Il peculiar feature in this case.
The nearest precedent is believed to
be found in the famous Itata case
where the United States govcrnmcnt
pursued into Chilean waters and sciz-
ed and returned to California for
etFldl inc jlata una ECr crew, when
had been purchased to assist the in
surrection against the Ballnnceda gov
of Chile nineteen years ago.
Friends of Manuel Bonila In this
city point to the fact that the Supreme
Court Of the United states eventually
held that the Itata had been wrongful
ly seized as Justification for their be
lief that the governments action viii
fail in the case against the Hornet.
But the government feels that tho time
has come to have the courts declare
definitely that it Is not absolutely ne
cessary that Il ship shall DO actually
boarded in American waters by a fiji
clustering expedition in order to con-
stitute Il breach Of neutrality laws.
Tho question at issue Is that OF In
tent. III
At least we Of the men indicted to.
day-Mlanucl Bonilla and Lee Christ
mas--arc in Honduras. with which
country there Is no ~cXtrad!tion treaty,
and 30 they are beyond roach OF the
Now Orleans courts.