Evening star., 1962-10-10
BY JERRY OLEARY, Jr.
Star staff Writer

DI JENN II " AA1fAAN pAs b..
Star staff Writer
MIAMI, Fla, Oct. 10.-The
200, 900 uprooted Cubans who
live in exile here, although di-
vided as to whether Fidel Cas-
tro should be paid ransom, to-
day were in an ecstasy of an
ticipation over the imminent
arrival here of the lib pris-
oners Of the Bay of Pigs in
vasion.
The atmosphere here is a
combination of the night be-
fore Christmas and a mystery
novel. The emotional, family
loving Cubans are In a COM
plete dither about the release
of the band of men who
launched their assault against
Castro on April IS, 1861. with
about the same prospects as the
Charge of the Light Brigade.
Even the anti-ransom Gu
bans are delighted for there is
hardly a man in the Inflated
Brigada Asala 2506 who does
not have relatives or friends
in Miami. There are fathers
and mothers, wives. sons ana
daughters, sisters. sweethearts
and friends In this jam-packed
city who had nearly given UP
hope Of seeing their loved ones
again. 1t now seems certain
that today or tomorrow, Com
munist Cuba will barter the
Bay of Pigs invaders for Amer
ican food and medicines.
Donovan Provides Mystery
The mystery in this drama is
being provided in full measure
by elusive New York Lawyer
James B. Donovan, who, with
the members of the Cub a n
Families Committee, has been
hageling for days with the
bearded premier in Havana for
release of the prisoners.
The man who arranged the
swap of U-2 Pilot Gary Powers
for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel
earlier this year made unde-
tected trips from Havana to
Miami both Sunday and Mon
/ day without being seen by re-
porters or the thousands of
Cubans haunting International
Airport.
On both trips he repeatedly
picked up documents and re-
| turned to bargain anew with
Mr.. Castro while the tension
continued to grow among the
refugees here.
On one trip he was landed
at a remote runway here and
got out the same way. On the
other, he came in on a char
tered plane and left for Ha-
vans on a regularly scheduled
Pan American World Airways
flight, reporters learned when
| it was too late to question him
AS a result, Miami newSpa-
pers and broadcasters are re-
duced to alternately predicting
Imminent release Of the bri-
gade prisoners and murmurine
fearfully that there has beer
a snag in the proceedings. II
anyone in Miami knows wher
the prisoners are going to re-
turn to the place from which
they set out so proudly, they
are not saying.
Many SpecuIatiOns
Guesses as to where they VII
land are equally erratic. There
has been speculation they viii
be landed at Miami Interna'
tional Airport; at the Navy''
closed field at Opa Locka, Fla.
near here: at Homestead All
Force Base, 80 miles to the
south, and even as far away al
Broward County Airport up tht
coast at Fort Lauderdale.
Mrs. Conception Freyre
whose husband, Ernesto, is ir
Havana on the errand of mer.
cy. said she had not talked
with her husband in a month
SO effective has been the cloal
of secrecy. The other negotia'
tors in Havana are Aware
Sanchez. jr.. and Berta Barrett
Ia de Los Heros.
To Highest Levels
The negotiators, it is Sus'
pected, have been cast into Mr.
Donovan's cloak and daggel
mold because chain of com
mand in this operation reach
es back to the highest level II
Washington. With many legis
Ilators urging the administra
ton to invade or blockade tn
, Communist dominated island
, it is believed disclosure of an,
American Government partici
patton in the payment Of tn
, ransom might stymie the deal
The Freyre family has a
: large a stake in this suspense
; full situation as any. The oldes
son, Ernesto, jr.. who is calle'
Tito" is one of the high
hearted youths who enrolled il
J the brigade, went off to trail
in Guatemala and then wa
. left high and dry on the Play
: Giron when the promised al
. support failed to appear.
Like the others. 19-year-ol'
Tito Freyrs has been forced b.
Castro to wear q yellow shir
and blue trousers in the Cas-
A,