Evening star., 1962-12-24
PRISONERS
Castro Insists on Inspecting Cargoes,
Forces Delay in Exchanging Captives
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Continued From Page Al
Cuban exile leaders and veter-
ans of the invasion.
Those who were on the first
planes from Cuba were given a
wildly emotional reception yes
terday in Miami's Dinner Key
Auditorium by thousands of
their relatives and other exiles.
SObbing Wives, Happy Children
Women sobbed with Joy as
they met husbands and sons
back safely from 20 months in
Cuban prisons. Children were
waving American and Cuban
flags. Old men and women and
sturdy Cuban exileS now wear
ing the uniform Of the United
States Army joined in the wild
celebration, singing with equal
fervor THE Star Spangled
Banner" and pre-Castro Cuba's
national anthem, "El Himno
Bayames."
The exchange started yester-
day when four Pan-Am planes
took off from Florida between
$50 am. and 8 am, two of
them carrying cargoeS of sup
plies that were part Of the bar
gain between Mr.. Castro and
the prisoners negotiator, New
York lawyer James B. Donovan.
Meanwhile, the freighter
African Pilot, donated by
Americas steamship lines, was
bound from Port Everglades,
Fla, for Havana with the rest
of an estimated $14 million in
supplies. The planes and the
ship together carried about 20
per cent of what Mr.. Castro
demanded to free the Cubans
from FL Principe prison in
Havana and the camp on the
Isle of Pines.
The plans worked out by the
Cuban Families Committee, the
immigration and Naturaliza-
ton Service, the Department
of Health, Education and We'll
fare, the Ar Force, the Ameri-
can Red Cross and other
agencies were for the first
prisoners to arrive at the Stra-
tegic Air Commands Home
stead Air Force Base at $3.50
am.
They we're expected to ar
rive every 80 minutes until a
total of IL flights completed
the delivery.
But the planners reckoned
without Mr.. Castro, who had
broken off negotiations for the
exchange twice before this
year.
Officials, exile leaders and |
about 200 in the press-radio |
contingent gathered on a closed
runway as $3.50 am. ap-
preached. The time came and
went and rumors spread that
Mr.. Castro was insisting on a
check Of the supplies on the
two planes. The African Pilot
was still unreported in Havana.
SweIIed to 10000
The hours came and went and
the crowds got bigger. Five
hundred Cuban refugees were
waiting as early as tbs am. at
the auditorium in Coconut
Grove and that number swelled |
to nearly 10000 as the day
wore on.
At Homestead, there also was
a great crush of people, al
though the only Cubans allowed
there were officials, veterans of |
the Bay Of Pigs and newsmen.
There were 35 buses, SO am
balances, so doctors, a whole !
bevy Of starched Red Cross |
women and blue-clad port re-
ceptionists of the immigration
Service.
Motorcycle policemen came
and went on mysterious err
rands. Jet planes took off
nearly as fast as the rumors
were flying around the base.
Representative elect Claude
Pepper Of Miami, a former Sem
ator, arrived and so did Miami's
Mayor Robert King High.
Red Cross Workers Leave
At las pm. officials an
Ifounced that a plane was being
sent to Cuba with Red Cross
workers aboard to help the
Cubans check the ransom
shipments.
At 2 pm. there was genuine
fear that Mr.. Castro was going
to renege on the pact he signed
with Mr.. Donovan, but the wait
ing thousands were cheered by
word that the African Pilot was
entering Havana harbor.
BY 3 pm. the United States
planes were still shutting sup