F

CHAPTER IX.

Men and Arms for Cuba.

ROM the beginning of the Cuban uprising constant attempts have been made to supply the insurgents with arms and ammunition from our own country. Secret agents were at work in many places, and Spanish spies were equally active. It was well understood that several expeditions had succeeded in effecting a landing in Cuba, and the supplies thus furnished had been of material help to General Gomez and his troops.

Our government officials, while sympathizing with the cause of Cuba, were nevertheless active in preventing the shipment of arms. But a sea-coast as long as ours, with a great number of ports, has afforded ample opportunity for expeditions to be fitted out secretly, and it seems impossible for Spanish gunboats to prevent entirely the Cuban army from obtaining supplies from outside sources.

The following account of the seizure of a vessel will be of interest to the reader: The iron steamer "Bermuda," flying the British flag, was boarded and seized by New York revenue officers off Liberty Island late on the night of Feb. 24. The "Bermuda " had been under the watch of Spanish spies for some time. They had reason to believe that she had been bought by Cuban revolutionists and was fitting out as a filibuster. She had been anchored off Liberty Island for several days, and there was evidence that she was preparing for sea.

At 11 P. M., just after a large party of Cubans had gone aboard, the revenue cutter "Hudson" steamed alongside, and a boarding party arrested all on the " Bermuda." At midnight the revenue cutter "Chandler" started down the bay to catch a lighter loaded with ammunition and look for another party of Cubans who had started to board the "Bermuda."

The "Bermuda" was an English-built steamer formerly running in

the Outerbridge Line. She was purchased by a firm suspected of being in league with the revolutionary party. She was recently taken to the coal docks at Port Liberty, and there coaled up. Then she went to the Liberty Island anchorage. When the tug ran alongside the marshals and Pinkerton men swarmed aboard. No resistance was offered by the frightened crew and Cubans, who had just come aboard. Every man was seized. Among the captives were General Garcia and several other prominent Cubans. Several bags of gold were seized by the marshals and a quantity of ammunition.

Revolutionists Arrested.

General Calixto Garcia and about sixty other of the leading spirits in the Cuban revolutionary cause were brought to the Federal Building. The warrant upon which the 200 Cuban revolutionists were taken into custody was drawn in accordance with the section of the Federal Revised Statutes, which is a portion of what is known as the "Neutrality Act."

A great many of the prisoners found on the "Bermuda" and the two tug-boats were survivors of the expedition which left the New Haven river a month before on the "J. W. Hawkins," which sunk off the south shore of Long Island, a number of men going down with the wreck. Afterward the filibusters were watched by spies employed by the Spanish and United States governments. The surveillance led to the discovery that General Garcia and his followers had purchased the "Bermuda" to take a large company of insurgents to Cuba, with arms and ammunition. The "Bermuda," which had been granted clearance papers at the custom house to Santa Martha, United States of Colombia, was making ready to leave port when United States Marshals McCarthy and Kennedy made their raid. The steam lighter "Stranahan," which had left one of the Brooklyn piers, was seized, the ammunition in boxes, which was concealed beneath piles of cord-wood, and on the "Bermuda" were found several bags of gold coin.

The prisoners were released because their arrest was in violation of the instructions sent out from Washington by Attorney-General

Harmon, that suspicion merely was not sufficient ground for arrest, but that evidence of intention to violate the neutrality laws was required.

The trial of Captain Wiborg, First Mate Petersen and Second 1 Mate Johansen, of the steamship "Horsa," on the charge of beginning a military expedition, to carry men and arms to Cuba, to aid in

MARINE WHARF-HAVANA.

the insurrection against Spain, was held in Philadelphia in the latter part of February, before Judge Butler in the United States District Court.

In the course of the proceedings, District Attorney Ingham called for the production by Captain Wiborg of the charter under which the “Horsa” made the trip from Philadelphia to Port Antonio, during which the alleged offence was said to have been committed. Mr. Ker, counsel for the defence, contended that if the "Horsa " more than three miles out from the shore at Barnegat, when the men and ammunition were taken on board, the alleged offence did not come within the jurisdiction of the United States.

was

The Judge said that if it was proven that the defendants did not

know where the men were going he would affirm the point. In reply District Attorney Ingham said that he did not rest the United States' case on that question. He relied on the testimony which was heard to show that there was an organization, and that it took place in the United States, and that under it men and arms were taken to Cuba.

Testimony of a Fireman.

The examination began with Oscar Svensen, one of the "Horsa's " firemen. The witness related that portions of the ship were repainted, and then, coming down to the time when the thirty or forty men were taken on board to be conveyed to Cuba, he said that he told the chief engineer that he did not wish to go along, and desired to go ashore. The witness said that the chief replied that his life was as dear to him as the lives of the witness and the men complaining with him were to them, and that the captain had said it was all right. Svensen said he had taken five trips on the "Horsa;" that he knew Firemen Armstrong and Fredericksen of the vessel; also that nothing about money was said by the captain when the witness and the men with him had raised objections to going along.

Svensen said that some of the men taken on board on one occasion had an exercise. He had heard the cannon fired and saw the smoke. Regarding the boxes said to have contained ammunition, the witness said that a fellow from Jamaica had opened them. The pay of Svensen was $25 per month. To the question when he had first told his story and to whom, the witness answered by the statement that it was two weeks ago, and to a Pinkerton Agency man. The he received for giving information and his detention here was $2 per day and board.

pay

After some further questioning by counsel, the witness, in answer to a question by the Judge, said that he shipped in Philadelphia, but that he did not know whether the other firemen were employed here or not. Svensen was shown a number of swords and machetes, some of which he designated as "banana snipes."

The next witness was Ludwig Gustav Jensen, who was also a fireman on the "Horsa." Jensen said that he had wanted extra pay to

go on the ship, after the thirty or forty men were taken aboard, and spoke to the chief engineer about it. The latter had said that if anybody was to get hung it would be him, the chief engineer, and not the crew. In reply to questions from the Judge, the witness described the cartridge boxes, said he saw six of the men taken on board drill, and described the rifles and guns.

The Captain on the Stand.

Edward N. Taxis and Herbert Ker testified that th machetes carried by the men were to be seen strapped to the waists or slung over the shoulders of nearly every inhabitant of the West Indies. Mr. Ker also testified that he had taken a trip to Africa on the "Horsa" last March, and was thoroughly familiar with the vessel. He said it was customary to paint the funnels and other portions of the vessel at sea, and he had often seen it done. During his trip to Africa he on one occasion happened to particularly notice the name on the stern of the vessel, and he testified that the name was in brass letters about six or eight inches high, and were raised about one inch.

Captain Wiborg was then called as a witness in his own behalf. Before beginning his examination Mr. Ker stated to the court that the mere making of an affidavit by any one in the court-room, who might hear this witness' testimony, would result in his life being forfeited should he ever set foot in Spanish dominion, and he thought it nis duty, in order to protect his client as far as possible, to ask the court to forbid the publication of his testimony or to exclude every one from the court-room while he was being examined.

Judge Butler said the court was there to try the case according to the evidence, and had nothing to do with the risk the witness took in giving his testimony. He was not compelled to testify, and whatever evidence he gave would be voluntary, with the full knowledge on the part of the witness of the responsibility he was taking.

Captain Wiborg testified that he had been captain of the steamer "Horsa" two years. On the evening of November 9, 1895, he left Philadelphia for Jamaica between 7 and 8 o'clock. Before ieaving port the name of the vessel was scraped off the side of the vessel on