The undersigned minister plenipotentiary of Her Majesty the Queen Regent
of Spain has the honor to transmit to the honorable Secretary of State
the inclosed report of Mr. Schuyler, consular agent of Spain at
Fernandina, Fla., which corroborates the suspicion of Mr. Borden’s
complicity in the equivocal and questionable transactions connected with
the yachts Lagonda, Amadis, and Baracoa.
Relying upon the assurances which, according to the press, have been
given by Mr. Taylor to the Spanish Government that the American
Government will cause a strict watch to be kept upon expeditions
carrying arms, the undersigned takes the liberty to call the attention
of the honorable Secretary of State to the probable or simulated
shipment of said arms via the port of Philadelphia.
[Inclosure.]
Extracts from report of Mr. Schuyler, Spanish
consular agent at Fernandina, Fla.
Sir: I wrote you hurriedly last night, and
wired you this morning, that the suit of Kimbal-Mantell was settled,
the ease dismissed, and the arms, etc., released from attachment, as
I wrote you a few days ago was likely to be the case at any time.
The arms, etc., upon being released by the sheriff were immediately,
during the night, removed back to Borden’s warehouse, and I have
reason to believe that they were, or will be, at once shipped by
rail from here; I know not where, but suspect to Philadelphia. I
have interviewed the custom-house this morning and find that there
is no vessel in port that is at all likely to be concerned in the
matter, and that night there was an empty car standing before the
Borden warehouse. There may be some further developments during the
day, and if so, I will advise you. The whole negotiations have been
conducted very quietly, and the closing of the case last night came
quite unexpectedly, taking us by surprise. I was unable to be
present at the settlement, on account of other imperative official
duties, but I was kept advised. The attorneys for plaintiff are
Cooper & Cooper, of Jacksonville.
March 8.
Sir: All the arms, ammunition, etc., that
were stored in Borden’s warehouse have been removed and shipped from
here by railroad; their destination I do not know. The work was done
at night, and all employed in it are very secretive; nothing can be
learned from them, but the warehouse was empty.
March 5.
Sir: I am in receipt of your esteemed favor
of the 28th ultimo, and have given the matter referred to due
attention. I was previously under the impression that all the arms,
ammunition, and accouterments received here by Mr. Borden were under
attachment in the Kimbal-Mantell suit, but I find that not to be the
case, a portion only—sufficient to secure the claim in the suit—was
attached and unmoved from Borden’s warehouse. These are still in the
hands of the sheriff, stored in a building at some distance from the
warehouse. The remainder are in the warehouse, in Mr. Borden’s
possession, and he may be disposing of them; in fact, though I can
not as yet get evidence to prove it, I am satisfied he is disposing
of them; to what extent I can not at present say. In the suit
referred to, Kimbal v. Mantell, Mr. Borden
was garnishee, and required to show under oath what property,
possessions, or effects he had in his possession or control
belonging to said Mantell. To this he yesterday made answer that he
had nothing so belonging. This is a denial on his part that the
arms, etc., are the property of Mantell, and hence they lie there
without any apparent owner and subject to be removed without any
responsibility. The suit in attachment is not returnable until July
next, but I learn incidentally that the matter is in process of
compromise, in which case dismissal of the suit and release of the
property may at any day be accomplished. The owner of the property,
whoever it may be, has means and is desirous of settling the suit
and getting possession of the same. Mr. Borden is very little in the
city, spending most of his time in Jacksonville, as I understand,
and any disposal of the arms, etc., must be made through a third
party. The correspondent of the secret agency to which you refer may
gain more details in the case than I can, as my position is well
known and information carefully secreted from me, but the
information given above I have obtained from first hands.
