Saturday, May 25, 2013

ON THIS DAY IN:

1860 The USS Crusader arrived with a barque of 411 Africans it captured off the coast of Cuba while trying to land other captured Africans. All were rescued from being sold into slavery in violation of international law. The U.S. Marshal Fernando J. Moreno was then in charge of a total 1,350 Africans.

1861 In a special election to replace all the officers elected under the old state laws, Alexander Patterson was elected mayor.

1967 The Navy announced that Truman Beach was permanently closed and all the facilities had been moved to the Beach Patio area. The beach was closed because the harbor dredging had carried away most of the sand, making the area too dangerous.

1980 Officials estimated a total of 625 boats had been seized for bringing in Cuban refugees without visas and other boating violations.