April 2, 1974

By Hilda Inclan

The Latin community has donated more than $12,300, most of it in $1 and $5 gifts, to the families of the two Cuban exiles severely injured March 20 when a bomb they were making exploded.

The special fund is expected to ho even higher after check donations and phone-in pledges are collected and totaled.

In response to pleas over Spanish-speaking radio stations, people have been walking into the fund headquarters from $1 to $100. Others have pledged donations by phone.

Sunday's 13-hour fund drive - marked at one point by an angry confrontation between a Miami police officer and Cubans collecting from passing cars - raised $12,258.61.

Meanwhile, Humberto Lopez, listed in fair condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital, was scheduled for further operations on his left hand today. He lost two fingers in the blast and his throat was perforated by bomb fragments.

Luis Crespo, still critical, can barely talk through a jaw that has been wired. Both, say police, are members of the militant anti-Castro National Cuban Liberation Front (FLNC).

Sunday's fund drive, headquartered at 137 SW 22^nd Ave., was organized by an anti-Castro youth group, Abdala.

At the close of the drive, Police Officer John Ferguson, 30, arrested one of 14 Abdala members who were collecting from passing cars outside the headquarters.

An angry crowd had gathered round him when he charged Armando Sotolong of 2318 Biscayne Blvd., with obstructing traffic. Ferguson suffered cuts on the left thumb and chin.

Another Abdala member, Maria Eugenia Vidana, said today, "The officer then got very angry, began shouting obscenities at us, and waved his gun."

"We could hear him shouting, 'Emergency, Emergency' on his car radio and asking for backup units. Within five minutes, 14 police cars were on the scene with police dogs."

Today, contributions continue to pour into fund headquarters. One woman factory worker turned over her entire weekly pay check of $54.47 to the fund, accompanied by a note saying she regretted she could not give more.

Abdala president Leonardo Vito said, "We are getting checks and we also have to collect phone-in pledges."

While Sunday's fund drive was going on, Lopez, who cannot talk because of his injured throat, sent a message, written on a black-board, to the exile community. It was also signed by Crespo.