30 Sailors and Marines and One Canadian Now Remain in Rebel Hands

By Peter Kihss

Special to The New York Times

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba, civilians detained by the Cuban rebels were brought out by a Navy Helicopter at 4:31 P. M. Today. They were James D. Best, 32 years old, of St. Matthews, Ky., and Albert M. Ross, 51, of Houston, Tex.

Both had been kidnaped from Moa June 26. Their release left one civilian in rebel custody-Richard Sargent of Toronto, a sugar mill employee. All thirty United States sailors and marines seized outside this bass June 27 and 28 still are being held.

Mr. Ross reported the Robert Wiecha, United States Vice Consul, had flown back for negotiations and remained in the mountains tonight.

Rear Admiral Robert B. Ellis, Base commander, reported that Park Field Wollam Jr., United States Consul who also was negotiating in the mountains, had expected the release of five sailors today, but had been told the delay was due to transportation troubles. Admiral Ellis said he expected those five and the Canadian to be released tomorrow.

Mr. Ross and Mr. Best, both engineers, revealed that they had attempter to escape the morning after their capture.

They said eight Moa Bay engineers had been riding in a big jeep with three rebel guards. The jeep had mechanical trouble and the captives were ordered to march forward. Five went down one road fork for an hour and a quarter only to be caught by a rebel on horseback brandishing a revolver.

Mr. Ross and two others, meanwhile, hung back and hid in the bush for an hour until the jeep passed. Then they started hustling in a wrong direction for one hour until three rebels on horses caught them and assured them they were misguided.