Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-09-30
A Thrilling Disclosure.

Five gentlemen arrived in San Antonio, Sept
atb, who are Just returning from California
having come by the Pacitc-'heir names ane
places of residence are as follows;
Richard NJ. Head, Bib county, Georgia
John w. Cole, Holly Springs, mississippi; Jas
Schoolfeld. Hamilton county, Tennessee;
David Spring, Fort Smith, Arkansas.
From these persons we learn the following
n,;nfnl disclosure: In the city of Durango
Merico. they learned in a private manner that
there were some Americans, in the city prison
and they afterwards got permission to visit
thcm they found them in a large stone dun
aeon of SO filthy a description that it was
eelmost impossible for visitors to remain in the
entrance way but a few minutes. The Ameri-
cans in confinement were three in number, and
their names and former places of residence were
as follows: William Shirley, Broom county,
New York; William Rogers, Stark county,
Ohio: John Gaines, Dayton, Montgomery coun-
ty, Ohio. These men have been in this filthy
dungeon four years and three months, and dur.
Ing two years of this time they were chained
down to the door, in total darkness, where they
could not see any person but the one who fed
them their starving allowance. At the end OF
TWO years Juc uuSC CilAiliS dlOu'a NV
and wrists had corn the flesh otto The bone, and
such was their horrid condition, that their chains
were removed to save their lives and keep them
In misery the longer. The flesh is partly healed
over these wounds, leaving the most heartsick-
ening scars, which were all seen by the five
persons whose names are mentioned above.
They state that they were imprisoned on the
charge of numbering and robblng a man for bis
money, and they state also, that from some
facts which they are in possession of, the per-
son who committed the murder escaped. They
have been trying to get a trial, but a hearing is
refused them. They have written lettes to
the American Minister in Mexico several times,
and they have reason to believe that he has
never received them.
Our informants learned from many respecta-
bs Spaniards in Durango, that it was impossi.
bic to get evidence to convict them; and the
great mass o. the people believe them innocent.
The youngest of these prisoners, John Gaines,
of Dayton, Ohio, is only II years old. The in.
terview which our informants had with them,
was q heart>thrilling scene--and on taking
their leave, they begged them in the most feel
ins manner to relate their circumstances to
tae American people, and if possible, to send
news to their friends Of their condition, and
send them relief.
The above statement is of the most reliable
character--these persons witnessed it with
their own eyes, and they are persons of un-
doubted v~eracity ,land some of them have long
been known to some Of our citizens.
For the sake of humanity, let there be some.
thing done in this matter. If a citizen of the
United States has any protection abroad, let it
be known. For what object do We have a
Minister in Mexico! Our government should
regard the rights Of each citizen of orr country,
and hold them as sacred as the rights OF one
of the States of our Uuion.
Let the alarm be sounded 10 the cara of
erery American citizen that three Of their bro
are confined wihout cause, and are tamish.
ing pM hunger and dying in chains, in a dark,
dungeon in the city Of Durango, Next
cO.-Ieran.