Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-09-30
Governor of Jalapa, and reply with

great pleasure.
| regard the outrage committed by the
offending soldier, to whom you alludc, as
one Of the most atrocous aud nggrava-
ted Of the kind that ever came to my
knowledge. knew the young woman
that was outraged, and all Of the little
family to whom she belonged They
kept Spanish restaurant at the other
end of the square on which the Cover
nor's office was located, and were worthy,
reputable and unohending in their char
acter. They were poor, it is true, but |
do not know that for such reason out
RACES were to be committed upon them
with IMMUNITY. The girl whose person
was violated, was very young, Scarcely
sixteen years of age, and sustained the
character of an estimable and virtuous
female. | will now give you the par
ticulars in the case.
At the time of the occurrence, re-
port was made to mo in the Office of the
Governor, (Col. Hughes for whom !
acted as interpreter, that soldier named
Thomas Davis had clicked up row F"
in the restaurant above alluded to, and
stabbed young woman, and on my re-
presenting the same to Col. Hughes, he
ordered the arrest of the offender. In
the mean time tho young woman and
her mother and brother had themselves
reported the outrage to Col. Hughes, in
his office, and before they had left, the
guard of the day brought in Thomas
Davis, tho soldier charged with the out
rage. In his (Davis) presence, the
young woman and her mother and bro
Their testified that he had violated her per-
son and stabbed her severely in order to
accomplish his purpose, and that the
two latter were attracted by the cries Of
the young woman to the scene of the
outrage. The girl was in tears when
giving in her testimony, and the blood
was flowing from wound in her right
side From the effects of this wound,
| have since learned, the poor girl ulti-
mately died.
When Davis was asked by Colonel
Hughes what be had 10 say in extenua-
ton of the great offence charged against
him, hecxhi5ited his usual spirit of reck-
lessness and ruflianism, and spoke in
tone Of insolence and defiance which
far more qualification than re- /,
morse for his crime. He did not deny
it, or attempt to palliate the offence in
any way. Col. Hughes sent for the
surgeon Of the regiment to make an ex-
animation, and give his opinion as to the
nature nf tho nntraea Tho surgeon
made that examination, amt uucrarcu
g the girls person to have been violated
and that the object of the william had
been accomplished"
Inasmuch as the gun had been pre-
viously brought into the square for the
purpose of whipping a Mexican who had
been detected in stealing, Col. Hughes,
in consideration Of the uncomfortable
ruffianism of Davis, in connection with
his crime, ordered him to be taken out
and logged at the same time TO the ex-
tent Of fifty lashes. lie was whipped in
80 mild a way that his back showed no
marks; and Davis, to show his contempt
for such a punishment, clicked up his
heels" and crowcd defiance at Col |
Hughes. The Colonel then very prop !
orly ordered twenty-five additional lashes
to be inflicted upon him greatly to the
qualification of every well behaved sol
der under his command. lie deserved
all the punishment he received and much
more, for his ins2lcncc and insubordina-
ton, leaving out his crime altogether. !
regarded him as one Of the very worst
men attached to the command, and if he
had been regularly tried either here or
in Mexico, under either civil or military
law, he could not have escaped SEN
tence Of death During our entire stay
in Jalapa, scarcely day elapsed that
he was not reported for drunkenness, or
some act Of rulianism AS you have
said no man is SO bad that be cannot find
some "chums or cronies" to sustain and
defend him. and it is therefore not at ali
singular, that this Davis found some
wicked spirits to unite with him in crying
down the reputation Of the girl he had
stabbed and outraged, since his and their
return to this country. In these state
ments respecting Davis and the young
Mexican girl whom he violated, ! have
given you nothing but facts, and facts,
too, which will DO sustained BY gentle.
men of both parties in this city, Who
served with myself and Col. Hughes, in
Mexico.
Admitting that Col. Hughes did not
walk strictly in the path Of the law in
Furnishing Dayisfor his crime, and there
by subjected himself to a malicious per-
socution at the instigation Of an upstart
scion ofaristocracy Of Washington, every
good man should, in my opinion, justify
and applaud him for tie act nevertheless.
The safety and reputation Of the army
required promptness and decision on the
part Of Col Hug hes, Che Goyernorof
.Jalapa) and the offence Of Davis called |
for the most summary and severe punish
ment. The offender has cause to be most
grateful 10 Col Hughes for Furnishing !
him without subjecting him TO trial,
because iti manifest that his life was
saved by IL.
always found Col lIughesto be very
kind and compassionate as u commander
and so will say every American soldier
in this city or elsewhere that served un-
dor him IL Mexico, who did not dishonor
his country's flag am an humble man
being only a merchant tailor by trade,
bat trust that have earned rcputa-
ion for yoracity which no foe Of Col.
Hughes dare impcach.
Yours, very respectfully,
ROBERT i JAWS