The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-11
INJURED IN A DUNGEON.
AN AMERICAN CITIZEN dCCUSED OF
BEING A SPY.
The Appeal which Mr. John jay Smith
Makes to his Fellow Countrymen-AIIcgcd
Gross UutrnRcs by Federal Omciais.

|
tce done to me, and hope an interest will be
felt, not because of myself. but on account Of
the principles involved. 1t Is a matter affecting
the interests Of every American citizen living
on either side of the Rio Grande.
| Formerly II was the opinion OF respectable
Mexicans that the Government OF the United
States would hold that of Mexico to q strict ac-
count for the maltreatment Of an American
| citizen by the Mexican authorities. Now. they
| cite my case ss palpable proof that the United
states no longer protects its citizens against
acts Of oppression committed upon them in for
| eign States. They have ceased to respect the
| rights Of Americans, and feel that they have a
precedent to authorize them In visiting upon
our people personal abuse and indienites; and
they openly assert that in my arrest. connne-
ment, and detention, without any proof Of
guilt. they are ndorsed and abetted by the local
Federal authorities on the American side Of the
II may be well TO state hero that our Vice
CONSUL telcgraphed from time TO time to Wash
,ngton, and that the Federal authorities have
failed to give me relief
Now. lot me show you what 10 the cause, In
iaci, oi nv arrest. Imprisonment. ana the denial
On July II. 1870, while was at church, heard
bell ringing on the street. The person next to
me asked what the bell was ringing for. said
IL must be the man who sells ice cream. VINO Is
ringing his hell louder than usual. Church VS.
soon out, and, when on the street, | saw a great
IN ny people going toward the market, aud was
told III u An Indignation meeting was being
held. followed with the masses, and, when az
the City Hall, heard the object Of the meeting
explained, to the effect that II was to discuss
policemen, belonging to Matamoras, having
crossed the luO Grande at brownsville, In tho
dead hour Of night, met by two United States
guidos, and escorted TO dance some four
five miles above Brownsville, to arrest three
men and take them across the Rio Grande at
IL w1s Understood, thew were to be hung VI shot,
as the military commander might decide.
merchants business men. and frst citizen. ' Of
brownsville. said, ia the course OF the meet
ing, II the military commander at Fort Brown,
whose orders the guides always acted under,
bad directed the receiving Of said armed police,
and given permission to the authorities Of
Mexico TO make such arrests without process OF
law from the civil authorities. that thought
he had greatly exceeded the power with which
he was Invested, and that the matter should be
Investigated, and that a committee should be
appointed for tn 4 pur lose.
On the following sunday I was passing through
the garrison grounds enjoying what by custom
satient every citizen IN common Is and was
mandlng post, called out to me in a very rough
manner, " \ GU are the man VINO abuses the mil
itary In pubic meetings what business have
you to come into this garrisOn7 | replied that
was IN the garrison on private business" He
sald, rushing up To me IN very excited man
Intending to assault me, 81 don't want to see
you 10 this garrison again." In the next issue Of
the local paper published the whole circum-
stance, and probably was rather pointed IN re-
ferring 20 his manner and action as military
commander.
On the l9th Of September following, as Deputy
Inspector OF Hides and Animals. had detained
some hides VI American brands, shipped by
Miguel Schot. and went to Ma1amoris to see
him, and ascertain II he had bills Of sale for the
same. When arrived at Matau oras, Ia the
public plaza, walking along the street. was ar
rested 10y policeman. On my way to prison |
CHANGED TO pass friend who l asked to inform
toe American Consul Of my arrest. Twas con-
viewed o cell and guard put over me, with
instructions not to let any one communicate
with me. The Vice-Consul called upon Gen.
HAM alf al Lad a.. hA As.f.
charges against me. Hs was Informed that the
changes were not sum complete TO
some as II was Mexican citizen. and
that he, the American Consul, could not in
thing to say about the case / was kept from
o'clock Of tue 18th until IL o'clock of the 20tn In
without ANYTHING TO eat or drink. During the
night | asked for drink Of water. | WAS in
formed 10y the guard that must not ask him
r anything or to speak to MIN. The next day,
at IL o'clock, a military Judgs-AdvUcate APP
pesred lie Informed me that l was Oh .rged
win ueins SPY, ana IN 4 ne had come TO take
my de claratOn. ASKED II | was not entitled TO
select counsel AMI 10 choose an interpreter, In
order TO DE satisfied that wuat stated IN answer
! 70 interrOgdtories would uc correctly set down.
! lie denied both requests. After making my
| 81. teinent was asked to sign "A document con
| tanning an acknowledgment that | had been
| leg lily arrested and lmpriso refused, aud
MAS tOld | would be forced TO sign. | refused to
! do 80, except under protest. did so.
"A few days after was told | would be
Maxan and Judge William ii. russell of
| Brown-vilie. They appeared. examined the
pauefs aud records, and discovered the charge
| OF being "A spy for the revulutionists Ia Mexico
wis based upon the mere allegation Of the
Mexican Consul at brownsville. and unsup-
| upon tue American Vica-Consul at once, and
asked that my release be demanded, IA there
| was nothing to sust lin the charge against me.
| Two witnesses had been examined. anu they
| claim To have no more. One swore that he
| knew me to ue friendly with Don Savos Cavasos
| ana his son, and that l visited their ranch a
| great deal, which Is nine miles above Browns
vile, on the American size, The other be-
| ieved had warned Capt Amador that there
| was warrant for his arrest hts reasons for
the belief were that he saw me 20 into house
| At Brownsville, ana saw Amador 10 out the
| back way aud leave town.
The American vice-Consul demanded nv re-
| lease upon the statement of my attorneys which
wa, refused. He then appealed 10 Capt. Jonn-
| son, commanding the aunboat Bravo, and asked
| III. cooperation In enforcing the demand. He
| refused, saving that he could not interfere IN
| behalf of an American citlzen, because the
country was una martial law, and the General
commanding at Matdm uras could hold me with
| out trial as long As he pleased; and that the
| United states Government could not interfere.
Grant THIS Ms true, and notwithstanding the evi-
| denco does not justify my arrest and detention,
| may he held without TIL Il long as martini
eminent be restored. might be held on the
ground that civil tribunals canuot properly adj
| Judcate such cases and my detention might be
durable Az Mexican Suits and pretexts could
make II.
II this great law expounder u the navy is cor
rect, and he no doubt thinks he Is, because he
uses arguments TO support his position In the
streets aud saloons, then American citizens
| living In Mexico, or going there business,
may have their property connsrated, their FAINT
! lies outraged, ana themselves murdered and the
| United states ctnnOt Interfere. The doctrine
| OF the great naval Jurist Ia that when martial
law IA declared the military are irresponsible for
their acts to any earthly power. They may vio-
late treaties, redden their hands with American
blood, and there Is no hope OF redress amt rep
ration. The sanction 81 TIRE commanding On
Ger leRdlizes any enormtty which may be per-
petratud upon an American.
Who has been at The bottom OF my arrest,
upon charges unsustained, and known to be
| false by every ons ON this frontier acquainted
| with the Circumstance Mexicans OF Slatamo-
| ras IN speaking OF my Gaze, aas "Well, II We
cant prove anything against Smith, II was the
| fault Of Gen. Devin Of his own country, and not
| ours that he was arrested"
know that am the victim OF the malevo-
| lence OF Federal ofncials. and am expiating in
| my nltuy uen, a fauit Of having unfortunately
| been born into American citizenship. 1 doubt
whether survive the ordeal. II belonged to
| any other nationality would hope for relief.
JOuN JAY SMITH.
How n Hnneher saw the Centennial show.
IRON the Reno Gazette.
One Of our Nevada ranchers sent his wife
East to see the big show In Philadelphia, and
followed in about three months himself. Tho