Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-05-25
\ PECULIAR CASE.
Unjust Treatment of Americans at Panama
SEVEN MEN CONFINED FOR
MONTHS IN 4 PRISON.

nations. and is not very compliment
tary to the prtrlotism of Free Amer
lea. Perhaps the latest outrage is
that at Panama, where seven Ameri
cans are anjustly held in a stone
dungeon for alleged completely in
the bold robbery of $4,000 in gold
from the Panama Railroad Company,
which had been forwarded to Panama
to pay the officers and men of the
| United States steamer Lackawanna.
and as yet has baffled the shnewdest
| of American detectives to unearth.
A few days after the robbery had
been committed, December, 81, 1882.
seven American citizens We're arrest
ed and charged with the crime and
thrown into prison without being ac-
corded the privilege of hearing to
this day. The case has on several
occasions been presented to he State
Department. Finally, by persistent
demands, action has been enforced,
and the unfortunate men will prob
ably be shortly brought to trial. In
a letter to friends in the United
States the prisoners give the follow
ing description of the quarters in
which they are incarcerated:
A HORRIBLE BLACK HOLE.
Our cell is simply a stone dun
geon with two narrow slits, a few
inches wide, and about two feet
high and eight feet above the floor of
the cell. Facing the sea the floor is
earth only and the walls are very
damp. The door of this abode of
misery faced on the main hall; past
it all the human refuse from the con
victs i'll adjoining corridors is carried
to be thrown into the sea by some un-
fortunate prisoner Adjoining the
prison is soldiers barrack, the
drain from which passes under our
cell or dungeon, as it is fever flushed.
Our cell is filled with the vilest odors
imaginable by day and by night. In
front of the hallway ON which my cell
faces this drain has an open mouth,
SO its pestilentiaI vapors are with us
always. Several of our number have
been sick and one is now under medi-
cal attendance. Experience has
taught all foreigners that in this low
and pestilential climate, where yellow
fever is endemic the greatest care
is necessary to preserve health. The
eighty days that we have spent in
this abode of misery and death would
equal years of imprisonment in any
prison in the United States
STRANGE STORY.
The story of the arrest and deten-
| tion of these men reads like a chap
ter from a sensational novel, yet it is
nevertheless true. One of the prison
ers, Alexander Stewart, by his coun-
sci, +. +. Shepard, has given the fol-
lowing narrative to an Examiner cor
respondent: alexander Stewart,
whose relatives reside in New York
city, about two years ago went into
the hotel business at Baranquilla,
South America, and returned on q
vacation to America last November.
On his going back he sailed in the
Spanish steamer Belker, Captain
Pianos, on December Sth. The yes
sci met with stormy weather, and was
detained at sea seven days longer
than was anticipated, finally putting
into Colon formerly called Aspin-
walD for coal. This was on the af-
ternoon of Saturday, December 30.
The gold which it is alleged has been
stolen was deposited in the vaults at
Panama ION the opposite side of the
Isthmus). December 20. 1t is not
known definitely when it was stolen.
but the robbery was discovered, it is
said, the morning of January 1st, and
it is supposed to have been commit
ted the night previous. Captain
Pianos swears that Alexander Ste
wart slept on board the vessel both
December 30th and December 31st,
He went on shore January list, and
not return on the I'd. He could not
have committed the robbery, being on
| the other side of the isthmus.
AN ALIBI FOR STEWART.
While at Colon Stewart stopped at
an American hotel, and while there
met three or four men whom he had
casually known at Baranullilla a year
before. He saluted them, shook
hands, and after passing the time of
the day returned to the ship. These
men were shadowed by detectives at
the time and the officers did not fail
to notice the young American who
was in their company. These men
were arrested that day, and early on
January 4th, about 4 A. NJ, Perfect,
with a guard of five men, boarded
the Belker, and took Stewart into
custody. The affair was first taken
as a joke, but the stern reality be-
came evident when he had lain a few
days in Chiriuui prison. One prison
er confined with him and his compan-
ions. died within week after being
confined in the vile dungeon, and it
is only the hardy constitution of the
Americans and the fact that they had
been able to purchase food instead of
depending on the prison fare that has
kept them from breaking down
Stewart had been in the prison three
days before he learned of the charge
against him, and then only through
overhearing a casual conversation be-
tween the police inspectors He
has made every effort to obtain an
examination or a trial, but so far
without success He appealed to
the American Consul at Aspinwall.
but the latter said he had no author
ity to interfere and he would have to
wait for instructions from the State
Department at home before taking
action.
BROKEN PLEDGE.
The Prosecuting Attorney of the
Colombian Government for the Dis
trict of Panama inforrsed Stewart Oh
March 18th that he would be liberat
ed at once, but the promise has
never been fulfilled. There are but
two reasons why he has not been re-
leased First, robbery having been
committed in its territory the Colon
| bian Government desires to make as