Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1884-06-05

train robbers generally escape, Will,
here the government provides armet
escorts or sends out troops who shoe
down the marauders without quarter
The other day, when Superintendent
Mackenzie, of the Central Road, ant
Superintendent Lewis, of the National
were coming north together, a bal
fired through their Pullman car passet
within about four inches of their re
Spective heads. Mackenzie's appetit,
was spoiled, but he retained strength
enough to put the officials on the scent
and within Il few hours half dozcl
men were arrested on suspicion. How
they Jared is not known here, but n
the south end of the line the vigor will
which the government has recently
pursued and put to death ten or twclv,
train wreckers, has taught the cvil-dis
posed that interfering with the rail
ways is very unhealthy occupation
In one respect, however, foreigner
have Just ground for complaint. Pett,
magistrates here and there are over
anxious to show their power by max
ing arbitrary arrests. If a Mexican
happens TO be killed on the track, tn,
engineer and conductor are likely TO bt
imprisoned forthwith. The arrest il
legitimate, no doubt, but is not desircC
by the state or national officials, anc
serves, so far as the law is conceived
only to air the authority OF some oili
cious alcalde or other This practice
Will OF course be reformed sooner ol
later. But more important yet is
fastening of Judicial proceedings
Justice partakcs of the mdRaid char
acter OF the country There are wei
authenticated instances of the impriSOn
ment Of criminals or suspects for days
and even weeks and months, without
trial. And then, in some eases ut least
If the verdict is in favor Of the prisoner
the government has the right to appca
to higher court, whcrcupon the vie
tim OF the arrest, whether innocent ol
guilty. is rcmanded for
ANOTHER INDEFINITE PERIOD.
This system. 1t can hardly be nee
csSary to say Is alroclouS. ! DclicN,
that the American authorities might
if they would, convince the Mexican
government of the Importance Of re
form at these two points in their treat
ment OF Americans arrested. AS j
is, however, the state department an,
our consuls charge each other with thu
failure of both TO use their inllucnc,
effectively in the right direction, anC
much cruel injustice is suffered ol
that account. Right there in Chihua
hua two or three Americans have beer
in Jail long time without trial, or ol
appeals taken by the prosecution
The cell of one American, on tn,
ground floor Of the barracks prison
fronts upon the street. and in the win
dow hangs the sign of tinker. TIN
prison may take in odd Jobs through
the grating, whcrcwith to earn Il fey
cents, but the soldiers about the cStab
lishmcnt are too numerous TO warran
any hope OF escape. Whether limo
cent or guilty. prisoners under clNll
l"ea governments ENJOY speedy lrlalS
ana when once acquitted are set free
In TINS matter, Mexican practice Is no
iuliy civilized. Our consul here ha
intimate iamlly ana business conncc
llonS with the MeNicanS OF position
ana secretary freIlnEhuNNcn Is report
ed tohaVc expressed aSlonlShmcnt no
long ago at his failure to report case
OF real "ou'ragcs on unfortunate
though quite likely ''croohcd. Amer
leans. Ihcrcupon, ii is said. Consu
General Sutton came down TO max
his recent investigation, which disclose,
an even worse condition of things thai
that indicated above. Pcrcontra, MI
Mckenzie, ot the Central road, toll
me distinctly that he knew the conSu
had reported all the facts TO Washing
ton, and had been igromlniOusl
sntlbbcd for his pains. Wherever tn
responsibility lies, il is true in Mexico
rs 1t is IN Cuba and Ireland, that on
government is very slow 10 assert tn
rights OF American citizenship.
TIE TOWN.
have left little space for a dcscrir
tion of Chihuahua. There is rcali
little to see here in comparison wit
r. the sights of the larger, richer an
more purely Mexican cities furlhc
{ south Between Paso del Nortc an
, Chihuahua, but from ten to 100 mile
{ from the railway, there are rich mine
= chiefly Of silver. The famous SAINT
q Eualia mines are not far from the cit,
Q The most important public building
: the grand church, usually miscallc
, the cathedral" ON the west side ,
l.. the plaza. 1t is of the prevailing tut
stone of the ncighborhood. and dat,
q from l72j-il. The twin towers,
inspiring appearance, especially in ii
: moonlight (Which is nowhere bright,
n than in Chihuahua), are IA feet higl
well proportioncd and extremely han,
n some. The architecture of the cdili,
> of tbc tower; contains , LrlI in whir
there is TO be seen n hole made Inv
French cannon ball durinc thc nnbon,
Mayimilion war, Al tLe west end