Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-08
ssOCR NEXT.DOOR NEIGHROR.,,
Letter From the Mexican Capital.

YOUR NExT-DOOR NEIGHBOUR"
Letter From the Mexican Capital.
THEY ARE-THE PURPOSE MYsTzRY--FINANCIAL
AND MISCELLANEOUS Affairs
srecial Correspondence Of the EVENING STAR
MEXICO CITY, July 81.
THE IMPRISONED AAE RIcANs.
The clannish spirit, so common In colonies, has
caused US to take deep interest In two American
mechanics who were arrested here on the 18th inst
without warrant, and Immediately, without trial,
thrown into prison, placed In separate cells and,
by order OF the governor OF the federal district,
Senior Don Carlos Rivas, declared ''fnco,nuntcado-
that Is, debarred the privilege OF seeing friends or
sending for legal aid or defense. The following
day, sunday, these facts were communicated to
Judge Morgan, the American minister, by Ger
man gentleman who had witnessed the arrest, and
the former Immediately addressed note to the
Mexican minister OF foreign affairs, asking an ex-
PLANTATION.
The reply was. no doubt, courteous; nevertheless,
Judge Morgan evidently was not satisfied. for he at
once dispatched the secretary Of The American
legation to ask the governor OF the federal district
why these men had been placed In solitary confine-
ment without TRIAL Senior Rivas being absent, the
deputy governor received Mr.. Harry Morgan very
cOurteouSy. and said: ~ have been informed they
were arrested for using sedttious language in the
saloons and restaurants, and also defaming
H.
The secretary OF legation thereupon insisted upon
ana nnally obtained interview with the prIs-
onera Each declared he had never meddled With
Mexican politics or spoken disrespectfuy OF the
Executive, and both expressed the belief that this
was not the real cause OF their arrest When the
statements OF the pris ners were given Judge Nor
gan ne made further efforts for their release, but
his demands il not refused. We're. 1t appears, not
granted because on Thursday the oath instant, he
leegraphed the condition OF affairs TO the Depart
menC OF state in Washington. AS a matter OF
course we do not, cannot know what communica-
tiohs Judge Morgan made TO the American govern
meht. or What instructions he received. Your cor
respondent can only affirm that owing his inter
vention the American prisoners were released Sat-
urday night. July Goth, about half-past seven
O'clock
WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE.
The names OF the imprisoned Americans are Will
liam Howard and Edmund Walesch, the latter, who
Is OF the real German type, was it Is said, born in
Alsace, and was taken TO New York when mere
infant. However, he claims to be an American cit
zen ana certainly Is such by Naturalization II not
by birth. Howard is native or Albany, n. T., a
respectable, intelligent and honorable mana car
penter by occupation.
Walesch came here some two years ago, and has
recently been employe putting up a soap factory.
employer Mexican gentleman, about the engine
and some other machinery connected with the bust
ness, and left, declaring he would have nothing to
20 Win the factory or the Mexican.
UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCES
Walesch says:-"On Saturday night, July 10Th,
was returning to my home when arrested by Col.
De Witt Foster OF the Mexican army (Or else in the
employment OF this government. I asked to see
his warrant He pulled out three letters and said
These furnish sufficient reasons for your arrest
Col. Poster then tnoH me, with my companion. Mr.
Howard. to the private residence OF the president
was shown some ANONYMOUS letters, also three
signed RYDER but had not time TO comprehend
their full meaning. when Gen. Coma rs said: Why
do you attempt to disturb the pubic peace bv
speaking evil OF Mexico and its chief magistrate?'
answered: Mr.. President. l have never meddled
In afp .rfo
or private The President taen had some CONVEX
saton with his private secretary and COL Foster
about The anonymous letters and finally, with
wave OF MS hand toward me. said: al carcei ctO
the prison), or words to that effect, and was at
once taken TO police Headquarters. placed In
my friends After the lapse OF twenty
eight thirty hours the secretary OF the American
legation obtained access to Inc. Immediately after
this interview with the representative OF our gov
eminent Was remanded to my cell and had no
communication with any person until Saturday
night, t26th,) when, between and O'Clock, a Mex
lean jailer opened the door OF my cell and said,
You are free-leave the premises NO eXplana-
tons were given. l think it was the work OF an
enemy, Who hoped to reap some benefit from my
Imprisonment. | only know that my freedom Is
due to the exertlons Of Judge Morgan, the Amer-
can minister"
almost exactly the same statement. except he yS;
"A5 do not understand Spanish did not know
what was going on as vel as Walesch did, put when
Col Foster [who, or course, spoke To me In Engloh)
said: Come along, Henderson,, replied, My name
is not Henderson. sir; and he said Well, no mat
ter, you are the man, anyhow"
While Howard was relating his adventure to
friends he Shutidered viSbly as he remarked:
''NeighbOrS, you cannot imagine how dismal those
days and nights were in that prison. had no bed,
only petate. "a rush mat, such the Indians and
lower CLASSES sleep on here} and as the nights are
SOM ! suffered considerably. II Judge Morgan
hadn't gotten US out so speedily, If we had been
detained month. as threatened, we ror Walescn
had nothing to sleep on. either. and not even a
Blanket was given U.s. we might have had what
these Mexcans call putnonid J,,erte, or else per-
haps been laid up some months with the rneurna-
tism. No officer said anything by way OF explana-
ton TO me. About half-paSt seven or eight o'clock
jailer opened my cell door and satd you are free,
leave the place. and walked out, having no idea
why had been imprisoned but suppose it was due
to the spite OF a certain Mexican
The probabilities are that this matter will he
settled by the officials OF the two governments,
then archieved Ia Washington and the Palacio Ma
ciOnal here. where TO correspondents other Gu
rious people see the report. Thank God. the
difficulty ended so quickly and so well. Our COL
OniStS, although excited, have been prudent and
have behaved admirably.
MINOR MENTION.
The "stamp law" OF which previously wrote
has been quite generally obeyed. The government
inspectors report but few infrngemens OF it in the
interior towns. In this city some articles were
found minus the government stamp, and the fines
this week range from 800 TO $1,000
The shank tax IS now causing pretty general
dissatisfaction. The Mexican national bank which
is sort OF government strong box. is exempted
from the ve per cent tax lately levied on all other
banking companies.
Gen. Carlos Pacheco. minister Of public works
zone OF the most energetic and practical men In
MexicO), has been elected governor Of Chihuahua
and was TO leave for that stale the Sd proX
but Is confined TO his chamber by an Inflammation
OF the leg which was shattered on the famous bat
tie field OF Pueblo years ago.
The loyal Chihlahueuses will doubtless be dis
appointed fOr-mark well the prediction OF your
cOrreSpOndent-Gen PachecO will certainly IL he
lives. go to their capital, be inaugurated, leave
deputy there, and return here to form one OF the
cabinet OF DlaZ in December. c. T.
A Medical View Of the Cholera
4 REASONABLE HOPE THAT ITS PROGRESS CAN RE
CHECKED.
In referring to the subsistence Of the cholera epl-
demic In the south OF France, the Philadelnhta
Medical Ne,rS says: "NOt only has the progress or
the cholera been very Slow, but the mortality rec
ord shows that its fatal results have been far below
those OF former viSitatiOnS, and leads us to hone
q No In nIn..l- hoa-n, IL