The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-04
WORSE THAN SLAVERY.
Young Men From This Country Enticed -
Guatemala and Inhumanly Treated.

Young Men From This Country Enticed -
Guatemala and Inhumanly Treated
vIcKsBURe, MISS, May 26.-James Ear
ley, an intelligent young Mississippian,
twenty-five years of age, who formerly re-
sided at Batesville where he was for long
time Deputy Sheriff, returned few days
ago from Guatemala where he had been in
auced to go by labor agents and seductive
advertisements last summer. In an inter
view last night the young man said: Il left
| Vicksburg in September last to go to
Puerto Barrios, in the Republic of Guate-
maIa to work for Shay. Cornice & Co., on
the Puerto-Barrios & Guatemala City Rail
way. l landed there October 81 in the
rainy season and went 10 work grading the
! track and laboring up TO january % when
went with the iron gang and worked there
till February. At New Orleans l met a
man named Parker who had an Office On
Front street, near Clausman,
WHO WAS A LABOR AGENT
! fer Shay, Cornice & Co. In company with
| 1853 Others, signed a contract to work at
81 per day. We were to pay 80 transpor;a-
ton out of our first pay and were to pay
! s.. so per week board upon our arrival at
work. We sailed on the steamer Ella
| knight. When we landed, we were put
/ ashore in the night while it was raining,
and had no camp or place to go into. In
! the rain. the next day, we put up some
| poles or forks and covered them with mena-
| ella leaves, and these constituted our shell
| ter. 1t continued TO rain for about two
months. 1t would rain for an hour and
| then the sun would come out hot on us.
! We were not allowed to stop for rain, but
| kept on in mud and sluSh. l was sooD
taken with fevers, which would lay me up
for day and leave ME very weak the
next day. When the fever was on me
| could not eat, but the following day al
ways had ravenous appetite. They issued
meal tickets to the workmen when meals
were ready, and we could get nothing TO
eat without a ticket. / wen. TO the time
keeper who gave out the meal tickets and
asked for a ticket. He looked over the list
of those who had worked the day previous
and said, You did not work yesterday
No | was SICK l answered. We'll, said
he, we feed no one here except those who
work. Get out of here and go to work and
we will feed YOU L was unable to 20 to
work and l had to go to the thickets and
get some fruit to stay my hunger until
could recuperate enough to go to work. l
worked twenty-five days and had done
| Sl1 90 worth of station work the days when
| was
! UNABLE TO PUT IN FULL DAY.
went to the timekeeper and asked him
how stood when he told that my passage
was $3.50; that my board was $3.50 per
week; and that was then indebted to the
company S1.50. | told him l thought he
was mistaken and asked him for an item
lied statement. He said Il will give you
an itemized statement Then turning to
drawer he took out a pistol and presenting
it to me said 4 will give you an itemiZed
account with this l soon afterward in
company with six others procured small
sail boat and in the night we escaped and
made our way to Belize, British Honduras
From there we were sent home i'll the
same ship we went over III. Of the 1863
who went over with me there were
not more than ninety left when l escaped.
For a time they died at the rate OF seven or
eight day. Two companions OF mine died
aud were stripped of their clothing and
buried without collins in nude state, and
within an hour L saw their clothing dis
PLAYED in the commissary for sale. Men
who were unable to work and not sick in
bed were forced by soldiers to 20 70 work,
and when on the works if they refused to
labor they were arrested on some trivial
charge and placed in stocks. Very
FEW AMERICANS WE'RE PLACED N STOCKS,
but Germans were often thus punished.
A number of men ran away and attempted
to escape, but they had charges put against
them and the baTe-fOOted soldiers arrested
them as cOnvictS and brought them back,
when heavy fines were put against THEM in
every case. Some of the men appealed to
Il. Sarg, American Consul at Livingston.
lbOut nine miles from where we were az
york. lie said he could do nothing for us.
The Consul at British Honduras, in company
With some ladies, heard Of our condition
and ne came over to see for himself. After
wards he reported the matter, and the Uni
ed States man-of-war Swatara went over
md brought the Americans away. | had
eft. however, before their arrival, and only
card this from some of the boys who came
over on her and who are now on charity i'll
New Orleans. My feet have been swollen
ever since | worked in the rain last fall. and
do not think | will ever regain my health.
did not get dime Or stitch of clothing
or NY work while there"
49,