The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-05-19
Carried to Guatemala and Trsstes
Worse Than Brutes.
ENTRAPPED AT THE EXPOSITION
by Sea Captain and n Confederat.s,
Taken to Puerto Barrios, Sold Into
Bondage, and Compelled to
Work On Railroads,
TORTURE, SICKNESS AND DEATH.

NEW YORK, May l8-The Herald this
morning publishes story from Key
Wect, Florida, which gives an account
of the kidnapping of Edward Santa
Rosa, a youth of 10 years, from New
Orleans.
Rosa relates pitiful story, which, If
true, would call for full inyes-
tigation by our government
Rosa states that in last September, at
New Orleans, he was enticed on board
vessel, the captain of which offered to
take him to Key West. While he was
talking to the captain the vessel sailed,
and he aud ~ others, who had also been
entrapped, were carried to Puerto Bar
rios, Guatemala, by the steamer Ella
Knight. Rosa says: We arrived at Puerto
Barrios, In Guatemala, at about sum
down of Wednesday, october 8, after a
voyage of little over six days. Owing
to eating poor food and drinking bracks
ish water nearly all the party were
sick. Five were for four days unable to
get ON deck. Altogether, the voyage
was very disagreeable one. We an
ohored in the open harbor,
about quarter Of a mile
from shore, when jim O'Donald,
of Glasgow, Scotland, OF Irish descent,
the man who entrepped me at New Or
leans, along with the cagtain and mate
went ashore, where l heard him call
out: "Here are my cattle for which /
am TO get $40 per head" We were
landed in small boats and counted,
whereupon O'Donald went up to the Of
flee OF j. p. Bousoarren, president of the
railroad company, and no jeived 500 for
this shipment of 67 men, and Bousoar-
rem, though Mexican, spoke French
tiuently. N. b. Day, Of Chattanooga,
Tennessee, is yico-president,
When left New Orleans had 500 In
my pocket. AS we were landing Day sung
out: "Hurrah look at the boys There
is plenty of money there |"
Bouscarron said to the soldiers: "Go
to searching" The soldiers were native
blacks and spoke English and were un-
Ger command Of tall white man. IL
any of our party objected to being
searched his money and arms We're
taken from him by violence and
there was tree near at
hand and lash was taken
to show him that he would be tied up
and whipped. As we were brought
ashore In small parties, those remain
store for them until they, too, were
forced to give up their property. Presi-
dent Bouscarron sat at the table with a
box at hand, into which he dropped the
money rs II was passed to him by our
party. AS II was never in
tended that the workmen should
ever earn and be pain money enough TO
get away from Puerto Barrios, they were
at once robbed OF what money they had
brought with them, In order that the
door OF escape might be closed against
them. Work at Puerto Barrios was COM
menced, but during August and Sep
tember there were not many men So
cured. In October they began to get
their supplies. New Orleans was filling
up with people, aud 0'Donald and Stall
lings knew how w get them TO Puerto
Barrios. | figured the six following re-
ports OF laborers up TO January Ath
(when | LETT at work. Whom our party
arrived there were about 800:
Our party, per the Ella Knight .......... 81
Brought by the Wanderer r................l l78
Brought by the Blanche Henderson. .. 100
Brought by the Ella Knight ....,..,...... II
Total ..................................G7 .G7
There were at work when left about
200, leaving to be accounted for All.
II laborer would not 20 out to work
| no WIS uoulbu loOus m6n were klCkou
until they lett sick beds to return TO
work. The men only cost the
company $40 each. It was
President Bouscarrou's habit 10
pay us a monthly visit from the int.
rior, riding mule. Ifhe was unable TO
come he sent his agent to inspect the
work and report. The men were
worked In gangs of 10, IL or 20, and
whatever man was told TO do he was
expected to do. There were no "strlk-
ers" allowed at Puerto Barrios. There
were no ministers, churches, or re.
ligious services Of any kind while was
there.
The hospital was an old ragged tent,
infested with lizards, gnats and mos
quitoes. Quinine was the general rem
edy in sickness, and the men were
stuffed with IL. One poor Frenchman
became flighty with 1t, and fled TO the
woods to die in the marshes of San
Francisco, FIVE miles away. There was
no burial grounds. When man died,
he was wrapped in blanket and hole
dug in the spot most convenient and
the body put away without any
ceremony. The woods and
mountain side about Puerto Barrios be.
came so full of exposed decaying bodies
that the place must for season be q
more than an unusually unhealthy ono
10 live In.
Rosa says that he made his escape
last January and has just landed iu this
country.