The Mineral argus., 1885-09-17
A pssssseER CONDUCTORS STORY.
A wcnderIal Escape rom the San Diego
Mines.

nalf "A mile beneath the surface OF the
earth. lately told the story of his suf-
:erines 10 a representative of the
Cleveland Plain Dealer. - am 81
gear, old" he said, ''and | feel as if
were twice that age. In ISIS obtained
employment on the Mexican Central
railroad in the capacity Of passenger
conductor. and ran between chihuahua
and the City Of Mexico. My trouble
began on The 18th day Of February,
1881. Ny train ran at the average
rate of ihiriy-oigh! miles an hour and
when left Chihuahua that morning
at eight O'Clock told my engineer.
Mcfarland. to slack up To ten or fifteen
miles an hour in passing Sierra Blanco,
a quarry twenty miles out, where about
1000 Mexicans are employed 10y the
government getting out stone. Every
pay day these Iaborcrs would get drunk
and hang around the track, and rs this
was pay dag warned my engineer to
slow up around the Sierra Blanco curve
lest he might hurt somebody. Well, it
happened just that way. Mcfarland
saw Il young fellow lying right across
ihe track and whistled for him several
ZINES. The man moved and my ensi-
necr thought he'd got off. He didn't,
however. and was struck. OF course
ne was dead, and when we reached
Domingo we were both arrested. Nc
Farland and |. After II delay of three
months NE were taken to the City Of
Mexico and tried before the cour: Of
assizcs, presided over by the Governor
Of Sonora.
The charge was murder. | had two
Mexican attorneys and paid them
81 900 to get me out, hut the prejudice
against Americans was very strong, and
| was sentenced to two years imprison-
ment and to pay "A fine of 500. Nc
Farland's sentence was just twice as
hard, four years and 81 GOO"
''Bnt your term of service has not
elapsed vet p suggested the reporter.
NO." dryIy remarked Mr.. Wade,
mot yet, that is not in the regular
fashion,
when ! got my sentence he re-
sumcd, Il appealed to the American
Minister, but nothing was done for me
until ! managed to get Il letter to the
St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and then
intervention was Of no avail. was
taken to the Tortez penitentiary, and
employed as understeward. | made
an impression Of the key to the stock
ade, but just rs | attempted to escape
| was discovered and placed in irons.
Then was sent to the San Diego mines,
2,2s5 feet underground. My work
compelled me to kneel all the time
striking a drill. A Mexican in the
mine insulted me and | knocked him
down. For this WAS sentenced to re-
ceive thirtynine lashes on my bare
back, but the sentence was suspended
until my term Of confinement should
expire. | met some men down there
who had not seen daylight in nine
years. After working in the mine
three months the hydraulic pumps in
Use there gave ont, and | told the CAPT
tano Of the guard that | WAS me-
.chanic and could repair the machinery.
The engineer sent for me and | stayed
up two days fixing the pumps. One of
,he men in charge belongs To II certain
secret society to which belong, and
he told me that if | could get up on
the cage he would hoist me. Accord
ing To agreement | returned to work,
and on the third day made II break
for liberty. Three or four times | start
ed, but each time my courage failed
and my heart was in my mouth. AT
last took my lamp of my hat and
dashed it 10 the ground. That meant
certain death for me if ! WAS caught
and ran TO the cage and gave the sig
nal to hoist. Immediately the cage
began to move, but | had not been
lifted five feet when the. three guards
fired their doube-barreled carbines at
me. None of them hit me, however,
and ! was drawn mp safely. Near the
mouth of the mine found burro tied
and without asking any questions !
mounted and made tracks for the
American line. That day rode sev-
enty miles
Mr.. Wade haulted u moment 10 mop
big drops Of PRECIPITATION from his fore
head. When he had cooled of Il bit he
said: at is no wonder get excited in
telling my experience. It's only six
weeks ago tina; escaped, and ! have
never felt safe unit! | struck American