Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-19
AMERICANS SOLD AS SLAVES
A Startling Story from Guatemala
Which Needs
KEEN GOVERNMENTAL INVESTIGATION
American Citizens Kidnapped into Guata-
maIa and Robbed and Bru-
tally Treated.
A STRANGE NARRATIVE BY A VICTIM.

New York, May l9.-The Herald this
morning publishes story from Key West,
Fla, which gives an account Of the hdnap-
ping Of Edward Santa Rosa, youth OF 10
years, from New Orleans. Rosa relates
pitiful story, which, if true, would call for q
ADMINISTRATION by the Government. Rosa
states that last September, at New Orleans,
he was enticed on board g vessel, the captain
of which offered to take him to Key West.
While be was talking with the captain the
vessel sailed, and he and sixty-six others,
who had also been entrapped, were carried
to oPuerto Barrios, Guatemala, BY the steamer
Ella knight. ave arrived ct Puerto Bar
rios, in Guatemala, about sundown OF We'd
down of Wednesday, October S, after Voy-
age of little over six days. Owing to eat
ing poor food and drinking brackish water,
neurly all Of our party were sick-hVe were
for four days unable to get on deck. Alto
gether the passage was very disagreeaole
one. We anchored in the open harbor about
a auarter of mile from shore, when Jim
ODonald, OF Glasgow, Scotland, OF Irish de-
scent-the man who entrapped me at New
Orleans-along with the captain and mate,
went ashore, when 1 heard him call out:
Here are my cattle, for which am to get
SO per head.
White Slave Trade.
We we're landed in small boats and
counted, whereupoa QDOuali weut up to
the Office of ]. P. Bouscesson. the President
Of the railroad company, and received $3.50
for this shipment of 81 men. Bouscesson,
though Kentuckian, spoke French fluent.
ly. When | left New Orleans | had $22 in
my pocket. As we were landing, Mr.. Day
sung out: "Hurrsh look at the boys;
there is plenty Of money there. Mr. Bous-
cesson said to the soldiers go
to searching" The soldiers were
native blacks and spoke English,
and were under the command of a tall
white man. If any of our party objected
to being searched, his money and arms were
taken away from him by force, and there
was tree near at hand and q lash was
shaken to show him that he would be tied
up and whipped. AS we were brought
ashore in small parties, those remaining on
board did not know what was in store for
them until they too were forced to give up
their property. President Bouscesson sat at
a table with box at hand into which he
dropped the money as it was passed to him
by the soldiers after taking it from our
party.
Robbed of Everything.
As it was never intended the workmen
should ever earn and be paid money
enough to get away from Peurto Barrios,
they were at once robbed of what money
they brought with them in order that that
door of escape might also be closed against
them. The work at Peurto Barries was
commenced in July, but during August and
September there were not many men Sc
cured. In October they began to get their
supply. New Orleans was filling up with
people, and O'Donaid and Stallings knew
how to get them to Peru and BarrioS. l
figure up the following receipts of lsborers
up to January Ii, when | left: At work
when our party arrived, about 3O0 our
party, per Ella knight, G7; brought by
Wanderer, l73. Brought by Blanche Hen
derson, l23. Brought bY Ella Knight, H.
Total 677. At work when left, about 200
To be accounted for, Nj If laborer
would not 90 to work he was denied food
Men were kicked till they left their sick
beds to return to their work The system
was one oftortnre, but life was cheap. The
men only cost the company so each. 1t
was President Bouscesson's habit to pay up
a monthly visit from the interior, riding
mule. II unable to come himself he sent
his agent to inspect the work and report.
The men were worked in gangs of 10, II or
20, and whatever man was told to do, he
was expected to do. There were strikes
at Peurto Barrios. There were no ministry,
no church, no religious services Of any kind,
while was there"