New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-21
WE'RE They KIDNAPPED7
A STORY OF HARDSHIP AND BRUTALITY.
BOYS SET AT WORK IN GUATEMALAN swAMPs-
LYING IN WATER WITH THE LIZARDS.

BOYS SET AT WORK IN GUATEMALAN sWANfs-
LYING IN WATER WITH THE LIZARDS.
CHICAGO, May 2O.-Yesterday a New York
telegram gave the details of the kidnapping OF lad
Edward Santa Rosa, from New-Orleans. Santa Rosa Is
said to have been nveged board the steamer Ella
Knight under pretence of being taken to Florida but IN
stead of being landed there he and several companions
were taken to Puerto Barros, Guatemala where they
were forced to work on n railroad.
To-day local newspaper published the following:
To the EdtOr-Tne article in your paper headed was
he kidnapped Is not exaggerated, but too true was
one Of the unfortunate victims board the Ella Knight
which left Nrw-Oreans for Puerto Barrios, and can
vouch for the statement OF Edward Santa Rosa am OF
the age, sixteen, and can corroborate the eroe
stories OF suffering. hardship, and brutality" 1t was
signed by Richard Hogist, Of No. 81 North Clark-s
Young Hogist who is an intelligent-ooking lad still
bears an ugly scar his face the effects OF fall lac got
when weak from fever and obliged TO work. He says
that he approached NewOreans by the purser OF
the steamer Ella Knight who told him and several OF his
friends that he would take them TO certain ports OF
Florida at which they were loading bananas, and give
them work.
About ia vent on board and at the first port they
touched IN Florida the captain put guard on the
steamer and refused allow any OF the lads TO land
Here we're shipped eral Jamaica negroes for the
banana work. From this point they went to Puerto
Barrios stopping the way at Livingstone for short
time At Barrios the members the party were landed
In small boats counted and searched by the soldiers
who took away any yaluables they could find.
The next morning they took number Of them out To
the swamps and set them at work cutting brush and
making ties. They made them work, even though they
were sick from 1.-The fever and refused to give them food
unlessl they did So Hogst taken I'll after working
eighteen twenty days. and had to take shelter In
ragged hut or shack merely covered by palm leaves
and in which he had 10 lay In water, with lizards and
other reptiles and insects crawling about him.
He managed to communicated with hls brother In
Chicago and after weeks he letter containing
S25 The soldiers brought the letter % him. After
time the United States Nava authorities made the rail
way people move the sick most OF whom half dead
back to the states and In the Of the journey
Hogist had his money taking from him by big Ken
tuckian whose name he can't rccOllect lie had tried
previously 20 get away tho City OF Dallas,
but was not allowed CO. lie says that when person
once gets Puerto Baos he Is virtually prisoner and
any small offence a Is liable TO be placed in the
stocks and whipped.
The young man reached NewOrlesns on January %,
and his brother IN Chicago went to him on the 30th.
When the sick were landed at New-Orleans they
thrown the pier and told to do the best they could
It was raining in torrents they all weak TO
walk They crept all fours into tON car for
shelter, ard thence into empty warehouse
During the voyage from Puerto Barrios they were
huddcd together among the bananas and experienced
terrible discomfort Of the party OF sixty three
died. and was buried at sea. Tie only food they had
was hard tack aud rancid salt pork with muddy coffee.
After remaining In the warehouse for several hours
some charitable people informed the hospital authorities
aid the sufferers taken TO that place. Young
Hogist arrived at Chicago February 4. lie Is stu
suffering weakness produced by tho fever. and Is
unable To 20 20 work.