Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-08-23
A THRILLING NARRATIVE,
A Wonderful Escape from the san Diego
Mines.

Mines.
Allen Wade. of Portage. Summit
County, recently a convict in n Mexi-
can prison, condemned to labor in q
mine half u mile beneath the surface of
the earth, recently told the story of his
suifnrings to a representative of the
Cleveland Plain Dcaier "I am 81
years DID," he said. "and | feel as If l
were twice that age. In 1878 1 OBJ
tanned employment on the Mexican
Central Railway in the capacity of pas
senger conductor, and ran between
Chihuahua and the City of Mexico.
My trouble began on the 18th day of
February, 1894. My train ran at the
average rate of thirty-cight miles an
hour and when l left chihuahua that
morning at 8 o'clock | told my engi-
neer, Mcfarland, to slack up to ten or
fifteen miles an hour in passing Sierra
Blanco. quarry twenty miles out,
where about loo MeXcans are en-
ployed by the government getting out
stone. Every pay day these iaborers
would get drunk and hang around the
track, and as this was pay day
warned my engineer to slow up
might hurt somebody. We'll, it hap
pened just that way. Mcfarland saw
a young fellow lying right across the
track and whistlcd for him several
times The man moved, and my engi-
neer thought he'd got oil. He didn't,
however, and was struck. OF course
he was dead, and when we reached
Domingo we were both arrested, Me-
Farland and !. After a delay of three
months we were taken to the City of
Mexico and tried before the court Of
assizes, presided over by the Governor
OF Sonora.
THE CHARGE WAS MURDER
had two Mexican attorneys and paid
them $1,000 to get me out, but the
prejudice against Americans was very
strong, and was sentenced TO two
years Imprisonment aud to pay fine
of $500. McFarland's sentence was
just twice us hard, four yca,s and
$1,000"
''But your term of service has not
elapsed yetP' suggested the reporter.
NO" dryly remarked Mr.. Wade.
mot yet. That Is, not in the regular
fashion,"
"Whcn l got my sentence" he re-
sumed. 81 appealed to the American
Minister, but nothing was done for me
until ! managed to get letter to the
st. Louis GiObe- Democrat, and then in
tervention was of no avail. | was
taken to the Tortez Pcnitcnliary, and
employed as undcrstcward. made an
impression of the key to the stockadc,
but just as 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 drill. A Mexican in the mine
insulted me, and knocked him down.
For this / was sentenced to receive
thirty-ninc 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 niue years. After
working in the mines three months the
hydraulic pump. IN use there gave out.
and told the capitano Of the guard
that / was mechanic and could re-
pair the machinery. The engineer sent
for me and stayed up two days liking
the pumps. One of the men in charge
belongs to certain secret society to
which belong, aud he told me that if
could get up on the cage he would
hoist me. According to agreement
returned TO work, and on the third day
made
A BREAK FOR LIBERTY.
Three or four times started, but
each time my courage failed and my
heart was in my mouth. At last
took my lamp of my hat and dashed
It to the ground. That meant certain
death for me if was caught and ran
to the cage aud gave the signal to hoist.
Immediately the cage began to move,
but had not been lifted tive feet when
the three guard fired their double
barreled carbines at me. Mono OF
them nit me, however, and / was
drawn up safely. Near tho mouth OF
the mine found burro tied, and
without asking any questions mounted
and made tracks for the American line.
That day rode seventy miles"
Mr.. Wade halted moment to mop
big drops of pcrspiration from his fore
head. When he had cooled of a bit he
said: ''lt is no wonder get excited in
telling my experience. It's only six
weeks ago that ! escaped. and ! have
never felt safe until struck American
soil. ! made my escape on the 28lh
OF May. and from that day l knew no
rest for weeks. traded my burro for
mustang. but one night the mustang
got away from mo and had to foot 1t.
Footsore and famished made my way
through the prairies, getting ride and
q square meal here and there. The
first American town ! struck was
Tombstone, A. 4. There l was all
right"