The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-19

SYSTEMATIC ROBBERY.
Workmen Kidnapped and Robbed by Qua
temala, American, Railroad
Contractors.

Contractors.
NEW YORK. May 1s.-The Herald this
morning published q story from Key West.
Fle., which gives an account of the kidnap-
ing Of Edward Santa RoFa, q youth of six.
teen years, from New Orleans. Rosa relates
pitiful story, which If true would call fora
full investigation by our Government. Rosa
states that last September, at New Orleans,
ne was enticed on board vessel, the Cap
tain of which offered to take him to Key
West. While he was talking to the Captain
the vessel sailed, and he and sixty-six others,
who had slso been entrapped, were carried to
Puerto Barrios. Guatemala, by the steamer
Ella knight. I'VE arrived at Puerto
Barrios, in Guatemala" Rosa says, "about
sundcwn of Wednesday, October 8, after
. voyage of little over six days. Owing
to eating poor food and drinking brackish
water, nearly all our party were sick.
Five were for four days unable to get on
deck. All through the passage was q very
disagreeable one. We anchored in the open
harbor about quarter of mile from shore,
when Jim O'Donald, OF Glasgow, Scotland,
of Irish descent 1.-THE man who entrapped me
at New Orleans) along with the Captain and
mate went ashore, when heard him call
out, 'Bere are more cattle FOR which am to
get $40 per head We were landed in small
boats and counted, wherenpon O'Donald
went mp 10 the Office of ]. p. Bouscaren. the
President of the railroad company and re.
ceived 500 for this shipment of sixty-sevsn
spoke French fuently. N. B. Day, of Chat.
tsnooga, Tenn, is Vice President. When I
left New Orleans had $22 in my pocket AS
we were landing Mr.. Day sung out, 'Hurrah,
look at the boys; there is plenty of money
there Mr.. Bouscaren said to the soldiers,
Go to searching The soldiers were native
blacks and spoke English, and were under
the command of tall white man. If any of
our party objected to being searched his
money and arms were taken from him by
force, and there was tree near at hand aud
. lash YVES shaken to show him that he
would be tied up and whipped.
''As We were brought ashore in small par
ties those remaining on board did not know
what was in store for them until they, too,
were forced to give up their property. Presi-
dent Bouecaren sat ut table with box at
hand into which be had dropped the money
as 1t was passed to him by the soldiers after
taking 1t from our party. AS 1t was never
money enough to get away from Puerto Bar
rios, they were at once robbed of what money
they brought with them in order that the
door OF escape might also be closed against
them. The work st Puerto Barrios was COM
mencsd in July, but during August and
September there were not many men Sc.
cured. ID October they BEGAN to get their
supply. New Orleans was filing up thwi
people, and ODonsld and Stallings knew
how to get them to Puerto Barrios. figure
up the following receipts of laborers up to
January IA, when left: At work
when our party arrived, about 800; oar
party. per Ella Knight, g.; brought by
con, 10; brought BY Ella Knight, IL total,
G77; at work when left. about 200; to be &C.
counted for, Al. Ii q laoorer would not go
TO work he was denied food. Men wers
h @ked till they felt sick beds TO return to
work. The system was one of torture, bat
life was cheap. The men only cost the com.
pany $40 each. 1t was President Bouscaren's
habit to pay Us monthly visit from the IN.
terror. riding q mule. Ii unable to come
himself he sent his agent to inspect the work
and report. The men we're worked Ia gangs
of ten, seventeen and twenty, and whatever
Q man vas told TO do he was expected to do.
There were no strikes allowed at Puerto
Berrios. There was no ministry, no church,
no religious services OF any kind while was
there
The hospital was an old ragged tent, in.
Tested with lizards. gnats aud mosq uitoes.
Ruiuiuo "os tuo ktSnh Iouooy III s'Cnutss,
and the men were stuffed with it. One poor
Frenchmsn became Eighty with 1t and fed
TO the woods to die in the marshes on San
FraDciko River, five miles away. There was
no burial ground. When a man died be
was wrapped IN blanket and hole was
dug in tie spot most convenient and the
badly put away without ceremony. TIE
woods ard mountain sides about Puerto
Barrios became 60 full of exposed, decaying
bodies that the place must for season be q
more than unusually unhealthy place to live
in. Rosa said that be made his escape last
January, and has just landed in this country.