The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-08-06
A THRILLiNa STORY.
Allen wade's miraculous Escsp
From the san Diego Mines

From the san Diego Wines.
From the Cleveland Plsin Dealer.
Eyes, do look pretty rough just
now" said sunburnt, frank faced
man to Plain Dealer reporter YES
terday." butt am only waiting for
some new clothing, whenl shall make
myself more presentable."
The speaker was Mr.. Allen Wade,
of Portage, Summit county, but more
recently convict in a Mexican pris-
on, condemned to labor in mine
hall n mile beneath the surface of the
earth. How he came to be convict,
and how he made his way to liberty,
forms the body of the interview he
had with the Plain Dealer reporter.
Il am 81 years old" he said, "and |
feel as ! were twice that age. In
1873 obtained employment on the
Mexican Central railway in the capac-
ity of passenger conductor, andI ran
between chihuahua and the city of
Mexico. My trouble began on the
l2th day of February, 1884. My train
ran at the average rate of thirty-eight
miles an hour, aud when | left Chi
huahua that morning at s o'clock |
told my engineer, Mcfarland, to slack
passing Sierra Blanco, quarry twen-
ty miles out, where about
1000 Mexicans are employed
by the government getting
out stone. Every pay day these la
borers would get drunk and hang
around the track, and as this was pay
day | warned my engineer to slow up
around the Sierra Blanco curve lest
he might hurt somebody. Well, it
happened just that way. Mcfarland
saw fellow lying right across the
track and whistled for him several
times. The man moved aud my en-
gineer thought he'd got off. lie
didn't, however, and was struck. OF
course he was dead, and when we
reached Domingo we were both ar.
rested, Mcfarland and |. After de
lay 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.
had two Mexican attorneys and
paid them Sl1 900 to get me out, but
the prejudice against Americans WAS
worry strong and | was sentenced to
two years Imprisonment and to pay II
fine of $500. McFarl ,nd,s sentence
was just twice Us hard, four years and
81 900.
"But your term of service has not
elapsed YETI suggested the reporter.
NO. dryly remarked Mr.. Wade,
mot yet. That is, not in the regular
fashion.
when got my sentence" he re-
suned, al appealed to the American
minister, but nothing was done for
me until managed to get letter to
the st. Louis Globe-Democrat, and
then Intervention was of no avail. |
was taken to the Tortez penitentiary,
aud employed as understeward.
made my 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 timc-striking drill. y Next
can in the mine insulted me and !
Knocked him down. For this i WAS
sentenced to receive thirty-nine lashes
| on my bare back, but the sentence
WAS supendcd until my term of con-
tincment should expire. | met some
men down there who had not seen
|
ing in the mines three months the n.y.
draulic pumps 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 aud staid up two days
| fixing the pumps. One of the men i'll
charge belongs to certain secret So
| ciely to which belong, and he told
| a. 4 Il AZ
he would hoist me. According to
agreement returned 10 work, and On
| the third day made break for libcr-
ty. Three or four times started,
but each time my courage failed and
my heart was i'll my mouth. AT last
took my lamp OIL my hat and dash
ed ii to the ground. That meant GER
tain death for me if was caught, and
ran TO the cage and gave the signal
to hoist. immediately the cage began
TO move, but had not been lifted live
feet when three guards fired their
dOuble-barreled carbines at me. None
of them hit me, however and | was
drawn up safely. Near the mouth OF
the mine | found u burro tied, and
without asking many questions
mounted and made tracks
for the American line
That day rode seventy miles,
Mr.. Wade halted a moment to mop
big drops of perspiration from his
forehead When he had cooled OIL a
bit he said, at is no wonder get ex-
cited in telling my experience. It's
only six weeks ago that escaped and
have never felt safe until | struck
American soil made my escape OIL
the 2sth of May, and from that knew
10 rest Tor weeks. traded my bur
no for a mustang, but one night the
mustang got away from me, and had
to foot 1t. Footsore and famished,
made my way through the prairies,
getting ride aud square meal here
and there. The first American town
struck was Tombstone a. 4. There
was all right"
what do you intend to do?"
81 want to &c; some letters from
Senator II. b. Payne and Others tc
take to Washington. My next work
is TO get Mcfarland, my engineer, re
leased from prison. Then | am goinl
TO Sacramento, Cal where have
home.