Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-23
KIDNAPPED LIKE SANTA ROSA.
story OF the Outrage by the steamer
Ella Knight CorrOborNt~d.
From the Neto York HeraId.

FroH, the Mar York Herald
CHICAGO, May 20.-There appeared in
the papers yesterday a story, copied from
the Herald, concerning the kidnapping Of
lad named Edward Santa Rosa, from
New Orleans. Santa Rosa claimed to
have been inveigled on board the steamer
Ella Knight under pretense of being taken
to Florida, but instead of that he and sew
eral companions were landed at Puerto
Barrios, where they were forced to work
on railroad.
This morning a reporter interviewed
/ Richard Hagist, aged rs years and brother
Of George Al. Hagist, a dentist on North
Clark street, who gave the following
story OF his being kidnapped at New Or
leans by emissaries of Bouscerrons, which
substantiates the story told by Santa
Rosa. Hagist, who is an intelligent look
ing lad, still bears a bad scar on his face
from the effects Of fall when weak from
fever and obliged TO work.
STORY OF THE KIDNAPPING.
He says that he was approached at New
Orleans by the purser Of the steamer Ella
Knight, who told him and several of his
friends that they would take them to GER
tain parts OF Florida, at which they were
loading bananas, and he led them TO be-
lieve that that was the work they were
wanted for. About one hundred and four
teen went on the steamer, and at the first
port they touched in Florida the Captain
put guard on the steamer and refused
to allow any of the lads to land. Here
they shipped several Jamaica negroes for
the banana work. From this point they
went to Puerto Barrios, stopping only at
Livingstone for a short time.
oUTLANDIsH TREATMENT.
At BarrIos the party were landed in
small boats, counted and searched by the
soldiers, who took away any Valuables
that any Of the party might have. The
next morning they took a gang out TO the
swamps, and set them to work cutting
brush, making ties and other employment.
They made them work even though
and refused to give them TODD
unless they did so. Hagist was takin i'll
after working some eighteen or twenty
days, aud had to take shelter in a ragged
hut or ''shack," merely covered by palm
leaves, and in which he had to lie in
water, with lizards and other animals
crawling about him. He managed to
communicate with his brother, in Chicago,
and after some three weeks he got letter
containing $25. The soldiers brought the
letter to him.
ANllON Of rs Az IIlOkl lies.
After time the United States naval
authorities made the railway people re-
move the sick back to the States, and
during the removal of the party (most Of
whom were half dead Hagist had his
money taken from him by a big Ken
tuckian, whose name he does not recOllect.
He had tried previously to get away
on the steamer City of Dallas, but was
not allowed to 90. He says that when a
person once gets to Puerto BarriOs he is
virtually a prisoner, and for any small
Offense a man is liable to be placed in the
stocks and whipped. Hagist reached
New Orleans on Jan. p, and his brother
in this city went TO him on Jan. 30.
THROWN OUT ON THE DOCK.
When the sick were landed at New
Orleans they were thrown out on the dock
and told to do the best they could. 1t
was raining in torrents, and they were all
too weak to walk. They crept on all fours
into box car for shelter, and then into
an empty warehouse. During the voyage
from Puerto Barrios they were huddled
together among the bananas. and ex-
perienced terrible discomfort. One of the
party Of ,siXtysthree died and was buried
at sea, and the only food they got was
hard tack and bad salt pork, with bad
coffee.
After remaining in the warehouse sew
eral hours some charitable people notified
the hospital authorities, and the sufferers
were eventually taken TO that institution.
Hagist arrived at Chicago on Feb. 4. He
is still suffering from weakness produced
by the fever and unable to go 10 work.