The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-05-20
SYSTEMATIC ROBBERY.
Workmen Kidnapped and Robbed by Qua
temala, American, Railroad
Contractors.

Contractors.
NEW York, May 1S.-The Herald this
morning published story from Key West,
Fls., which gives an account of the kidnap.
ing of Edward Santa Rosa, a youth of six.
teen years. from New Orleans. Rosa relates
pitiful story, which if true would call for a
fnll investigation by our Government. Rosa
states that last September, at New Orleans,
ne was enticed on board a vessel, the Cap.
tain of which offered to take him to Key
West. While he was talking 10 the Captain
the vessel sailed, and he and sixty-six others,
who had also been entrapped, were carried to
Puetro Barrios. Guatemala, 0y The steamer
Ella knight. I'VE arrived at Puesro
Barrios, in Gustemals," Rosa says, "a0out
sundcWn of Wednesday, October s, after
s voyage of a little over six daYs. Owing
to eating poor food and drinking brsckish
water, neerjy all our party were sick.
Five wtrs for four days unable to get on
deck. AL through the passage was a very
dissgreesDle one. We anchored in the open
harbor about quarter of mile from shore,
when Jim O'Dona,d OF Glasgow, Scotland,
of Irish descent 1.-THE man who entrspped me
at New Orleaus) along with the Captain and
mate. went ashore, when I heard him caQ
out, Here are more cattle Tor which am 10
pet $40 per head We were landed in small
boats and counted, whereupon 0'Donald
went up 10 the Office of ]. 2. Bouscaren. the
President of the railroad company, and re-.
ceived S670 for this shipment OF stxty-seven
men. Bouscaren, though a KentucKian,
spoke French tuently. N. B. Day, of Chat
| lenooss, Tenn. is Vice President Whea |
lnG nrfo had IN, oLok
we we've landing Mr. Day sung out, 'Hurrah,
| look st the boys there is plenty Of money
| there Mr.. Bouscsren 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 o.
! ftrce. and there was tree near st hand and
| q lash was shaken to show him that he
would be tied up and whipped.
las we were brought ashore in small par
| ties those remaining on board dad not know
what was in store for them until they. too,
were forced to give up their property. Pfes-
| dent BouEcaren So at table with a box a.
| hand into which bs had dropped the money
90 il was passed 10 nim by the soldiers after
| taking it from our party. AS it was never
| intended that the workmen should be paid
money enough 10 get away from Puerto Bar
| rios they were at once robbed OF whAtmoney
4
| coor OF escape might also bs closed against
them. The work st Puerto Barrios was oon
mencec in July, but during August and
| September there wero not many men ss
cured. Ia October they began to get thsir
| supply. New Orleans was filing up tnw
| people, and 0DoDsld and Stslnngs knew
how TO get them to Puerto Barrios. / tisQce
| up the following receipts Of la5orers 40 t.
Jsnuary IA, when I left: At work
VIXEN our party arrived, about 500; our
party, per Ella knight G7; brought b.
| WsDdeTer, 175; brought by Blanche Heuder
foD, 100; brought by Ella knight, II; tota
| G17; at work when ] left about 200; TO bs sc
counted for, Az. II q laboTsr would not go
TO work he was denied food. Men were
| kicked Till they felt sick beds TO return to
work. The syetem was one oil torture, but
| life was cheap. The men only cost the com
pany $40 each. IL was President Bouscsren's
habit TO pay as monthly visit from the in-
terror. riding mule IL unable to come
himself he sent his agent to iGepecE the wo; K
and report. The meo we're worked ia gangs
] Of ten, seventeen and twenty, and Whatever
/ & man vas told TO do be was ezpec ed N d.
i There were DO strikes allowed AZ PdsreO
BarIios. There was no ministry. no church
10 religions services of any kin8whiie was
| there"
The hospital vas an old ragged tant, in
! tested with liZards, gnat5 and mCsq lltoss
| Quinine was the great remedy in sickness
! and the men were stuffed with IT, Ooe pNOt
FJenchmsn becsme fignty with 1t and a d
| 10 the woods to die ia the Tnsr5has en- sac
Franoisc River, five miles away. There ~as
no burial ground. When a man died he
was wrapped in blanket and hole wss
| dug in the spot most convenient and the
body nut away without ceremony. The
: woods and mountain sides about Puerto
| BsTIios became go full OF exposed, decaying
| bodies that the place must for sessDa be a
more than unusually unhealthy place to live
! in. Rosa said that he made hls escape last
January, and has just landed in this country.