The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-19
WHEN
CLOTHING STORE.
STORY OF A KIDNAPPED BOY.
EOw the Managers of the Railroad in Guate-
mala Secure Laborers.

New York, May 1s-The Herald this morn
Ing publishes a story from Key West, Fla,
Rhich gives an account of the kidnapping Of Ed
yard Santa Rosa, youth of sixteen years, from
New Orleans. Rosa relates pitiful story,
which, if true, would call for full investigation
by our government. Rosa states that last Sep
lember at New Orleans, he was enticed on
board a vessel. the captain of which offered to
take him to Key West. While he was talking
with the captain, the vessel sailed, aud he and
sixty-six others, who had also been entrapped,
were carried to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, by
the steamer Ella Knight He says 1--WE ar
rived at Puerto Barrios, in. Guatemala, about
sundown of Wednesday, October s, after voy-
age of little over six days. Owing to eating
poor food and drinking brackish water, nearly
days unable to get on deck. Altogether, the
passage was very disagreeable one. We an
chored in the open harbor about a
quarter of mile from shore, when
Jim ODonald. of Glasgow, Scotland, of
Irish descent 1.-THE Uan who entrapped me at
New Orleans), along with the captain and mate,
went ashore, when heard him call OUT Here
are my cattle for which am to get $40 per head.
We were landed in small boats and counted,
whereupon O'Donnell went up to the Office of
j. p. Bouscarren the president of the railroad
company and received 1910 for this shipment of
sixty seven men. BouscarreD, though Ken
tuckian. spoke French fiueutly. N. b. Day, of
Iiiattanooga, Tenn, is vice president. When
left New Orleans had $50 in my pocket. AS
we were landing Mr. Day sung out 'Hurrah!
Look at the boys there is plenty of money
there Mr. Bouscarren said to the soldiers, Go
10 searching The soldiers were native blacks
and spoke English and were under the COM
mand of tall white man.. IT any of our party
objected to being searched, his money and arms
were taken from him by force, and there a
tree near at hand and lash was shaken to show
him that he would be tied up and
whipped. AS we were brought ashore in small
what was in store for them until they, too were
forced to give up their property President
Bouscarren sat at table, with al box at hand,
into which he dropped the money as it was
passed to him by the soldiers after taking it from
our party. AS it was never intended that the
workmen should be paid money enough to get
away from Puerto Barrios, they were at once
robbed of what money they brought with them
ia order that the door of escape might also be
closed against them. The work at Puerto Bar
rios was commenced in July, but during August
and September there were not many men Sc
cured. In October they began to get their sup
ply. New Orleans was filling up with people,
and O'Donald and Stalings knew how to get
ing receipts of laborers up to Jan. IA, when l
Teft: At work when our party arrived, about
800: our party, per Ella Knight, 67; brought by
Wanderer, 173; brought by Blanche Henderson,
120 brought by Ella knight, II; total, CIT at
work when left; about 200 to be accounted for,
All. If a laborer would not 60 out to work
He denied food Men were kicked till they
left sick beds to return to work. The system
was of torture, but life was cheap The
men only lost the company $40 EACH 1t was
President Bouscarren's habit topay us monthly
visit from the interior riding mule. If unable
TO come himself he sent his agent to inspect
the work and report The men were worked in
gangs of flom ten to seventeen or twenty. and
whatever man was told to do he expected
10 30. There were no strikes allowed at Puerto
Barrios. There were no ministry no church. no
religious services of any kind while / was there
"The hospital was old, ragged tent, infest.
ed with lizards, gnats and mosquitoes. Quinine
was the great remedy in sickness. and the men
were stuffed with il. One poor Frenchman be-
.ame highty with it and fed to the woods to
die in the marshes on San Francico river.
1ve miles away. There was no burial ground.
When q man died he was wrapped in a
blanket and hole was dug in the spot
most convenient and the BODY put
away without ceremony. The woods and
mountanside about Puerto Barrios became so
full of exposed and decayng bodies that the
place must for season be more than usually
unhealthy place to live in."
Rosa says that he made his escape last Jan
nary and has just landed in this country.