St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-26
SHAMEFULLY MISUSED
James Early Of Mississippi Tells q Story
of Gross Inhumanity and
Suffering.
Enticed to Guatemala by Seductive
Advertisements OfTer1ng
9 Good Wages,
He Was Forced to Work While Ill,
Left Without Food and Never
Paid For Labor.
Barbarous Treatment.


VICKsBURG, Miss, May 25.-James
Early, an intelligent young Mississippian of
about 25 years of age, who formerly resided
at Batesville, Miss, where he was long
time deputy sheriff, returned a few days
since from Guatemala where he had been
induced to go by labor agents and seductive
advertisements last summer. He saws he
left Vicksburg in September last to 20 to
Puertos Barrios, republic of Guatemala. to
work for MesSrs. Shay, Cornice & Co.. on
the Puertos Barrios & Guatemala CITY rail
road. He says: cat New Orleans in
company with 169 others | signed con-
tract to work at So per day. We were to
pay SO transportation out of our first pay,
and we were to pay $3.50 per week for
board upon our arrival at the work. When
we landed we were put ashore in the
night while it was raining and we
had no camps or place to go out
of the rain. The next day we put ND some
poles on forks and covered them with me-
nacca leaves, and that constituted our shell
ter. 1t continued to rain for about two
months. 1t would rain for an hour and
then the sun would come out hot. We were
not allowed to stop for the rain, but kept
on in the mud and slush. was soon
TAKEN WITH FEVER.
which would lay me up for a day and leave
me very weak the next When the fever
was on me could not eat, but the follow
ing day l always had ravenous appetite.
They issued meal tickets to the working
men when the meals were ready, and we
could get nothing to eat without it, The
day after was first sick went to the time
keeper, who gave out meal tickets, and
asked him for ticket, He looked over a
list of those who worked the day previous.
and said: You did not work Yesterday
''No, was sick"
SWELL" said he, 1--WE feed no one here
but those who work. Get out of here and
go to work and we will feed you' was
unable to work and 1 had to go to the
thickets and get some fruit to stay my hum
ger until could recuperate enough to go to
work. worked twenty-five days and had
done S11.90 worth of station work on
days when l was unable to put in full
day. l went to the time-keeper and asked
him how stood. He told me that my pas
sage was $3.50, that my board was so
week, and that was then
INDEBTED TO THE COMPANY
S1.50. I told him thought he was mis-
taken, and asked him for an itemized
statement. He said, 7 will give you an
itemized statement Then turning to a
drawer he took out a pistol and presenting
it to me said: I will give you an itemized
account with this I soon af-
terwards, in company with sis
others, procured small sail boat, and in
the night we escaped and made our way ta
Belize, British Honduras. From there we
were sent home in the same ship we
went over in. OF the 1859 who went over
with me there were not more than 80 left
when | escaped, and for a timeathey died at
the rate of seven or eight day. Two
companions of mine died, and they were
stripped of their clothing. and buried with
out coffins in nude state, and within an
hour saw their clothing displayed in the
posed of on account to some of the men,
in bed were forced by soldiers tog0to work.
and when on the work if they
REFUSED TO WORK
they were arrested on some trivial charge
and placed in the stocks. Very few Amer
leans were putin the stocks, but the Ger
mans were often thus punished. A
number of the men ran away and at
tempted to escape. but they had charges put
against them and the soldiers arrested them
as convicts and brought them back. Heavy
fines were putagalnst them in every in
stance and some ofthe men appealed to
Mr.. Sarge, the American consul at Living-
ston, about ten miles from where we were
at work. He said he could do.nothing for
us. The consul at British Honduras, in
company with some ladies, heard Of our
condition and he came. overte see for him
| self. He reported the matter and the
United States man-of-war Swatara,w went
lover and brought the Americans away. 1
thad left, however, before the arrival, and
onlyheard this from some ofsthe boys, who
came. .overson her, and who areuuw inthe
charity hospital in New Orleans. Edo. not
think will ever regain my health. Ibid
not get dime OF asstitch Of clothing for my
work w hile there"