Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-07-02
DON JOSE DE LAMAR.
How He Was Abused By High Of
Acials Of San Domingo.
Compelled to XIII Negro Rufiian In Self
Defense and Brutally Treated In Con-
sequence-Demantiing Redress
From the Government.
N. 7. Special

zaS, CUBA, was made cltlZen or Cne
United States by Federal court at Ealti-
more in January, 1881, and in April of the
same year he went with his family to San
Domingo City, San Domingo, and estab-
lished a sugar plantation few miles out
side of the city limits. The estate up to
within a few months has been a very
profitable one. 1t cost, together with all
improvements, about 100000. During the
last few weeks OF 1885 Den Jose had
great deal of trouble with q certain An.
tonic Rosario, a Dominion negro who
owned q small "canuco" adjoining La
mars estate. This man had grea. influ-
ence over the negro laEorers of his district
owing to the fact that he had killed sew.
eral men who had had the temerity to dis
agree with him. In fact, he had earned
the reputation of being veritai lie ter
ror." This man owned a vicious bull which
rrOwled around the country at Ei- own
free will, breaking down fences and doing
considerable damage. No one had the
courage to stop the .unla 1Tful perambula-
tlons of this animal through fear of the
vengeance of it's owner, until finally 1t
broke into Lamar's place. Don Jose
turned it out, and warned Ro ario that il
the huh ever got into his place again he
would, as Dominican law gave him the
right to do, kill the animal. Rosario sent
back word that if the bull was hurt he
would kill the man who hurt him.
The next day, January -, 1885, the bull
broke in Lamar's place ana was shot.
That afternoon, as Don Jose was sitting in
the su-ar mill on his estate at work, he
was interrupted by the entrance of Ros-
or;n -bO l-nif in ha aA
come TO kill the man who had sh t his bull
Lamar's brother in law, who was nearest
the intruder, reconstructed with him.
whcreupon the negro made al Intellectual
lunge at him with his knife, and then
turned his attention to Lamar. The latter,
wishing to avoi a fight, retrelted into
the yard, but Rosario followed him and
opened fire upon him with revolver.
The shot went wide of the mark, and Don
Jose, who is famed for his Workmanship,
disabled the rutiian by breaking his right
wrist with pistol shot. But the fellow
was plucky, an |, changing his pistol into
his left hand, fired again, and again
missed his mark. Then Don Jose sent a
| ball into the negro's leg, and brought him
| down. The man scrambled mp into sit
ting position, and, cooking his weapon
with his teeth, was about to fire again,
when Don Jose shot him through the heart
! nm | killed him.
During the fight al the employees about
| the sugar mill had stampeded. When
| Lamar fouul that his man was dead he
made his way to his house and sent for the
! proper authorities. The latter arrived
after dark and Lamar started with then
to the nearest town, but at his own gate
/ lie was attacked by a party CT the dead
mans frienls, who, with revolvers and
machetes, drove him back to tie house
and then attacked the house. Their efforts
| to capture Lamar, howev or, proving of nc
avail, they finally left, and shortly aftel
the "alcalde," or local police magistrate
| appeared with Guard Of twenty men, ant
demanded Lamar's surrender. Lamar
gave himself mp and the alcal1e, q negro
disarmed him, and then, tying him with &
rope, started to town, leading his prisoner
behind him. On the way Francisco Rosa,
! rio, the dead mans brother, met the party
| He was arlnel with a rifle, and, without
| being interfered with by the guard, ht
| pointed and snapped the weapon thre,
times at the defenselcss Lamar. Il
failed to explode, and the would-b,
assassin departed TO find better
weapon. At Sabana Grandc, where h,
was then taken, Lamar was put in the
rublic stocks in the plaza, and there, with
| his feet three feet higher than his head
he was kept for forty eight hours. Then
by order of Jose Sanchez Sambrano
Commandante de Armas, he was trans
ferred to Santo Domingo City, thrown
into n horrible cell in the fortress, loaded
with chains, and denied all privileges
even trial.
The United States Consul Mt San Do
minSo was appealed to, and he succeeded
in getting the irons removed, bat nothing
else. In this place Lamar was kept, h
says, by order of the Governor, Leopold
Espaillot, until March Is last, when h
was tried by the General Tribunal an,
honorably acquitted on the charge o
murder, which the Governor had pre-
ferred against him, the JUICE dsclar,
ing that it was an ou rage that he ha'
lcen so badly treated for having killed
mau in absolute self-defeuse. In tn
meantime Lamar hal been obliged t
sell his estate AZ a tremendous sacrific
for money to fee his lawyer, who di
nothing, and to pay his expenses while i
pt tison. After his release il was made i'm
possible for him TO remain in San Domin
90. and he determined to return to Amer
lea. He got complete review of his cas-
from the officials, had it indor ed by th
American Consul, and sailed on the steam
er San Domingo, which arrived in tn
port recen ly.
Mr.. Lamar was seen by a reporter, an
Gays that he is gong to Washing gton I
seek the assistance of the Government i
ostalli hing claim for damages agaiui
the Dominican Government. Mr.. Lama
attribu'es all the disasters attending IL
killing of the negro to the personal hatre
of Sambrano, the Governor, to whom |
once refused to lend some money. Abo,
year ago this man, with posse of so
dieIs, shot an American named Piatt
San Domingo City, and Piatt's widow n
covered So COZ from the Dominica.