The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-02-02
Americans in Mexico,

Louis c. Shilling, naturalized Ger
man-Americau citizen, whose arrest
and Imprisonment in Mexico some
time ago created quite a stir On the
border, has arrived in Washington
to lay his case before. the state depart
ment. He was seen by Post reporter
and told startling tale of outrage,
cruelty aud murder He said that in
the summer of 1885, when he was about
to cross the Rio Grande into Texas
after short stay at the Mexican hot
springs on account of his health, he
was arrested by Mexican policeman
and thrown into prison, where he was
kept for twelve days in ignorance of
the charge against him, but in the
meantime the Mexican officials had
confscated his money, watch and jew
elry to the value of 5000, and had
taken his barber outfit. valued at $500.
During my Imprisonment" said
he, II was kicked and cuffed by my
fellow prisoners because | was an
American, and the prison authorities,
instead of interfering in my behalf,
laughed at my torture. was finally
taken over to Eagle Pass, where l was
told that I had been arrested on extra
dition papers on charge for assault
with intent to kill, for which l was out
on bail. was on my way to Texas to
stand trial when / was arrested. Twas
acquitted and then went back to Pie
dras Negras to look after my prop
erty. The official l went to was wear
ing my gold watch at the time, and
when asked for the restoration of my
property he threatened me with death
if l did not leave the country.
1.-The next day, while was talking
to the keeper of the hotel where l was
stopping. Mexican policeman came
up behind me, and, jerking my pistol
out of its scabbard, shot me with it
three times, one ball going through
my right arm near the shoulder, dis
abling me for life, and the other two
striking me below the shoulder blade.
He showed me out of doors, and struck
me on the head with the pistol. and
would have shot me again had not
by-stander interfered. / recovered
my senses in jail, where had been
dragged, and where l was sent two
months"
Mr.. Shilling then told me he had
been taken to Saragossa by force of
cavalrymen, being compelled to walk
all the way while they poked him in
the back with their sabers. At Sara
gossa he was put on trial for attempt
ing to shoot the policeman, but was
discharged By the judge who ordered
him taken back to Piedras Negras,
which the escort cid, compelling him
to run all the way until he fell ex-
hausted, when one of them lassoed him
and dragged him along the ground.
He says he was again thrown into
prison, and as the American consul
was away on visit, was finally re-
leased only through the influence of a
German eX-consul.
''While was in Jail this last time"
said he, 1.-TWO Americans from Ohio
named McCowen and White were
brought in and robbed of about 5000.
do not know what the charge against
them was, but between and o'clock
the next morning they were deliber-
ately murdered by the officials and
their bodies hauled away in cart"
Shilling said in conclusion: 81 am
going to lay this case before the state
department, not so much to secure
justice for myself from the Mexican
government as to see if the Mexicans
can not be made to respect the rights
of Americans in that country. As it
is now man of any other nationality
can obtain justice, but an American is
trampled upon, and most Americans
when they go there try to pass them
selves of as Englishmen or Germans.