New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-19
MARIA WAS NOT 4 SLAVE.
THE PERUVIAN MAIDS STORY DENIED.
CONSUL JUAN oUINTANA SAYS SHE WAS WAY
wARD-A HOME IN THIS CITY WILL
BE GIVEN TO HER.

wARD-A HOME IN THIS CITY WILL
BE GIVEN TO HER.
On the evening of March % q fourteen.year.olt
girl, with ravenb black hair and copper colored com
plexion, calling herself Maria Tebarsia out OF the
house at No. 102 West Eightyfourth-st, and met q
friend to whom she declared she had been brutally
beaten by her mistress the wife Of Juan Quintana
CorBulGeneral OF Peru. The friend took her to the
rooms Of the Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty IL
Children, where she told long story Of the crueles
she had suffered. She declared that she was slave
OF Senior Qunana that he had purchased her from hel
parents for $780, that she was not permitted to at
tend school and was obliged to take of three chill
dren, that she began work at O'Clock In the morn
ing and continued until IL O'Clock at night and that
she was often horribly beaten with stick by her mis-
tress. These things she told and much more.
At the request of Consul-General Quintana, Olcott
Mestre Gonzalez the law firm for the Spanish Gov
eminent, have made thorough invest cation of the
the girl being in the meantime In charge of the
Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty to Children The
investigation shows that different condition OF things
really existed. Senior Quntana denies In his affidavit
that the girl was. in any sense slave. He declares
that in Peru there is such thing slavery that II
abolished in 1854 that there is no relation similar
TO that Of the padrone. that he never owned slave
nor would under any circumstances own a slave, as
the ideas Of slavery epugnant to his principles
a man.
Senior Quintana says that the girls is Tiburcia
Laso, and that he once employed her father on his
plantation in the Province Of JauIa that he paid
judgment Of $50 soes in paper about Gil 75) against
the father and afterward gave him so solos, and that
at the parents urgent request In June 1887 he took
the girl into his family to teach her how to be useful
in the house. servant Of such character, he says
is subject to correction and discipline by her en-
ployers. Before he came TO New-York in August
1885, he wished to send the girl to her home but the
mai her i'm IN al utfb Gha
gave much trouble that he asked Father Massey to
find place for her in some home. and finally he de-
termined to send her back to Peru with Minister
Zegarra, who was about to return home.
The ConsulG General says that he had come TO this
determination because Of the girls wilfuness DISC
bedience, high temper and untruthfulness. She was
when she learned that she was to be sent
back to Peru.
On March % his wife, then in delicate health and
subject TO great nervousness told Tburca to change
her shoes. One shoe had been buttoned when the
girl demurred against buttoning the other one and
became insoent. Mrs. Quintana was angered and
struck the girl on the head with one Of the Shoes
Senior Qutana says that in spite OF what the family
has suffered at the hands of Tlburcia he is willing to
do whatever the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Children suggests, and lie is willing TO pay her
expenses back to Peru.
The ConsulGenerals statements are corrobornted BY
Father Massey ex-Consul of Peru Carlos Tracy and
the servant and maid in his family
Elbridge T. Gerry, president of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children has sent the fol-
lowing letter to Olcott, Mestre & Gonzalez:
In reply 10 your letter OF April have carefully ex.
amined into the facts of the Maria Tebarsa other
wise Tburcio The injuries inflicted appear to have been
the result Of sudden outburs OF temper the part Of
Mrs Qgnana, accounted for in small degree by her
condition the time In view OF the facts In this
that the parents Of the girl for want Of are not able
to provide for and educate Tcbarsa chat she
remaining THIS city and that Mr. Quntana and yourself
make objection, this society Will that
comfortable home is found for the girl in this city, where
she be brought up her re gCus faith and VIII
take necessary steps to carry Its decision into effect