The morning call., 1892-08-25
JAILED THE WRONG MAN.
An American BrutalIy Treated in
Ecuador.
Edwin Carlin Is Imprisoned and Sat to Work
in Convict Changing Without a
Hearing.

Edwin CarllH. a recent arrival In this city,
from Ecuador. tells startling story of the
outrageous treatment he received from the
officials of that republic. for no other rea-
son than that he looked like another man.
This fatal resemblance caused him to be
incarcerated for several months in vile
Ecuadorian dungeon, from which he was
liberated to take his place in chaingang Of
convict miners.
Carlin is short, thiekset Individual, with
reddish hair aud mustache, ana is a seaman
by occupation.
He tells the story of his brutal treatment,
for which he proposes to make the Ecua-
dorian Government pay. According to his
story lie went 10 Ecuador in 1888. He was
previously employed as a decknand on one
of the Pacific Mail steamers plying between
New York and Colon. On the occasion of
his last trip 10 the latter port he left his en-
pl0yment and went TO Aspin wall There
he heard such glowing reports about Eeua-
dor that be determined to visit that cOun-
try. Upon arriving there he went TO Cuanco,
an interior city. He had not been there
long when lie was seized by the police au-
thorltles ana thrown into the viest sort of
dungeon. where he was brutally treated and
illfed for several months. BE was not per-
mitted 10 communicate with the American
Consul, nor was be furnished with any rea-
son for the action oi the police.
At the end of "A weeks he was taken out
with a gang OF other prisoners, who were
Indians and eutthroat Ecuadorians, and
forced TO w0Tk IN the mines. Brutal ever
seers armed with stats frequently added
variety 10 the horror OF his position by
beating him into insensibiity.
After toiling In the mines for over year
he was again returned to his former dun
geon, where he passed an imprisonment of
nine months. At the end of that period he
was released, and the only explanation
youchsafed him by the prison officials for
their peculiar treatment was that he was
the wrong man.
After his release Carlin discovered that he
bore fatal resemblance to an Engllshman
named Bree whom the Ecuadorian author
tiles claimed had feeced some OF the promi-
nent citizens of Cuanco out of thousands OF
dollars and had fed with his ill-gotten gains.
When Carlin waxed wroth over being made
the victim OF another mans sins he was
ordered TO leave the country or suffer the
penalty ot being again sent to the mines.
Carlin Immediately aeceded to the request
OF the authorities TO shut his mouth and
leave the country" He left there about a
the coast, arriving in this city in the latter
part of May.
Upon arriving here he placed his case In
the hands Of Attorney John T. HanIon in
the Crocker building. Tho lawyer immedi-
ately set an inquiry on foot and found that
Carin lad not exaggerated his statement
in the least.
The attorney received replies from num-
Der Of prosperous Americans and English
men living IN Cuanco, which state that Car
Inns case was one of brutality inflicted IN
der the guise Of law.
Hanlon refuses 10 give the names of his
correspondents for fear, as some of them
express II. that II might excite tie hatred
and vengeance of the Ecuadorisn officials"
VINO WORK under an unwTitten code pecu-
llarly their own, which they change to suit
their fancies.
Attorney Hanlon is engaged in framing a
petition TO be forwarded to the State De.
partment Washington for action. He will
make a claim for $4,000 from the Ecuado-
riau Government for its outrageous treat
ment Of his client.