Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-05-02
WORSE THAN SLAVES.
NEGRO coLoNIsTs LuRED ToA MEX
IcAN SIBERIA.


Twelve Hundred People Taken From vari-
ous southern States Surrounded by
Armed Guards- Escaped Persons Relate
Tales OF Awful brutality.
Some months ago scheme was formu-
lated whereby a few men hoped TO get rich.
This was to settle section OF land which
had been obtained from the Mexican gov
arnment with negroes from the southern
states. The project was ~heralded far apd
wide, and when the missionary efforts OF
the schemers began they readily found
many persons willing to go to the strange
country under the promises made them OF
an easy life and eventual independence as
q reward Of industry.
The advertisements offered glowing In
ducements to the negroes. Railroad fare
was to be advanced, to be paid back out OF
crops made in four years. Clothing, pro-
visions, medicine, otc., were also to be adj
vanced. In fact, picture was drawn OF
regular El Dorado. y
The advertisements seconded by the
smooth tongues of negroes In whom they
trusted, secured about 1, 800 men, women
and children for the enterprise. More than
1900 Of these poor people are still kept
system Of slavery worse than Russian ex-
iies In Siberia, without the comforts and
many of the necessaries of life, with no
schools or churches, without even the pri-
vacy of sleeping apartments, with no hope
Of succor save through the federal govern
ment Of the United States, which may not
take steps for their deliverance for months
70 come.
From their arrival in Mexico tho colo
nists began to be disillusioned. They were
loaded IN wagons and taken 30 miles into
the country. The advertisement read that
the colony was on q railroad.
When they finally arrived, however, they
found that they had been swindled. No
houses were there and they were COM
PEELED to sleep as best they could They
had been told>no to bring bedding, as 1t
would be provided; they had the cold earth
for a mattress and the sky for cover.
The company began putting up quarters
for them, however, and as fast as one pen
was completed as many as could crowd In
slept there The quarters are built of adobe
bricks sunburned clay-in the form OF
square, with gates strongly guarded. Front
walls there are none, and any one may see
anything transpiring In the front section.
Each Of these pens Is about eight feet
square. 1t will thus be seen that no priv
acy whatever Is possible
To make this q moro serious matter the
water is strongly impregnated with alkali
and causes a very severe form Of diarrhea
which has caused several deaths.
The medical attendance Is confined to
Mexican. who is drunk all the while, and
who uses quinine as q prescription In ev-
cry case.
The commissary established by the COM
pany and controlled by the only white man
I'm the colony, German, dispenses food
This consists of small piece Of meat, a
handful Of cracked corn and once week
little lard and rice.
Coffee Is also given out once . week on
Saturday nights
All are compelled to work together. The
day begins with the first signs Of dawn.
Mexicans hitch up the teams so that there
will be no chance Of any escaping by
means Of a stolen mule. All day long the
labor goes on, Mexican guards armed with
heavy revolvers and well mounted keeping
close watch that none gets away. Nightfall
ends the day. The workmen arc allowed
to return to the quarters at midday for
meal, but this was only gained after
quasi mutiny.
Ouuudy 10 q udy VI iCoo pCOduoo Oho
colonists absolutely refuse to work on that
day. No rations are issued, the guards
saying, "No work, no eat"
Mexican poems work on Sunday, and the
negroes are told that their share of the
crops will be taken to pay for this labor,
which Is form Of robbery which can be
upheld by the courts.
Negroes cannot buy land, for they receive
no wages. The company promised that pQ
commissary would be established, and
that the laborer would bo paid in cash.
Not cent has been given out.
Escapes have been few, though many at
tempts have been made When q negro
swho has got awe, is recaptused he Is tied
and put in jail until he agrees to return to
wcrk.
>@.ere are now about 20 men and women
who have made their way to Texas. Most
of these are In San Antonio, more Of them
In Eagle Pass.
The latest escapes SO far as heard from,
were three women, two Of them with ba-
bies in their arms They had made their
way to within 200 miles Of Eagle Pass,
and then, overcome by exhaustion and
lack of food and water, they lay down by
the railroad A train crew of white men
found them and brought them to Ciudad
Porflrio Diaz, whence they crossed ia
Eagle Pass.-St. Louis Republic.
Cheap Method Of Sea Signals.