The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-08-01
~IINIEROUS NEGRO COLONISTS
ARRIVING ON THE BORDER
FROM MEXICO.
A TERRIBLE TALE OF DESTITU-
TION AND SUFFERING.
According to the Reports They Were
Basely Deceived by the .OriginaItcrs
of the Colonization Scheme.
Stricken by DestitItlon, Fam
inc and Disease.

Ciudad Porferio Diaz, Mex, July 2S.-
(Snecial)-One hundred and seventy ne
Gro colbmists arrived this morning from
Mexico in box cars. Quarantine Officer
Evans has isolated Them in he cars UNI
der guards, where they will be held until
all danger is passed Consul Sparks has
wired for more rations, us several hum
bred more are expected to arrive. Of the
700 who passed through Torreon last Feb
ruarv to make their fortunes Through the
aid of the Dalhualilo Colonization conn
many, nearly 400 of whom started half
naked and diseased, have been camped for
the past few days near Torreon. Sudh a
miserable, hungry, barefoOted lot would be
harJ to equal. Thcy tel pitiful tale of
deception. They were assured that the
place was on Il railroad, u good mouse to
live in, five acres of land 20 cultivate
their own vegetables, etc, plenty of game,
especially 'possum," Nnd all were given
q blank contract which Was 90 guarantee
sl4m half of the crop of 60 acres, which
each was to take care of, fifty in cotton
and ten in corn. After their arrival they
vainly cndeavored to get the contract
signed, but lit seems the contracts We're
never signed or fulfilled. The houses We're
miserable adobes. The water was vile
and killed Il good MANY with Il species of
malaria and swelling of the limbs. The
death rate averaged five week, and they
claim these died from "a lack of medicine
and medical assistance. FINALLY the ne
groes were told that the company by
whom they We're sent had no interest in
the crops, but that the company would
pay them 80 cents a day. This was dome
for about two weeks, when ii was cut to
81 cents q day. If they We're sick they
received nothing, and if what they say
is true, many a ONE died CRYING for some
timing to eat. Ellis. about TINS time, it is
alleged, told them the company had bro
ken it's contract and could 40 nothing,
and advised them to "git."
After planting and raising one of the
finest, If not the best cotton crops ever
grown i'm the State of Durango, they left.
Many of them i'm order to do this. had
TO sell their PERSONAL effects, bedding,
furniture, etc. They were received with
sympathy by the population of TorreOn
and the sick We're attended to and the
hungry fed while there. Many of them
could have received work but for the
inOppOrtune appearance of the scourge.
The patients are all doing we'll and are
expected to recover and the Mexican
International is hauling them free to this
place. 1T dis estimated THAT there are
about 100 more at TalhualiO and % at
Maple station awaiting transfer. The
condition of the 100 at Talhualio, or their
reason for staying is not known.
WILLIAMSON COURT MATTERS.
81 @ieorgetown, Tex, July 2S.-In the dis
trict count yesterday the case of Robert
Tamplin, white under indictment for at
tempt TO bride witnesses to leave town
i'm q case before the city court few
months ago, was acquitted. Robert A.
John and j. j. Gordon defended him.
The murder case of Nelse Mays was
set for Monday; Fannie Goddard muir
der of her infant, for Wednesday; Jay
O. Owens, white, for incest and rape of
his 16-year-obd daughter, and Bennett
Robinson, incest, for Saturday.