The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-26
AN INTERESTING CASE.
Minister NJ. W. Ransom Brings the
Story of Mrs. Finley to the State.
Department.

Minister NJ. W. Ransom Brings the
Story of Mrs. Finley to the State.
Department.
The bright correspondent of the Rich
mond Times gives the following staement
of case in which General Ransom is
taking interest. lie writes;
Minister Matt w. Ransom, who came
home from Mexico to attend the funeral
of his son, who died recently, arrived
here last night and took up his old quar-
tiers at the Metropolitan Hotel He
visited the State Department this morn
ing aud had a pleasant interview. Mr..
Ransom, while here, will persent the ease
Of Mrs Rosanna Finley, otherwise DR..
Virginia Bardolphi, who is a citizen of
the United States, and who was robbed
of a small fortune by Mexicans in the
Estates Of Huatusco and Daxaca, where
Il she had been induced to invest it. Mrs.
Finley had studied medicine, and in 1888
went to Mexico to practice the medical
profession. She had little fortune Of
SIG 900. OF which she was robbed by
Mexican lawyers and officials. When
she made an effort to recover her money
she was arrested, assaulted, brutaliy
beaten and dragged along the streets TO
prison. While in a cell there ten men
came in and attempted to seize and bind
her Being a strong woman she fought
vigorously, and her clothes were torn
nearly from her person. This disclosed
large roll Of money, which she had
concealed in her bosom, about $500 IN
bills. The men Immediately ceased their
attack upon her and fought like dogs
over a bone for the possession Of the
money, that had fallen to the floor in
n L.. yr4A1
her from further personal violence. Next
day she secured her liberty, through the
agency of a gentleman who had seen
her dragged along the street and had spO-
ken to one Of the foreign consuls. His
investigation showed that there was no
charge upon which she could be held.
This experience made her leave Hua-
tusco, but did not wholly cure her Of the
desire to make profitable investments.
This time, however, she says she took
the precaution to obtain a letter of in
PRODUCTION from President Diaz to Gov
ernor Martin Gonzales, Of Oaxaca. In
this State she loaned upon q plantation
the remainder Of her fortune, only to
find that 1t had gone the way of the
other Here, too, she received similar
treatment at the hands OF the inhabi-
tants, and was again thrown into prison,
as the result, she believes, OF her com
plants. The people of Oaxaca, she says,
hate Diaz, and say that he brings
"Grngos' into their beloved country,
and that they would XIII him if he came
there. Finally, fear Of death forced her
to leave
Mrs Finley holds mortgages to some
ranches supposed to secure her money,
but a Mexican lawyer told her that while
they were executed in due legal form,
they were not worth the paper they were
written on, that when one loaned money
there was no guarantee that it would
ever be returned, unless one could en-
force his claim as a creditor Icy armed
force.
AT the American legation in the city
Of Mexico Mrs Finley received kind and
sympathetic treatment from Minister
Ransom lie attempted to make an in
vestigation, but his letters to the Mexi-
can officials in the States of Huatusco
and 0aXaea We're not answered, He
advised Mrs Finley to come to Washing
ton and inform Secretary Olney Of her
troubles; and she did so; and now that
the Minister is here himself, he will do
everything in his power to aid Mrs Fin
ley I'm Qbtaining redress"