The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-31
MENACED BY GERMANY
HAITIAN PORTS MAY BE BOMBARDED
By THE KAlsER's SHIPS.
Indemnity PeremptoriIy Demanded
for the Alleged Illegal Impris-
Onment of Mr.. Linders.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.)

Correspondence of the Associated Press.)
PORT. AL PRINCE, Haiti, Oct 90.-Se-
rious trouble has arisen between Haiti. and
Germany. The German minister to this re-
public, Count Schwerin has hauled down
his flag and according to current report,
three German war ships are expected here
TO back up the ultimatum of the minister to
Haiti, demanding an indemnity for the al
legged illegal arrest and Imprisonment of a
German citizen. The affair has caused con-
Siderable excitement among the native pop
ulation and some of the people have threat
ened to kill the German minister and all
the Germans in this place and vicinity.
The affair grew out of the arrest here
few weeks ago of young German named
Linders The Germans say that dozen po-
licemen entered Linders's house and ar
rested one of his servants. Mr.. Linders went
to central police headquarters to complain
against this action of the police, but was
himself arrested, charged with assaulting
and attempting to murder police officers in
the execution of their duty. Linders was
promptly condemned to pay a fine of $4S
and undergo one months Imprisonment and
was taken to Jail. Claiming he was limo
cent, Linders demanded and obtained a
second trial. Witnesses testified that they
policemen and that even if he had done
so under the circumstances he would not
have broken the laws of Haiti. In spite of
this Linders was condemned to pay fine
of $500 and was sentenced to one years
Imprisonment.
While the affair was purely In the hands
or the courts the German minister could do
nothing to assist Linders in a diplomatic
way But when the second judgment was
rendered, the minister telegraphcd to Ber-
lin giving details of the case, and asked for
instructions on the subject. On Oct. II the
German minister went to the President of
Haiti, Augustin Simon Sam, and demanded,
If the name of the German Emperor, that
Mr.. Linders be set at liberty and also de-
manded for every day he had spent in pris-
on, twenty-three in all indemnity of 81 900
in gold adding that for every day Ldnders
was kept prisoner after that notification
he (the German MINISTRY would demand an
indemnity of $1,000 in gold. At first the
Haytian President refused to grant the
German minister's demand, and Mr..
Linders remained six days longer in
prison. This caused the German
minister to notify the Haytian government
that, as Mr.. Linders had not been freed
he had hauled down his flag and had sent
the archives OF the German legation to the
legation of the United States, thus breaking
on all relations with the Haytian govern
ment.
This caused great excitement here. and
disturbances would have occurred had they
not been averted by sending Mr.. LnderS
who was threatened with lynching. on
board steamer bound for New York, from
which port he was to leave for Germany. 1t
is said that the German minister on the
arrival of war ships, will insist upon the
payment of the indemnity demanded as a
result of the Imprisonment of Mr.. LinderS.