The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-29

REDWOOD CITY. June 2S.-A sensa-
uonal letter has just been received by J.
Y. Swift of this place from H. C. Faux
ner, who is confined in Jail at Ixtlahuaca,
Mexico. Mr.. Faulkner has been confined
since April 25 last in cell Sx10 feet, along
with eight other prisoners, the latter of
the lowest type. The charge against him
is murder. and grew out of most
lamentahle accident, which occurred at
the Nolan mine al Ell Orc, where he was
employed as engineer, for which he was
entirely bameless.
1t appears that the superintendent of
the mine together with an employee were
let down a shaft in the mine in a cage,
their object being to take the water level.
Before going down the engineer was given
instructions to stop on signal.
The cage was lowered and no signal
given to stop. Finally Faulkner thought,
from the indicator, that the cage must
be near the water, and of his own accord
stopped it. He received no signal even
then, and as 1t was against the rules 10
raise the cage without orders from be-
low, he sent a man down 10 investigate.
who reported that the top of the cage
was under water. The men had been
drowned like rats in a trap.
The letter, which was dated the 18th
inst, was struggled out of prison and Is
as follows:
Dear Friend: You will no doubt be surprised
to hear that l down here and more than
that, l am in Jail and unjustly held by the
authorities for accident which occurred on
the 25th of last April at the Nolan mine at
Ell Orc, where l was employed. The casualty
resulted in the death OF two men. and al
though l am entirely blameless, l have been
thrown into prison at this place and have
since been confined in a cell not larger than
SXlO with eight prisoners OF the lowest type
imaginable. There is ventilation and the
stencil of the place is terrible. My friends
have done all they could to secure trial for
succeeded.
all l can do is to wait in silence in this hor-
rible place, for God knows when l will get out
The food given us is not fit for dog, and
what makes 1t harder still is that my health
is about ruined from sleeping the damp
stone ho2r. 1t you'd Kill the strongest mar
so you can imagine the cruelty 3f these MeXI-
cans especially when they have American
in their power II the authorities would only
investigate the charges made against they
would at once that l powerless to pre-
vent the accident or to save the lives of the
men.
I will tell you briefly how the accident oc-
CURED, and every word of my statement can
be proved by the most unimpeachabe testimony
hosting engine at the Nolan mine, and he
date mentioned the superintendent Frank
Lloyd, stepped into the cage to descend.
companed by peon, to take the water level,
giving orders to lower him until he sig
nailed me to stop. 1 let the cable until
the cage had reached the 600-foot level and
then slowed down to allow them to take the
bell rope. i still kept on paying out the cable
expecting every moment to get the signal, but
no sign was given The Indicator showed that
the cage had reached the end of the guides so
1 stopped and waited for the signal. but
ceved none. L could not hoist the cage without
orders. / sent men down the main way OF
the shaft to find out what was wrong and
when they returned they told me that the cage
was under water and both men were drowned.
My friends have appealed to the American
ambassador at the City of Mexico, but he
would do nothing for me. 1 have forwarded
a statement TO Secretary Hay at Washington
and hope he will investigate the matter and
have my case investigated. 1 intend to try
and make the Mexican Government pay for
their unjust and cruel treatment.
1 write this letter principally to warn my
friends in Redwood who may think Of com
ing to this country what they may expect
from such laws exist here. l hope this
communication may reach you, yet 1 fear that
1t never will. have to depend upon the kind
yard to address and mail it for I want