New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-27
OUTRAGE nv GUATEMALA.
WHAT TWO YOUNG AMERICANS WHO DIS
COVERED GOLD HAD TO ENDURE.


New-orleans. June Is (speciaD-Two young Amer
leans j. II. Richards and w. H. Harris. arrived to-
day from Guatemala with a remarkable story Of
outrage at the hands OF the Guatemalan officials.
They discovered veritable Klondke in the Zacapa
District and were rewarded by being cast In loath-
some prisons in which their lives were all but for
feited
Richards has been In Central America for six
years. representing at San Jose Costa Rica. the
Louisville liquor firm OF j. T. s. Brown & Co. six
months ago. business In San Jose being poor he
went to Guatemala and secured tie contract with
the Guatemala Northern Railroad. There he met
W. II. Harris. an ex-Klondker. who induced him TO
60 into the zacapa district to prospect. The men
say they were remarkably successful and loca ed
placer from which they washed 81 worth OF gold
dust In one hour. On fire with their find. they went
AT once To the official headquarters at Zacapa. Sc
cured lawyer and entered the mine.
T.. very day however. they received visit
from the chief and were peremptorily told to get
out Of the country This the decided not 10
do. and returned to the mine. where on June Is
Richards arrested. He was taken TO Zacapa
and thrown into prison eighteen feet square. In
which were thirty-six prisoners. Through the as
sistance of British Vice-Consul Scott he was put
after thirty-six hours in smaller cell and was
permitted to telegraph to Minister Hunter. at
Guatemala City. He told that American repre-
sentative of his arrest without warrant. and next
day received the following remarkable communca-
tion from the Minister:
Have received telegram OF yesterday relative 10
your order OF expulsion. The authorities claim TO
". GODFREY HUNTER
After another thirty-six hours In jail Richards
was bound with twenty feet OF rope and marched
through the middle Of the street the. train. be-
ing repeatedly struck by the soldiers on the way.
lie next taken to Puerto Barrios, where. after
two days in prison without food. being I'll at the
time, he was put on board the Breakwater and
sent out CT the country. Harris escaped arrest at
the mines and followed down to the coast, where
water with a ticket to Belize. He, however. paid
the difference. and accompanied his partner TO
New-Orleans.
Richards and Harris. II will be remembered did
In course of their stay in Guatemala and they were
reported TO be I'm sympathy with the Nasquez revo-
lutionary movement In Honduras
b. y. Pears. brother OF Frank Pears. the young
American who was assassinated at San Pedro. Hon
duras last January, reached this city to-day. and
Is highly incensed at the inacton OF Minister Hun
Pearss murderers. Pears claims that Hunter when
he returned 10 Central America weeks ago.
carried positive instructions from Washington to
push the matter Of $4,000 indemnity. The Pears
family does not want money indemnity for their
brother. and only ask that the officer. Manuel
Bonilla. whom they hold responsible for Frank
Pearss death. be degraded and driven from the
province
Hunter. however. r. r. Pears says has done
nothing al all In the matter, not even having been
within the borders Of Honduras. Pears holds that
Hunter Is Thoroughly in sympathy with the Central
American governments. and that the condition Of
United States citizens there has become such tina I
in the last six months nearly 50 per of the
American colony has deserted the country and 70
turned 10 the States. The Pears family have absn-
agency OF Hunter and will make another appeal to
Washington direct.