El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-09
ENGINEER In JAIL
Juarez Court Must Give ~. T.
Lewis a Speedy Trial.
HE is NOT GUILT Y
OF Any Crime That Would Justify
sSinGIe Days Impr.sonmentan and
Should Re Liberated.


w T. Lewis. an American engineer.
is in jail in Juarez. as was explained in
the Herald several weeks ago. for an
accident that occurred at Chihuahua
one year ago last June. in which
Mexican employee of the road had one
foot cut of.
This particular case has excited much
interest among railroad men both in
Juarez and FL Paso and they have TAX
en- the matter up with all possible vim
and If possible are going to make
lively case of il.
At the solicitation of a score of rail-
road men in Ell Paso and Juarez the
Herald has taken the matter up and
will follow every point of interest in
the case until some disposition of it is
made. reporter called at the jail
Yesterday afternoon and heard Mr..
Lewis story. 1t is. according to his
statement a simple scheme for per
sonaI gain and the wonder is that the
officials of the Mexican courts would
countenance the charges for one min
ute
Mr.. Lewis says that on the 9th day
of June 1898. he was running an engine
for the Mexican Central out of Chi
huahua While switching in the yards
that night the accident happened for
which he is now lying in Jail. He was
handling a long train that had just
been inspected The signal lights had
been removed in front. which was a
signal to move up. when il was dis
covered that ten cars on the back of
the train were uncoupled. One of the
switchmen gave the signel to- back up
to make the coupling. Lewis was on
the side of curve and could not see
the rear of his train. however the fire
man gave the signals. \ Mexican who
was car inspector for the company. said
to- the rear brakeman that he would
make the coupling and went between
the cars TO perform the duty. The
train backed up just as he fell and the
wheels passed over his foot. cutting il
OF just above the ankle. This was not
his place. as he acknowledged at the
time. but he was making the coupling
because he was near by.
Lewis was arrested and taken before
the judge OF the civil district court the
next morning for a preliminary hear
ing His victim was at the trial and
Swore that Lewis was in no way re-
sponsible for the accident. as he went
between the cars without authority.
The physician who attended the woun-
ded man was also present and swore
that when he examined the crippled
man he was drunk and then had a bot
tie of tequila in his pocket In the
Judge dismissed the charges against
Lewis and he was allowed to go free.
Lewis resigned his position and
thought he was through with il until
the 2Gth of September of this year. He
had accepted a position at he mines
near chihuahua when arrested His
railroad friends in Chihuahua immedi-
ately began an investigation of the
case and learned that the man who had
lost a foot had falle into the hands
of "A Mexican lawyer who wanted to sue
the Mexican Central railroad for dam
ages. He explained to his client that
IN order TO get damages he would have
to prosecute and convict Lewis of neg
ligence. The client. ready to resort to
any method of securing money. con-
sented and swore out writ accusing
lewis of criminal negligence.
Lewis was thrown into Jail and lay
there until three weeks ago when he
was brought to JuareZ. When the re-
porter found him yesterday he was
sitting around on the rocks in the
court OF the dingy. dirty iail in JuareZ.
looking pale and haggard as is he had
been there a century.
When Lewis reached JuareZ the rail-
road men took up his case and ex-
planned it to Consul Kindrick- Mr..
Kindrick visited him and found he told
the same story told by the railroad
men After getting the factS In the
case he called on the federal Judge and
requested a speedy trial. This was
promised. but as there is some question
about the meaning of soon" in the
Spanish language it is doubtful if the
prisoner will get trial this year.
The railroad fraternity of FL PaSo
has asked the Herald for the partic-
uIars in the case and it is understood
that il Lewis is not released within a
few DAYS copy OF this paper with ad-
ditional facts will be forwarded to the
state department at Washington ac-
companied by a request to take i'm
mediate action and demand the release
of their friend.
Lewis is a man of family and his
wife and small children are now in a
little hut in chihuahua with no means
of support except what few of Mr..
evils friends contribute to- them. |
Consul Eindrick has done all that he
can as a preliminary move but it is
said that if Lewis is not released seen !
he will forward the evidence in the
case to Washington and demand |
prompt action on the part of this coun- !
try through the department at the City |
of Mexico.