The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-05-05
DUNGEON HORRORS.
New York Man Cast in auatemaIan
Prison for Six Weeks
Describes Terrible Experiences, OF
Prisoners. Some Were Flogeed
to Death bx His Side.

Ado AOioWAuk 6GIduR0 SUOry was
told to an American and Journal re.
porter by Harry Coleman, looomo-
tive engineer, of No. 1862 Park ave.
nue., OF his experience in a Gaatema,
Ian prison, where Joseph Darling, an
attorney, is now being held for con.
tempt.
Coleman told how he was arrested
at the point Of the bayonet for no
other reason than that he had broken
a contract; how for forty. five days he
lay In dungeon, where he was the
daily witness Of prisoners being flogg-
ed to death; and of how In the end he
and a comrade escaped from the couu.
try after terrible hardship by cutting
the telegraph wires to prevent their
recapture by the native consta bulary
The story told by him Is as follows:
My only reason for telling this
story is In the hope that something
may be done for two fellow Ameri.
cans. One Is Darling, the other a
man named Hamilton, who has al
ready been eighteen months in the
Guatemala prison without trial and is
dying Of consumption.
can prove what say through at
least six United States Ministers who
aided me and my friend to come back
to this country after our escape.
went to Guatemala Octobar3 2
1902, under a two.year contract with
the Guatemala Central Railroad
Company. was engaged to rum
between Guatemala, Mazzatanago and
Escuiuntla.
AS near as T can remember IL
l was arrested February 25, 1904. I
had become dissatisfied with the
manner In which the railroad com.
pany was carrying out its part OF the
agreement, and decided to leave the
clntry. 1 was met at the San joe
shipping station, IS mills from Qua.
temala, and marched back to the train
had LETT a few % ments before at
the point Of the bayonet.
When l arrived in Guatemala was
marched to prison and thrown into
filthy cell. was not given a trial,
nor informed of the charge against
ne, and every effort ON my part f.
with Godfrey Hunter,
the Anne rican Consul, met with de
rision. For forty five days 1 remain
ed there.
The Guatemala prison is a huge
affair, aud when was there abou;
|, 200 prisoners were in the place. | |
and man man named Hamilton wers
The only white men; the rest were
natives. O 1T food consisted Of raw
corn Gasheh sslno q pul D aud beans
peddiy Stss7 "a ID 8 4 t@!
death. There are two reservoirs al |
each end OF the prison courtyard and
the prisoners were forced to run from
one tank to the other, carrying q
bucket OF water in each hand A |
picked number OF strong men stood |
at short intervals alsrg the line OF |
.;;antlst and they flogged the prison
ers with whips as they ran by. Some
times they were gl7en as much as 200
lashes. At one time T ya.w six men
dead IL the hospital.
I finally obtained my freedom BIZ !
letter to the president If
the railroad company, telling him
would finish out my contract.
AS soon as got out, in compani
"ltii IL lllcnu, VINO was also IN tht
employ OF the railroad, 1 hired pack
mules and secretly left the city at
o'clock the next morning. l had
taken the engine out On one run Just
as blind.
For eleven days we walked through
the mountainous country, cutting the
wires as we went. After
hardship we reached the Dor.
der OF San Salvatore, where, after
Swimming the river we knew we were
safe. The next day we reached Aca-
Julia, In each large city we came,to
we obtained aid from the American
consul and letters OF PRODUCTION t.
the next one. From San Salvatore
we went to Port Limon, from there t.
Kingston, Jamaica, in the West In
dies, and finally to Santiago, Cuba
aud Havana, in which last place Con
sui George Springer gave Us clothes
and food and sent US 10 New York.
Il hope something may be done TO-
poor Hamilton, who was only guilty
II running over WI mao accidently.''