Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-07

to be helpful to the working people and the
people generally of Porto Rico. and for
them. as well as the right-thinking people
In our country. urge that you may once
for all make 1t clearly understood that
neither the greed of corporations nor sordid
motives of few shall hamper the devel-
and uplifting of the working people. so un-
fortunately situated as they are In the
island. Very respectfully yours.
SAMUEL GOMPERS,
President American Federation of Labor.
Mr. Leake's Statement.
Here is the statement as to disturbance
on plaza in Ponce on Sunday, April 10. 1905:
My name is H. P. Leake; I am a lawyer
and have an office in the second story of
the house of Luis Caslls, on the corner OF
Atocha street and the Plaza Delicias, in
Ponce. From my front balcony l can see
about half Of the cement part of the plaza
proper, 1. e., the east half, and the view
of the other part is INSTRUCTED by trees. l
was in my Office on Sunday afternoon, April
16. noticed procession. VI people coming
to the plaza, evidently for the purpose of
holding meeting of some kind. Shortly
after l heard the voice of a speaker adj
dressing the people and sounds OF cheering.
The speaking had lasted only very few
minutes when l heard cries. the sound of
running and shots. 1 stepped out on my
balcony and saw that great mass Of peo-
pie we're trying to get out Of the gate on
the east side of the plaza--the side toward
Atocha street, and the side Of the plaza
facing the church. The firing continued
while the people were endeavoring to
escape. In the gate on the east side of the
plaza-for the cement part of the plaza Is
surrounded by fence supported by a stone
wall-there was a great confusion and the
gateway was blocked. Some people had
fallen in running through this gate, others
had fallen on top of them. and the crowd
behind was pushing to get over those on the
tho har cir or chi 1roh at
Of the plaza. the same thing was occurring,
and the people were not only trying to go
through the gate on that side, but were
climbing the fence, end were pressed against
1T in solid mass.
After a minute or two the fence and the
wall with it gave way and the crowd broke
through, without trearm. l did see police
with firearms, what seemed to be Colt re-
volvers. for they had long barrels. Each
police that 1 saw had pistol in one hand
and club in the other, and the captain
had pistol in one hand and his sword In
the other. So far as l could see the peo-
Pile were not resisting the police. but were
in a panic and endeavoring to get away. l
could not tell the number of shots fired.
From where was l could not see the
speakers stand, nor the greater mass of
the crowd that surrounded it. l do not
know what started the trouble and the
subsequent stampede. The thing that i'm
pressed me most was the terror which
forced the people to run against stone
wall Win an IRON renee on IL ana Dreak
that wall and fence down in getting out OF
the plaza. and the fact that they strug-
gled with each other in getting through the
gates, and women In the crowd. II there
was citizen with a pistol I did not see
It. l saw two detectives, or men dressed in
citizens clothes, with pistols, and they were
endeavoring to make arrests. After the
crowd had been driven from the plaza prop
er they were dispersed from the streets
and public places by the police, who were
almost Immediately reinforced from the
police station or somewhere in the vicinity.
There were police on foot and on horses,
and the chief in his automobile. l give
this statement at the request Of two gen.
tlemen, one whom l know to be Don San
tiago Igesias, upon their statement to me
that they want to use 1t not for publication
in any way. but to send to the Federation
Of Labor In the states, in order that the
federation may know of these things. l
have told him I would not publish any
statement I should make in newspaper, or
have anything to do with such publicat ton,
and that their remedy is in the courts to
punish the wrongdoers.
(Signed) H. P. LEAKE