The Washington times., 1905-07-18
FIFTEEN YEARS
IN SALT MINES
American Engineers Ex-
perience.
INNOCENT WHEN SENTENCED
Had Charge of an Engine When Cable
Broke Killing Seven Mexican
Miners.
INNOCENT WHEN SENTENCED

KANSAS CITY, July 1S.-John c. Car
ter, a stationary engineer, is here look
ing for work. not that there is anything
unusual in men seeking employment, but
Carter differs from others In being a
man who says that last May he linlsh-
ed a term of fifteen years in u Mexican
prison.
He was. running an engine az uu-
range, Old Mexico, and was an employe
of the American Development Company
in its copper and gold mines near that
place. For a little over three years
he worked there. Then one day a cable
attached to one of the cars in lhe mines
broke, falling forty feet and killing ccv-
en- Mexicans. 1t was no fault of Car
ter's that the cable broke. but lie VAS
blamed with the accident. because he
was an American.
Received Long Sentence.
He was arraigned before an aleaIde,
an officer similar to justice of peace
in this country. and sentenced 10 TWEEN
ty-one years in the salt mines without
the pretenses of a trial to determine
whether or not he was guilty. He served
fifteen years, and was released.
Mr.. Carriers story of Mexico and what
he has seen of it follows:
When I arrived at Durango it was
number of miles off the railroad We
were transported to the company's hold
ings by buTro trains. The route was
across one of the most barren stretches
Of country [ have ever seen. At the
mines. which We're located in the noun
tains the country was q great deal bet
ter
''On the morning of the accident
was lowering the Workmen into the
mines. The engine was some distance
from the shaft. which was LOO feet
deep. The man in charge of the cages
was an American, and gave me the sig
nails 10 hoist and lower them. One cage
contained seven Mexicans. I had low
cred them to the 700-foot level. as shown
by the Indicator. when I felt a jar and
then the cable hung loose The cable
broke at the loop where 1t was fas-
tened TO the ear, and the car with its
load. dropped the remaining 400 feet
LAS soon as the accident occurred the
man in charge of the cages grabbed his
coat and flew TO the mountains. He
had been there longer than l and knew
what to do, I remained to render what
relief could and was arrested
"Arraigned before an alcalde; was
simply asked If I was the engineer in
charge. When I said yes. was told
that I was sentenced to twenty-one
years IN prison. No witnesses were eX-
amined- The alcalde had to sentence
somebody. anr was as good as any
one. The cage tender knew this ana
escaped.
Marched to Salt Mines.
For four days another American and
myself with the Mexicans were marched
across the desert 70 the salt mines, the
government prison on the western
coast OF Mexico. At the mines I was
put 40 work as an engineer. and re-
manned there for fifteen years to q
day
There are no walls around this pri-
son, as in this country. but a prisoner
never escapes Guards by hundreds
are all around the mines. The guards
are soldiers and 20 per cent of the
soldiery Of Mexico are convicts. When
ever a Mexican commits an offense he
Is sentenced to serve so many years in
the army This gives the army the
Vict soldiers are distinguished from the
regularly enlisted men by the cut of
their uniforms and the number Of their
The prison bill of fare consists of
black coffee, tortillas and frijoles serv-
ed three times day, The coffee il
something vile. Tortiilas are nothing
more nor less than corn, well cracked.
mixed with water and made into cakes
like pancake. The frijOles are native
beans, and are served with red peppers
and other hot stuff White prisoners
are furnished a house and beds 20 sleep
in while the Mexicans are given 4
blanket and sleep on the ground.
Train Crews American.
AS soon as I was notified that I was
free I started for the United States
again"
Most of the trains in Mexico are in
charge of American crews. Mr.. Carter
says. and they will allow an Anglo
Saxon TO ride with them anywhere. The
majority Of them there now are men
who were in railroad strikes here and
were blackIisted from ali roads. They
have found employment in Mexico.
Whenever an engineer runs over a
Mexican said Mr.. Carter. If he has
a complete American crew he viii stop
his engine. get down and place the body
OF the Mexican IN the flrebox and say
nothing about the matter. II there hap
pens to be Mexican in the crew he
cant do this.
If a Mexican happens to be one Of
The crew. the engineer stops at the first
town he comes 10, goes TO the office Of
the Cacalde and swears out complaint
gainst the Mexican whom he ran over
for treSpassiug on the railroad. The
dead Mexican Is then arrested.