The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-10-05
FORCED lABORERS
TO GO TO WORK
They Were Compelled to
Land by Policemen at
Colon.
DISTRESSING SCENE
sis Hundred and Fifty Workmsa
Brought to work on the Canal
Changed Their Minds and
ciamored TO Go Back.

Colon. Oct. 3.-Six hundred and Mt
faborcrs from Martinique, brought her
Friday on the French steamer Yer
sailles unLssf contract TO work on In
canal. refused TO disembark or TO sub
init To vaccination. which In imperative
under the American sanitary regula-
tons. They clamorcd TO be taken back
To Martinique. asserting tina they had
been misinformed as to the conditions
here before they embarked. n that
later they armed that these conditions
were intolcrable and deadly. Saturday
morning. however. 500 or them were
with difficulty persuaded to land. and
these were sent to points along tho
line OF the canal. One hundred and ffty
remained on board n declined to
leave the ship Il any consideration.
These were forcibly elected from the
vessel his afternoon by Panama and
canal zone policemen. but not until
nearly everyone OF them had been
dubbed and several were bleeding from
nasty wounds All OF yesterday n
last night the Versailles were guarded
by Panama policemen.
Early yesterday morning the French
consul at Colon, NJ. Bonhenry. appealed
To- the men TO listen TO reason. explain
Ing that they had left Martinique under
contract with the canal zone emigra-
ZION ukeuIs kuaEduhttiNk Nv UAl thltIlh
OF their passage here. n that while
working on the canal they would have.
In addition To their wages. the guaran-
tee OF free quarters n free medical
attention.
The men. however. were not an
swcrable to his reasoning. Notwith-
standing the efforts OF the consu n
others, and despite the Information
given them by several OF their country
men hat health and other conditions
on the isthmus were satisfactory and
tina the terms OF their employment
would enable them TO save money. they
persistently refused to cave the ship.
barring their breasts n invoking
death In preference To going ashore.
The captain OF the Versailles. who all
through the trouble displayed an extra
ordinary mount OF patience. told the
men that he was ready To take back
to Martinique all those who were able
TO pay their passage. but the men ar
gued that the French government
would be willing to reimburse the
steamship company. n that they
themselves were pcnniless. Before noon,
at the instance OF NJ. Raven. the agent
Of the company, and the French con-
sui. a squad OF twelve police went
nbonrd the vessel and told the men
that force would be used IL they per-
sisted In their refusal to discmbark.
Seeing that the police were armed with
bayonets and guns the men again barred
their breasts and said they preferred
death rather than to be taken ashore.
Governor Melendez. Mayor Aldron. the
chief OF police and others argued with
the men. but without avail. Ten more
policemen arrived at the wharf. but
the governor. wishing to avoid blood
shed and considering that the police
force was insufficient, wired President
Amador asking permission to use the
canal one police. To which the presi-
dent consented. In the meantime twelve
policemen from the zone had arrived
at the dock and were being held In
readiness.
At . o'clock the laborcrs were IN
formed that they would be given two
hours TO reconsider their decision. and
at I o'clock three OF them consented To
disembark. the others stu holding out.
Then the Panama police. armed with
clubs, approached the laporers n ON
their refusing to quit the ship began
to club them right and left.
The zone police n few minutes later
assisted I'm the clubbing. but with bet
ter judgment and less indiscriminately.
About nifty OF the laoorers ieaped into
the sea. but all OF the men were able to
swim. The captain. however. lowered
n boat, which picked them up. Nearly
every man had received blows and sew
eral OF them were bleeding from ugly
wounds.
Seeing that resistance was useless
they then yielded. came ashore and be-
gan TO eat the food which had been
placed on the dock In sight OF them for
several hours. Many OF them had TOT
eaten since Saturday.
At g o'clock all the laborers. who
were I'm a pitiable condition. were
placed on a train which left for Coro-
Zal, where they will be put To work.