Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-10-02
Takes Possession Of Mar
Unique Laborers at Colon.
Refuse to Disembark, Owing to
Alleged Unhealthy Conditions.
CIubbed, Beaten and Driven Ashore, They
Eagerly Assault Food Offered.

Colon, oct six hundred and fifty
laborcrs from Martinique, brought
h. re, Friday. on the French steamer
| Versailles, under contract to work on
| the canal, refused to discmDark or sub
| init to vaccination, which is imperative
| under the American sanitary rcgula-
| lions. They clamorcd to be taken
| back to Martinique, claiming that they
| mad been msinforncd as to the cOndi-
| lions here before they embarked and
| that later they learned these conditions
| were intolcrablc ana deadly. Yesterday
morning. however, 800 of them were
with difficulty persuaded to land, and
| these were sent to points along the
| line of tic canal. One hundred and
nifty remained on board ship and de-
| cin"d to leave the vessel under any
| condition. Thc.:, were forCibly eject
| cd frGm the vessel, this afternoon, by
| i'analGan and canal zone policemen.
but not until nearly every one of them
had been clubbcd and several of them
| we're bleeding from nasty wounds. All
Of yesterday and last night, the Yer
| saill"a WAS guarded by panaman
policemen.
| Early this morning. the French con
mi 1T Colon, NJ. BonhCnry. appealed to
| the men to listen to reason, explaining
That they had left Martinique undo;
contract with the canal zone emigra-
ton agent guaranteeing the payment
of their passage here and that while
working on the canal they would have
il addition to their wages the gEaran-
tee of free quarters and free medical
Attendance.
Tie mon. however, were not amen
able to this reasoning. Notwithstanding
the efforts of the consul and Of the
Panaman and American officials
and despite the information CIV
CT them by several of thci"
countryIrcn that health and other
conditions Oh the iSthmus were
satisfactory and that the terms of their
employment would enable them to save
moEcy they persistcntly refused to
leave the ship, bnrcing their breasts
and invoking death in preference to
going ashore.
TIC captain Of the Versailles. who all
through the trouble displayed an extra
ordinary amount of patience. told the
men he was ready to take back to Mar
Unique all those who were able to pay
ne French government would be will
ing to reimburse the steamship com
rany and that they themselves were
rcnnilcS:.
Before neon. at the instance of Mr..
Raven, the agent of the company, ana
of The Frnnch consul. a squad of II
Panama police went on board the YES
81 ana tola the men that force would
30 used il they persisted in their refus-
al to discmb2rk. Seeing that the
police were armed with bayoncts AMI
guns. The men again barred their
breasts and said th"y preferred death
rather than be taken ashore.
Coy. MHlCn1cz, Mayor Andron. tn"
chief Of polio" ana others argued with
the men. but again without effect. Ten
additional policemen arrived at the
wharf but the governor. wishing To
avoid bl0odShcd and considering that
the police force WAS Inadequate, tclc-
graphcd to President Amador asking
permission to use the canal zone police.
to which the President consented. In
the meantime, L policemen from the
zone had arrived at the dock and were
beng held in readiness.
At ; o'clock the laborcrs were inform
CO that they would he given two hours
to RECONSIDER their decision and at 8
O'Clock thrJ" OF them consented to dis
embark. the others still holding out.
Then the Pannman police armed with
clubs. arpro,:c hed the laborers and OH
their refusing to luit the ship began to
ciul' them right and left. The zone
police Il few minutes later assisted in
the clubbing. but with better judge
mcnt and less indiscriminately.
About 50 Of the laborcrS lcapcd into
the sea, nur all of the men were able to
swim. The captain, however lowered
Il boat which picked them up. Nearly
cvrry nan had received blows and sew
cral of them were bleeding from their
wounds.
Seeing that resistance was useless tho
| men yielded. came ashore and began
| to eat the food which had been placed
| on the dock i'll sight Of them for sew
cral hours. Many of them had not
| eaten since Saturday. At ; o'clock all
| the lahorers, who were in pitiable
| condition. were placed on board train
which left for COroZal, where they will
| 10 put To work.
DEFENCELESS LONDON.