Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-02
LABORERS REFUSE TO LAND
Men Taken from Martinique to Panama to
Work on Canal Balk.
FINALLY DRIVEN ASHORE BY POLICE
Many are Badly Injured by BIows
from clubs of Omcers-Refuse
to Listen to French
Consul.

COLON, Oct. 1.-Six hundred and fifty
laborers from Martinique brought here Fri
day on the French steamer, Versailles un-
der contract to work in the canal refused
to disembark or to submit to vaccination,
which is Imperative under the American
sanitary regulations. They clamored to
be taken back to Martinique. asserting that
they had been mislnformed as to the condi-
tons here before they embarked and that
later they learned these conditions we're
intolerable and deadly. Yesterday morn
ing, however, 500 Of them were with diff
ficulty persuaded to land and these were
sent to points along the line of the canal
One hundred and hfty remained on board
and declined to leave the ship under any
consideration. These were forcibly elected
from the vessel this afternoon by Panama
and Canal zone policemen, but not until
nearly everyone of them had been dubbed
and several were bleeding from ugly
wounds.
Refuse to Listen to Reason.
All of yesterday and last night the YER
sailles was guarded by Panama policemen.
Early this morning, the French consul
at Colon. NJ. Bonhenry. appealed to the
men to listen to reason, explaining that
they had left Martinique under contract
guaranteeing the payment of their passage
here and that while working on the canal
they would have in addition to their wages
the guarantee of free quarters and free
medical attendance The men, however,
were not answerable TO this reasoning.
Notwithstanding the efforts Of the consul,
and others and despite the information
given them by several of their country
men that health and other conditions on the
isthmus were satisfactory and that the
terms of their employment would enable
them to save money, they persistently re-
fused to leave the ship barring their breats
and invoking death in preference to going
ashore.
The captain of the Versailles who all
| through the trouble displayed extra
ordinary amount of patience told the men
that he was ready to take back to Marti-
niuue all those who were able to pay their
| passage. but the men argued that the
| French government would be willing tc
| reimbure the steamship company and that
they themselves were penniless.
Driven Ashore by Police.
Before noon, at the instance OF NJ. Haven
| the agent of the company, and French
consul, a squad of twelve police went or
board the vessel and told the men thai
force would be used If they persisted ir
| their refusal to disembark. Seeing thai
! the police were armed with bayonets and
| guns, the men again barred their breast;
and said. they preferred death rather thar
| to be taken ashore. Governor Melendez
Mayor Aldron. the chief Of police and
others argued with the men but withou
avail
| At 2 o'clock the laborers were Informed
that they would be given two hours tC
reconsider their decision and at 4 o'clocl
three of them consented to disembark tht
others still holding out Then the PanamaI
police, armed with clubs approached th'
laborers and on their refusing TO quit tht
ship began to club them right and left.
The zone police a few minutes late
assisted in the clubbing but with bette
Judgment and less Unfortunately. AbOU
fifty of the laborers leaped into the sea
but all Of the men were able to SWIM
The captain, however, lowered a boat whicl
picked them up. Nearly every man haC
received blows and several of them wer
bleeding from ugly wounds.
Seeing that resistance was useless tn
men then yielded and came ashore an,
began to eat the food which had beel
placed on the dock in sight of them 70
several hours. Many of them had no
eaten since Saturday.
At 5 o'clock all the laborers, who wer
in a pItiable condition. were placed on
train which left for COrozel where the
will be put to work.