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
Blk Hundred and Fifty Workmsu
Brought TO work on the Canal
Changed Their Minds and
cIamorcd TO Go Back.

Colon, Oct. six and nft
faborers from Martinique. brought herr
Friday OF the French steamer Yer
sailles un1si contract 10 work on TN
canal. refused to disembark or TO sub
nit To- vaccination. which In imperative
under the American sanitary regula-
lions. They clamored to be taken back
to Martinique. asserting that they mad
been misinforfned as TO the conditions
here before they embarked. and that
later they learned that these conditions
were intolerable and deadly. Saturday
morning, however. 500 OF them wero
with difficulty persuaded TO land. and
these were sent to points along the
line OF the canal. One hundred and fifty
remained On board n declined TO
leave the ship under any consideration.
These were forcibly elected from the
vessel this afternoon by Panam N
canal zone policemen. but not until
nearly cveryon OF them had been
dubbed and several were bleeding from
nasty wounds. All OF yesterday and
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 cana tone emigra-
NASNA aHNAAha ssA -
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
swerablc To- this reasoning. Notwith-
standing 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 refused to leave the ship.
barring their breasts M invoking
death In preference tn going ashore.
The captain OF the Versailles. who all
through the trouble displayed an extra
ordinary amount OF patience, told the
men that he was ready 10 take back
to Martinique all those who were able
TO pay their passage but tie men ar
gued that the French government
would be willing to reimburse the
steamship company. and that they
themselves We're %penniless. Before noon.
at the Instance OF NJ. Raven. the agent
of the company. and the French con-
sui. a squad OF twelve police went
aboard the vessel and old the men
that force would be used II 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 he taken ashore.
Governor Melendez. Mayor Aldron. the
chief OF police u others argued with
tho men. but without avail. Ten more
policemen arrived nj the wharf, but
the governor. wishing to avoid blood
shed and considering that the police
force was insufficient. wired President
AwawllH nalsNn.s .a.aN.NaaNAV 80 80. NAA
canal zone 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 laborers 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 still holding out.
Then the Panama police. armed with
clubs. approached the laDorers and on
their refusing to quit the ship began
to club them right and left.
Tn tone police n few minutes later
assisted In the clubbing. nj with bet
ter Judgment and less indiscriminately.
About nifty OF the laoorers leaped into
the sea, but all OF the men were able to
swim. The captain. however. lowered
a boat. which picked them up. Nearly
every man had received blows and sew
cral OF them were bleeding from ugly
wounds.
Seeing that resistance was useless
they then yielded. came ashore n be-
gan 20 eat the foo which had been
placed on the dock In sight OF them for
several hours. Many OF them had not
eaten since Saturday.
AT & o'clock all the laborers. who
were In a pitiable condition. were
placed OF a train which left for Coro-
cal. where they will be put To- work.