Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-10-02
Laborers From Martinique
Wanted to Be Returned,
Rather Than Be Vaccinated
MANY LEArED INTO THE SEA
Hundreds Barred Their Breasts to The
Knife, Claiming They Preferred
Death to r,isembarking and Endur-
ing tho Conditions In the Canal
Zone.

Colon, Oct. 2.-Laborers from Mar
Unique who arrived here on the French
line steamer Versailles are giving much
trouble. They refused to disembark or
to submit to vaccination, which is i'm
perative under the American sanitary
regulations, and clamored to be taken
back to Martinique, contending that
they had been misinformed as to the
conditions here, which they said were
intolerable aud deadly. Five hundred
of them Were, with difficulty persuaded
to disembarl. Saturday morning, and
these We're sent to points along the line
Of the canal.
One hundred and fifty remained on
board and declined to leave the ship
under any consideration. These were
forsibly elected from the vessel yes
terday afternoon by Panaman and ca
nal zone policemen, but not until nearly
every one OF them had been dubbed
and several were bleeding from nasty
wounds. AL Of Saturday and Satur-
by Panaman policemen.
Early yesta rday morning the French
consul at Coon, M. Bonhenry, appealed
to the men to listen to reason, explain
ing that they had left Martinique un-
der contract with the canal zone emf
grafton agent guaranteeing the pay
mont 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, how
ever, were not amenable to this reason
ing. Notwithstanding the efforts of the
consul and of the Panamnn and Amer
lean officials and despite the informa-
ton given them by several Of their
countrymen that health and other con-
ditions on the isthmus were satisfac-
tory and that the terms Of their en-
ployment would enable them to save
money, they persistently refused to
leave the ship bearing their breasts
and invoking death in preference to
going ashore.
The captain of the Versailles, who
all thru the trouble displayed an ex-
traordinary amount Of patience, told
the men that he was ready to take
back to Martinique all those who We're
able to pay their passage, but the men
argued that the French government
would be willing to reimburse the
steamship company and that they
themselves were penniless.
Bare Their Breasts Again.
Before noon, at the instance OF M.
Raven, the agent of the company and
a French consul, squad Of twelve po-
lice went on board the vessel and told
the men that force woulld be used If
they persisted in their refusal to en-
bark. Seeing that the police were arm
ed with bavonets and guns the men
again barred their breasts and said they
preferred death rather than being Ia
ken ashore. Governor M.elendez. May
or Aldron, the chief OF police and 9TH
ers argued with the men, but again
without effect.
Ten additional policemen arrived at
the wharf but the governor, wishing
to avoid bloodshed and considering
that the police force was insufficient,
telegraphed to President Amador ask
ing permission to use the canal zone
police, to which the president consent
ed. Meantime twelve policemen from
the zone had arrived a,ad 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 o'clock three Of them consented to
disembark, the others still holding out.
Then the Panama police. armed with
clubs, approached the la.borers, and on
their refusing to quit the ship began
to club them right and left.
The zone police a few minutes later
assisted in the clubbing, but with bet
ter Judgment and less lndiscriminate-
ly. About fifty Of the 0aborers leaped
into the sea, but all of them were able
to swim. The captain, however, low
cred boat and picked them up. Near
)y every man had received blows and
several of them were bleeding from
ugly wounds.
Seeing that resistance was useless
the men 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
not eaten since Saturday. At o'clock
all the laborers, who were in a piteable
condition, were placed on board a
train which left for Corozal, where