Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-13
DETECTIVES
DENOUNCED
BY SPEAKER
PROTEST AGAINST MEXiCANS'
IMPRISONMENT
AUDITORIUM SCENE OF MASS
MEETING
Impassioned Speeches Delivered by
Attorney Who Has Defended AL
legged oIutionists-Audl-
ence Contributes

Nearly five hundred earnest sympa-
thizere with the alleged Mexican revolu-
tionists Ricardo Flores Magon, Antonio
Villareal, Librado Rivera and L. Gutter
rez de Lara, met last night in Simpson
Auditorium to voice their sentiments in
favor of the prisoners ana arouse public
teelirg in their favor.
A large part of the audience consisted
of the representatives of the Mexican
colony who have taken a particularly ac-
tive part in demonstrations in favor of
| their compatriots. The meeting was full
| OF sensational encounters and passing of
| remarks between speakers and the men
in the audience.
Detectives Talamantes and Rico the
men who are accused of arresting the
Mexicans without warrant, and who have
been charged by the friends of the pris-
oners with acting as the agents of the
Mexican government were in the room
occupying seats in the rear of the house.
The opening speech of the evening was
made by Attorney A. r. Holston, who Is
associated with Attorney Job Hartman
ir. the defense of the Mexican prisoners.
He dwelt at length on the Injustice of
holding the men prisoners without show
ing any cause why they should be so
held
IF our jai.s are to be converted into
Mexican prisons, then our officers and
jailers should draw their salary from
Mexico" cat this point many voices
broke out: "They do receive salaries
from Mexico, some of them.'D And on
what charge are these men held? Sim
ply a telegram signed: 'Bonaparte.'" &
When Attorney Holston had finished his
speech the band played a selection and
a contribution was taken up to be used
in freeing the prisoners.
Attorney Hartman Speaks
Maria Talabera, the woman whom the
police are said to be in search of, occu-
pied a prominent place on the platform.
Attorney Holston denounced as false tho
statement that she was In concealment,
and asked her to step forward in tes7i-
mony of the fact that she was not trying
to eluds the authorities.
AThe main event of the evening was the
speech of Attorney Job Hartman, who
has been doggedly fighting the cause Of
the Mexican prisoners at every step OF
the procedure. When he described the
arrest of the prisoners by officers Rico
and Talamantes every one turned to look
at Talamantes. AS the fierce torrent of
condemnation poured from the lips of the
speaker several men In the audience be-
gan to rise, and 1t was with some diff
Guilty Attorney Hartman quieted them
and made them take their seats.
He said the Mexicans were seated in
their room planning the celebration of
the Mexican fiesta of September 16, and
the story that they were plotting an in
vasion of Mexico he branded as false and
malicious. He says the prisoners were
struck on the heads with the butts of the
revolvers by the two detectives and that
next day the prisoners had great welts
on the tops of their heads where they had
been struck. His speech was in part as
follows:
'I regret it is my duty tonight to go
with you through the graveyard of ma
tional hope-the blasted hopes of our
much boasted freedom. Let me tell you
briefly the story of Flores Magon, who
has been branded as a dangerous man.
Charges Persecution
'Magon started a paper in Texas. He
had barely got 1t under way when
agents of the Mexican government got
after him and drove him out. He then
went to st. Louis and started his paper
again. He had been editing his publica-
ton but short time when he was ar
rested on charge of criminal libel,
'Magon was allowed to go free and
while he was not discharged from the
complaint he was not prosecuted because
there was no case against him. He re-
manned in ST. Louis long enough for the
authorities to prosecute him if they had
wanted to do so. Then seeing that the
Mexican authorities were planning to per-
secute him by filing one charge after an
ether against him he went to Canada,
where he remained about year.
''Then he came to Los Angeles. When
arrested OFFICER Talamantes swore that
the man had resisted an officer. Then he
dismissed the charge that he had sworn
to. The men we're arrested without war
rants.
"Various subsequent charges were
placed against the prisoners, who were
available for trial and were anxious to