The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-12-28

to be made to understand that he can
not pound, bruise and torture our peo-
pie just for the fun of the thing"
This sounds like pretty vigorous
language, but unfortunately it was not
followed up by correspondingly Wig
orous action on the part of our Ameri-
can legation at the capital At all
events nothing was done about the
matter for long time.
Meanwhile the consequences of hav-
ing dared to make an official COM
plant followed thick and fast for
Shine. Witnes the following letter
from him to Vice Consul Reed, trans
mitted by the American consulate in
Guatemala to the state department in
Washington:
81 have closed my place of business
in Zapaca and have a Waterman guard
ing the place. l was doing a very
profitable business in zacapa, all of
which is ruined now. People are afraid
to enter my establishment lest they
displease the commandante and be LA
BILE to illtreatment from him. AS it is
now patrol of soldiers comes every
hour of the day and evening to in
spect my place. AS l am at any mo-
ment Subject to the governors anger
and resentment must close my bust
ness and abandon my home.
I'm fact, | am afraid to live in Ia
capa now, as | am sure General Arts
will make it his business to ruin me
and to do personal violence, or he may
order some of his emissaries to MUIR
der me. When l went down to Puerto
Barrios to have my wounds dressed
and to see my consul, one of the gov
ernors men followed me all the way
from Zacapa to Barrios."
Matters went from bad to worse
for Shine, and still nothing happened.
Finally he grew desperate and wrote
a personal letter to President Roose-
welt. A copy of this letter was shown
to the writer sometime afterwards
when he was at Zacapa. Here is the
bulk of it:
'I-write this letter to let you know
that | have been all beat up by the
Governor Of the Department of Ia
capa, General Enrique Arts. He, him
self, struck me. AT the same time two
other Americans were nearly dubbed
to death by pistols that were in the
hands of the friends of General Arts
ION the night of September 16, Cen
eral Arts and his body guard rode up
to my place, got off their horses and |
came in. There were some words and |
| answered as best l could in Spanish
All said was 81 Senor.' Whereupon
the governor hit me a hard blow on
the face with his fist. His nephew,
who stood behind him, reached over
and hit me on the head with his re-
volver, heavy A. At this a number
of them closed on me and began
me. Someone snatched my
gold watch from my pocket. 1t had
cost me 1925. They carried me off to
Jail, pounding me all the way, and kept
me there all night. The next day
was let out .
Another American, George Milliken,
was standing outside of my place. and
the governors friends beat him with
their revolvers until he was nearly
in the hospital. Also they pounded
to jelly the face of Munroe Williams.
another American who was by
stander
Please, Mr., President, can't you
order our man-of-war now at Puerto
Cortez to come over here to investi-
gate the beating up of American citi-
zens Then Guatemala will have to do
me justice and will be sure of get
ting the same good treatment that
Guatemaltecans get in our country.
This is my right as citizens and that
y all ask. Mr.. President please
protect us. We have no one to look to
but you"
When this letter reached Mr.. Roose.
welt something happened. Telegraph
ic inquiries and replies flashed back
and forth between the state depart
ment and the American legation at
Guatemala. Mr. Sands, American
charge d'affairs at that time called
upon Mr.. Kent, the American consul
general in Guatemala to probe this
matter to the bottom All Americans
involved were summoned to Guate-
mala City and their dispositions were
taken. The charge daffairs went to
the minister of foreign affairs Don
Juan Barrios, now in Washington, and