Bisbee daily review., 1908-04-11
MEXICAN PRISONERS 7 INCOhMUNICADO
Another Feature to Rather Sensational Case That Has
 Developed at Tucson.

TUCSON, Ariz.. April 10-The re port, which has gained general cur rency throughout the territory and which has reached the Mexican au- thorities that the men, now held as witnesses in the Duquesne Mining company case, in the jail in this city, were put incommunicado by the or der of United States District Attor- ney Alexander of Phoenix, proves to be true, according to a statement, made by immigration authorities in this city yesterday.
 While confined in the jail, the men are under the control of the immigra- tion service. Chief Inspector George Webb of the local bureau was asked point blank about the matter yester- day and made the following state ment for publication: These men are held here under the strict orders of MT Alexander that they are not to be allowed to talk to any one, at torneys and families included, except on his direct permission and that has been the order since they were first confined"
 This adds another and a sensational feature to the case. It interjected the right of any official to treat and hold as criminals, under an incommunica- do order. men who are not accused of any crime, but are merely witness es. Messrs. Worsley and Bustamente who went to Phoenix and filed the petition for their release, have re turned here but they expect to push the matter vigorously. The trial, for which these witnesses are being held has gone over one term of the federal court at Tombstone and they have now been held incommunicado for nearly nine months. During all that time they were held without the privilege of seeing an attorney, nc word was sent to their families and in one or two cases to this day their families are presumed to be in ignor. ance as to their location. They have never been called upon to testify m any action and they have not received cent of compensation for the time that they have lost or the privations they have undergone. A peculiarly hard feature of the case from the hu. manitarian standjoint is that they are men of families and that their support has been taken away from helpless children and in one case from babes in arms.
 The entire matter has been laid be fore the Mexican government in an official way and steps will be taken to correct the alleged wrong that is being done. The report of Attorny Bustamente that he was denied ad mission to them has also been for. warded.
 In an interview given out in Phoe- nix yesterday, Mir. Pima, who is at the head of the consular force of the republic of Mexico in this territory, said:
 q have taken up the matter and given it consideration, transmitting the same to the government of Mexi- co. I am familiar with the outrage and illegal incarceration of my fellow citizens for violation of the immigra- ton laws. I am positive that their detention in the iails of Arizona ever since July, 1907, has been unlawful unjust and arbitrary, through the per, sonal abuse of the authorities l am taking up the matter with my govern. ment because formal complaint has been laid before me by attorneys of Tucson in behalf of said Mexican cit izens and I have telegraphed the oc- cuTrence to my government from which I am expecting instructions how to proceed in the case.
 This is a very serious and delicate matter; more so than anybody can think, and my position is such as the superior consul of Arizona that I can not but keep my government posted on certain Irregularities and abuses of authority that have been visited upon my fellow citizens. Just as long as