Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-13
DICTATOR ISSUES STATEMENT
OF PROTEST AGAINST FRANCE
AFTER HE is TAKEN ABOARD
BOAT ON STRETcHER.
SEES BREACH OF
INTERNATIONAL LAW
CASTRO DECLARES HIS DEPoR-
TATlON IN SUCH SUMMARY
MANNER AFFECTED HIS
! RIGHTS AS FREE CITIZEN.

Fort de France, April 12. = Prior to
being taken aboard the steamer Ver-
sailles for deportation to France, for
mer President c. Castro prepared a
written protest against the action of
the French government, remonstrat-
ing against being put by force on
board an outgoing vessel:
"First-Because l was ill and the
act imperiled my life.
"Second-Because 1 have commit
ted no offense against the government
of France; and finally, because the
decree Of expulsion compels me to
take passage aboard a vessel which
will again land me on French terri
tory
Moreover, the case constitutes a
breach Of international law and a de-
NAL of the rights of individuals"
To 90 to Teneriffe.
The ex-president said Just before
the sailing Of the Versailles that if he
was at liberty when he arrived at st.
Nazaire he would Immediately pro-
ceed to Spain to take passage for
Santa Cruz, Teneriffe. General Cas-
tro said that he was leaving his broth
er here for the purpose Of receiving
mail which he expects to be forwarded
from Trinidad and Venezuela.
The removal of Castro was not with
out it's pitiful aspects. Immediately on
the announcement by the medical com
mission, who made lengthy examina-
tion Of Castro, that he was quite capa-
bic of making the voyage, the COM
missary of police with an escort of
gendarmes, invaded the hotel and pro-
ceeded to his chamber. The found the
ex-president in bed and although he
protested that he could not move, they
carried him downstairs, the patient all
the time moaning dismally, and placed
him on stretcher. Officers from the
United States cruiser North Carolina,
| in civilian dress, helped to make him
as comfortable as possible, and then
the stretcher was picked up by four
negroes and taken to the steamer
dock. Gendarmes guarded 1t on either
side and a crowd numbering fully
1000 followed the procession.
Almost Fell Out.
The entrance to- the piers was
guarded and no one was permitted tc
|
connected with the transference OF
the ex-president. Some difficulty was
experienced in hoisting the litter
aboard and for moment Castro was
in peril of falling out.
The stretcher was set down in one
of the cabins and Castro declared thai
the room was too small He was prom
ised that change would be made dur
ing the voyage. In saying farewell t.
his brother he waved his hand ant
exclaimed: "Goodby for the moment.
The Versailles Immediately started
on the voyage
castros Dramatic Leave Taking.
4 Fort De France, April 12.-Ciprian'
I Castro, ex-president of Venezuela
was ignominiousiy expelled Saturda.
night from the island of Martinique
by the French government. He pre-
tested to the last against expulsion
but his protests were in vain. He i
now on board the French line steam
ship, Versailles, bound for st. Ma
zaire.
Soldiers Carry Him on Mattress
At $50 o'clock force Of gendarme
: went to Castros room. and he wa
placed on mattress, he refusing t
put on his clothes, and carried on
stretcher to the steamer, a distanc
Of more than mile. A. thousand O
more people assembled by this time
and a great deal of sympathy was e,
pressed for the former president. Th
latter complained of great suffering
and every movement of the stretche
seemed to give him further pain. H
: has prepared a protest which will b
sent to the French government t,
3 morrow.