The San Francisco call., 1909-09-30
Dogs BURIAL
FOR AMERICAN
IN GUATEMALA
Physician on the Liner Newport
Tells of Inhumanity to
Consular Agent
Says He Was Permitted to Die
Without Aid and Body Was
Dumped in Latrine
Washington Discredits Story
Which Involves Consul Gem
eraI and Captain


eraI and Captain
ID EFUsED by fellow countryman
the aid that few men would with
= - hold from an ailing dog, and
dying. unattended, at his post under a
tropical sky. e. p. Thompson, United
States consular agent at San Jose de
Guatemala, was buried September in
the public latrine of that port. The
man charged with having imposed his
will between the sick man and medical
aid is Captain Russell, master of the
Pacific Mail liner Newport. The man
said 10 be responsible for the dead
mans shameful burial is said to be the
United States consul general at Guate-
maIa City. According to the records,
this post is held by William Patten
Kent. now candidate for governor of
Virginia Whether Kent was still in
Guatemala september or whether his
place had been taken by another is not
known to those who came on the New
port yesterday other consular off,
oiais on the lower coast aroused by
The circumstances surrounding the
passing of Thompson. are said to have
requested the state department at
Washington to make a rigid investiga-
tion, which is now in progress.
Russell Not on Ship
The story of Thompson's death was
brought to port yesterday by the New
port, of which. on the previous voyage,
Captain Russell was master. Russell
was granted leave of absence for one
voyage and Captain Saunders appointed
in his place.
Until recently the American consul
general al Guatemala City had the ap-
pointment of the American consular
agent at San Jose de Guatemala. This
patronage was taken away, Kent's ap-
pointee was removed and E. p Thomp-
son OF New Jersey was sent out by the
state department to represent the Unit
ed States at the Guatemaian seaport.
Kent is said to have resented the ac-
tion Of the state department. and TO
have made life quite uncomfortable for
Thompson. Thompson is said to have
been a man Of sterling worth and
strong individuality. After a short
stay in the country he is said to have
made up his mind that Cabrera was a
good deal of monster and when the
president of the republic visited San
Jose Thompson declined an invitation
10 meet him.
Doctor Kept on Board
When the Newport. on the voyage
before the one ended yesterday, called
at San Jose, word was sent to the ship
that the American consul, Thompson.
was seriously Ill and in need of medical
aid. Doctor Harden prepared to ans
wer the call and the boat to take him
ashore was alongside when. he says,
Captain Russell ordered him to remain
aboard the ship.
we won't use any ships medicine on
that fellow is what the doctor quotes
the captain as having said.
Russell, said the doctor yesterday,
not only refused to allow him to go
ashore and minister to the dying man.
but sat back in his chair afterward and
laughed at what he had done as at a
good joke.
Gould Not Have Been Saved
Thompson was suffering from
Brights disease" said DR.. Harden yes
terday, .'and nothing that / could nave
done at that time would have saved his
life. AS a matter of humanity, how
ever. ] should have been allowed to do
49,
comfortable
When the Newport called at San Jose,
southbound. Thompson was still alive
but very low. Captain Saunders sent
Dr. Harden ashore to do what he could
for him. but he was then past aid
When the ship returned the agent was
dead and buried. 1t was learned that
at the time of his death the port off,
cials at San Jose notified the consul
general OF the death of his countryman
and brother Official and asked him to
arrange for the burial, which in that
tropical land must follow close upon
the heels Of death. The consul general
is said 10 have refused to take any
action ia the matter, saying that IL was
none of his business. The officials ap-
pealed to their own superiors at the
capital and received orders to bury the
body wherever they liked.
sNEERs FOR AMERICANS
It was buried in the public Iatrine
and since then, say the people on the
Newport, the poorest native in the
Guatemala seaport feels at liberty to
sneer at every American he meets.
The news Of Thompson's lonely death
and shameful burial was soon coast
Gossip. II reached the ears of the
%Anlerican consuIs at Acapulco and at
Managua, and in response to their ap-
neal the state department is said to
have started an investigation, in the