Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-10
'D|Az DIRTY DESPOT'
Refugees Characterization of
Mexican President.
FOUNDED IN THE U. S.
Tells Of Arrest Five Times by
American Police.
SUBJECTED TO THIRD DEGREE"
Enemy of Administration in South
ern Republic Testifies Before
House Committee.

A dramatic tale Of enforced flight
from Mexico. and Of alleged persecu-
ton by American and Mexican officers
in this country, was related to the
rules committee of the House today by
L. DeLara, a political refugee.
Recounting his experiences in Los
Angeles, Cal, he said he was arrested
five times on "trumped-up'' charges, at
the insttgation of the Mexican govern
ment, and served more than one hundred
days in Jail.
DeLara Recites Wrongs.
II have been in jail" DeLara ex-
claimed, five times since 1 came to
the United States, and have suffered
the third degree at the hands of
police. 1 have been thrown into a
dungeon and kept for days with moth
ing to eat but a rotten potato, and
neither my attorneys nor friends al
lowed to see me.
Il am liable to bs arrested again at
any time. Unless you gentlemen help
me, they may get me and hang me-"
The committee was considering reso-
luton offered by Representative Wilson,
democrat, of Pennsylvania, who asks
Congress to name an investigating COM
mittee to inquire into the treatment OF
Mexican political refugees and of the al
legged acceptance Of money from the Diaz
government by American customs and
peace officers along the border to act as
secret service agents for Mexico.
Calls Diaz "Dirty Despot."
De Lara denounced President Diaz as a
dirty despot'' who had destroyed free
speech, free press and the right of bal
lot in that country.
More than 10000 people have met yio-
lent deaths for political reasons since
Diax took the reins Of government In
Mexico said De Lara. HE never was
elected president. He never has been
chosen president by votes of the people,
but has maintained himself by force.
THE Mexican government has caused
thousands Of persons to be killed because
they resisted the existing order of things
in that country and sought to restore to
the poor people Of that country the rights
that were taken from them by force
DeLara was accompanied to the Capitol
by his wife, an American woman, and
two or three Mexcans.
DeLara's Escape From Mexico.
De Lara said there were orders in
Mexico to shoot him because Of his po-
been thrown into Jail in Mexico but
had been released as a result of mis-
understanding. He said he had escaped
to this country through the assistance
Of friends.
He recited how his various arrests
had been brought about in Los Angeles.
Three times he had been charged with
robbery he said, the warrants for
which were made out in blank In date,
time, place and amount of the alleged
robbery. Once the charge was for
stealing wood in Cananea, Mexico,
seven years previously.
Four Days Without Food.
The last time he was arrested was
while speaking on the street in Los An
geles to a number of his countrymen
whom he was addressing, he said, in IA
vor of a new constitution for Mexico
The charge against him then was disturb
ing the peace and. later. of being ar
alien anarchist without legal rights II
the United States.
He was thrown into a dungeon, he said
and kept four days with practically moth.
ing to eat He said his friends were mol
permitted to see him.
He declared that his attorneys finally
secured his release on ~habeas corpus
The charge against him was dismissed or
orders OF the Secretary OF Commerce
and Labor.