Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-10
MEXICAN REFUGEE
ASKS PROTECTION
l.. D. Lara Tells Committee OF
Alleged Persecution by Amer
lean and Mexican Officials.
SUBJECTED TO THIRD DEGREE
Claims He Was Allowed to See Neither
His Attorney Nor His Friends
While In jail.

Washington. June 10.--A tale OF fore
ed flight from Mexico and Of alleged
persecution by American and Mexican
officers in this country was related to
the rules committee OF the house today
by l.. DE Lara a political refugee.
After recounting his experiences in
Los Angeles, Cal. where he said he
was arrested five TIMES on "trumped
up charges at the instance of the
Mexican government and served more
than 100 days In Jail, De Lara ex-
claimed:
Il have been In jail five times since
l came TO the United states and have
been subjected to the third degree at
the hands OF the officers; 1 have been
thrown into a dungeon and kept for
days with nothing to eat but rotten
potato and neither my attorneys nor
friends allowed TO see me. | am liable
to be arrested again any time and un-
less you gentlemen help me, they may
get me and hang me-"
The committee was considering a
resolution offered by Representative
Wilson. democrat Pennsyvania),
who asked Congress 20 name an inves-
tlgating committee TO inquire into the
treatment OF Mexican political refugees
and of the alleged acceptance Of money
from the Diaz. government b. Ameri
the border TO act as secret service
agents for Mexico.
De Lara denounced President Diaz as
a dirty dcspot" who had destroyed
free speech, free press and the right OF
ballot I'm that country.
More than 10000 people have met
violent death for political reasons
since Diaz took the reins of govern
lnent In Mexico" said De Lara lie
mover was elected here. he never was
chosen president by the votes OF the
people. but has maintained himself by
force. The Mexican government has
caused thousands Of persons TO be kill
ed because they resisted the existing
order Of things I'm that country and
sought to restore 10 the poor people
the rights taken from them by force"
DE Lara was accompanied to the
capitol BY his wife. an American
woman, and two or three Mexicans.
WORK AS \ SPY.
DE Lara related Incidents intending
to support the charge that the govern
ment of Mexico was using a system of
espionage in the United states over
political refugees. DE Lara told how
government was doing IN that direc-
ton, had accepted employment as n
Spy in Los Angeles TO trace the
movements of other refugees. He said
he resigned after four days.
How much pay did you receive for
your work as a spy" asked Repre-
sentative Fassett Of New York.
Il was paid 81 a day and gave the
money To poor Mexican women OF Los
Angeles the day / received it an
swered the witness.
How did you earn this money!"
Inquired Mr.. Fassett.
u did nothing but stay in the Of
nee and think OF my degradation In
being I'm the employment of the dirty
despot." DE lara replied. Il earned
million dollars as far az my conscience
was concerned"
De Lara said there were orders In
Mexico to shoot him because of his
political activities He said he had
been thrown into Jail In Mexico, but
had been released as a result OF
misunderstanding He said he had es-
capped to this country through the as
sistance of friends In Los Angeles,
he said, he had been charged with
robbery three times, the warrant for
which was made out i'm blank as 10
date time. place and amount Of the
alleged robbery. once the charge was
for stealing wood In Cananet. Mexico,
seven years previously he said.
The last time he was arrested was
while speaking on the street In Los
Angeles to "a number OF his country
mon. he asserted. He declared that his
attorneys obtained his release on
writ OF ma beas corpus and that the
charges against him were dismissed
on orders OF the secretary OF commerce
and labor.