Arizona republican., 1912-04-26
T. K. Barton and John An derson Are Thrown Into Filthy Mexican
 Prison Cell
HAD GONE SOUTH
 TO HUNT WORK
Imprisoned Six Weeks in Chihuahua Penitentiary Without Being
 Given Trial
[ASSOciated Press DiSbatchi

1 [ASSOciated Press DiSbatchl
 FL PASO, April 25.-After 3S days in the unspeakable filth of the peni- tentiary at Chihuahua abused, in- suited, and starved, although there was no charge against them, T. K. Barton, aged B. of Marlin Texas, and John Anderson. p, of Boston, iarrived here tonight They were lib- erated at Chihuahua last night through the efforts of United States i Consul Marion Letcher
 i The men bore fuI evidence of the ordeal through which they had passed. Barton lost D pounds. and 1 Anderson abont twenty during the confinement. They had sold their clothes to get a little food and arrived i ihere in indescribable tatters. Barton wore a hand made cap. fashioned and sewed bv himself, a caricature of masculine headgear. His hair hung over his eyes. Both had spent five days in solitary confinement.
 Barton was the first on whom the sentence was passed During this time they were given neither food, nor water. Anderson soon after suf- fered the same fate. In the cells there was little window. but sha- pened spikes projected inward to keep them from approaching close enough to the bars to look out. The phases of torture they suffered while 1 thus isolated cannot be repeated in print They were employed on the lMathewson ranch near Phoenix when they heard of better pay to be had
 in lumber camp at san Pedro Ma Idera. Both were well clothed anG had money. They had reached Chi ihuahua enroute when arrested. Nc
 charge was ever placed against them
 but they were informed Yankees us lualIy were given thirty days. Jus
 for being Americans, l suppose" re
 marked Barton
 They were left to infer that tha
 was the case Time after time wa,
 set for their trial but they were giver
 no hearing Barton wrote five let
 ters to Consul Letcher, not one O which ever reached him. Once h.
 was able to call through the window
 to a man passing, whom he took fO an American, to take a note t
 Letcher. The man paid no attention to the request. The Americans Oc
 scupied various quarters in the peni tentiary. At one time they shared cell with a half breed with an Amer ican name. They had given up hop of liberation, when they secured
 pointed piece of iron about ten inche
 in length. With this they went t
 work under their window and dug Ou
 the adobe until the stone facing ol
 the outside was reached This re Iuuired only one night. The neX night they planned to remove tn stones and escape. The half-breeC however. carried the news to tn
 commandant. and Barton first, an
 Anderson next, were placed in soli
 tary confinement.
 A man whom Barton new as Smitl
 who said he was held on authority C
 the United States because he answer ed the description of some real cul , prit, was the means of getting tn Q news to Letcher. Smith was fiber Q ated when he announced he woul
 not fight extradtiOn, and prompt u carried a note from Barton to tn n United States consul Let me te I you those greasers stepped arOun s when MT. Letcher came in,' sai S Barton. Every time he winked som
 official took of his hat. It was aftt = he got a note from our state depart n ment that when the consul took snu = you bet that gOldlaced outfit sneezed e I am up to my ears in work u d consul said, but you fellows will S out of here as soon as I can arrang q it. He gave us seven pesos, sent | e magazines and made the last fiN Q days easier. It took him that Tor q to get us released