The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-05-10
LAWYER EMPLOYED
TO REVIVE AN old
MEXICAN CLAIM
A NASHVILLE ATTORNEY TO
PRESS THE CHARGES AGAINST
THE GOVERNMENTAL
100000 DEMANDED BY CLIENT
Engineer r r. Monohan Imprisoned
Beaten and Robbed in 1884, Wants
Agreed Postponement AnnuIled and
Settlement Made.

Settlement Made.
NASHVILLE, May 3.-William G.
isrien. of this city, has been re-eDgag-
I'd by Thomas R. Monohan, of New
port, Miss, to revive his claim
against the Mexican government for
damages to the extent of 100000
caused by false Imprisonment, malic-
ious prosecution and wrongs and in
juries inflicted on him when he was
arrested and thrown into Mexican
p.iscn as the result Of collision, Jul
ly l, 1884, of the two trains on the
Mexican Central Railroad, on ore OF
which Morohan was the engineer.
/ The law with reference to the run
ming of trains and collisions Of en-
gines in the Mexican government is
quite different from the American
law on the same subject. For exam
ple, in the district court of the state
If Mexico, in order to discover the
party responsible for the collision OF
TWO trains on the Mexican Central
Railway, which took place on the
morning of July 1, 1884, according to
tee record in the case, it appeared
that on July 2 the general manager
iof tie railroad informed the police
that the day previous collision had
taken place between trains Nos. 1
and ., in Kilometer 116, between sta
lions San Antonio and Marquez,
which occasioned the death of Fire
man Slattery. 1t appeared from the
Investigation and information obtain
ed by police inspection that the re-
5ponsibility of the accident might fall
on the engineer, Thomas Monohan,
and the conductor, R. F. Day, OF one
of tie two trains, through their not
having obeyed the orders that they
had received: AS a result of this in
yestigation a warrant was issued for
1.-The apprehension of the presumed
Isuilty ones. and the investigation of
the affair was entrusted to the Fifth
correctional Court.
It appeared secondly, that Engineer
Nonoban, after being arrested, made
his preliminary declaration and was
declared formally prisoner in view
of the facts appearing against him,
namely: That although he, as en-
CINE driver, and Day, as conductor OF
train No. /, which left the capital on
the night of June 80, 1884 were in.
formed at the station of San Antonio
Tula that train No. 2, bound for the
. capital, with MARI as engineer and
, Early. as conductor, was at Angeles
and not Marquee as it should have
been according to the time table, and
did not step at Angeles, but advanc
ed as far as kilometer 116, where the
accident occurred.
The affidavits of the conductor and
the telegraph operator show that
Meno1an never received the order
. saying that the train was at the
wrong place, the conductor having
been allowed to sign Monohan's name
, in receipt Of it and then having failed
to tell Morohan. The affidavits also
show that the Mexican government
was in full possession of the facts il
the case and also that the govern
ment was fully aware of the limo
cence of Monohan at the time he wal
! arrested and placed in prison.
He was refused a trial of his case
when pressing for hearing, and wa:
never liberated until President Ar
thur, through the American Minister
demanded an immediate trial. or re
lease. Then a Mexican Judge wen
Ito his cell and tried to force him t
execute bond, but, failing in the at
: tempt, gave him his liberty after h
had been incarcerated in one Mex
can bastile after another for perio'
Of over six months and had sufFere,
untold indignities at the hands o
Mexican prison officials, as we'll a
!, being repeatedly beaten and robbie
= by bandits confined In the same pris
on with him, this latter with ful
: Consciousness of the officials.