The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-14
BY DUDLEY HARMON.
Snecyai Correspondenf o. THr SuS pifh Adm
HOd1sr's Fleet


Bdd0er's Feet
VERA CRUZ. May ia friendly McNi-
can army officer has Informed Gen. Fun
ston that seventy murderers imprisoned In
the fortress prison Of san Juan de Clua
we're released by mistake by the Amerl-
cans and are now in Vera Cruz or with
the bands that are plundeiing the country
beyond the American outposts,
The Information. which came direct. has
in part by confirmed by Prof Cousachs Of
the Naval Academy. Annapolis, IA linsus,,
whom Admiral Badger and Gen. Funston
have put in charge OF the investigation.
30 far IL has been discovered that be-
fore the occupation there were LOG men
charged with murder In san Juan. There
were also several score political prisoners
and several hundred other men who were
held there simply 10 be pressed into ser
vice in the Federal army,
Among these murderers were many
desperate bandits and professional Grim
inals most dangerous TO any community.
When the United States officers opened
the prison they freed the political pri.-
oners and as many Of the recruit pris.
oners as were able 10 go \ great many
OF them, however, were too weak from
their experiences to leave at all The
seventy murderers who are said TO hav.
gained their liberty evidently took the
names Of recruits whom they terrified into
silence. The details OF their escape have
not yet been disclosed, but IL IL believed
that some of the Mexican keepers ard
guards aided them in this matter The
recruits who were left were put In the
cells and t!ckcted as the dangerous pris-
oncrs, and not until the INVESTIGATION was
begun did any OF them sag word.
The task Of identifying the thrty-sts
remaining murderers Is most delicate. for
all the prisoners now claim to be subst!-
tutes.
The old fortress is nov model Of
cleanliness The underground wet cells
are closed and everything else Is a. san-
tary as II can be made, The food IS real
food and the treatment humane. The re-
cruts who have gone to work are only
allowed 10 toll four hours a day because
OF their physical condition
Mrs. Martinez, widow OF the wealthy
Spaniard who was caught In the at OF
shipping and was killed by American
sailors, IL a passenger on the liner Mex
ico. bound for New Orleans Mrs Mar.
timex IL an American and was n refugee
aboard the Esperanza when her husband
was shot. lie was prominent merchant
with home near tho American Consulate
lie and his wife were well known in tn,
foreign social set Ie was guest a
the Consulate and on the warships fire.
quently during the winter and entertained
many at their home, lie protested grea
friendship for Americans,
The effort OF a sniper to XIII Col Nevill,
OF the marine corps during the hRhtnl
led to the discovery Of Martinez Every
time the Colonel showed himself at
certain corner a bullet would whlH u,
hun Following the direction Marines
was seen seated on his balcony r"ad!nl
newspaper Closer watch showed tina
every once I'm q whil" he would rails.
hig automatic revolver M under the pane
d take \ pot shot AT "A sailor az marine
They got him through the stomach viii
q springfield n. fingered for n weel
af|er mis- and spent most OF hls tim
h LeSshs The American surgeons to saw