Las Vegas optic., 1914-05-02
IS LOSING his REASON
DARKNESS, vERMIN AND LACK or
PROPER FOOD ARE DOING
THEIR AWFUL WORK /
NO one has AUTHORITY
OFFICIALS. ASKED TO
BRING CASE 70 TRIAL, SAY
mot Wy DUTY"

Nogales, Ariz.. May "A story Of
cruelties alleged to have been inflicted
upon James Byington, native Of
Boise. Idaho. were told by refugees,
who arrived from Sonora today. By
ington is said to have been confined
for nine months in an unspeakably
filthy prison at Cumpas, Sonora, Mex
leo, without a trial
The refugees report that the Amer
lean is confined in Ozark adobe cell,
surrounded by filth and vermin. clad
in rags and half starved They al
lege prison officials refused to permit
Byington to receive food sent by SYM
pathetic Americans and the prisoner.
in consequence Of his treatment and
surroundings, rapidly is losing his
mind.
The charge against Byington, on
which, it is said, he has been impris-
oned without trial since August 9.
1918, involves a shipment Of ore from
the mining claim. It is said he locat-
ed claim near Cumpas and on the
assumption that papers Iegalizing the
claim were on the way from Mexico
City. prepared a car Of ore for ship
menJ Tie vas arrested on 8 chars
that he had not established his claim.
The judge at CGmpas, IN denying BY
ington an immediate trial, is said to
have asserted it was necessary first to
ascertain the value Of the ore. This,
it is said, has not yet been done. but
the value Of the car, it is claimed is
less than $500.
An American who arrived today
said he had found the prisoner half
naked. apparently slowly starving to
death, and mental wreck.
"Byington was moving about IN the
dark cell like dumb animal, . said
the refugee. There was a Mexican
charged with murder in the cell with
him. The smell was awful. Byington
could give no intelligent information
about himself and looked at me with
CLASSY eyes.
4 attempted to Send some whole
some food to Bybsgsea. but the iefs
would not permit him to receive It.
He explained five cents a iay was
provided for each pFlsoneE and itha4
this was sufficient"
Previous reports had been made To
Consul Sinpioh at NogaIes. ana It is
said that demands heve been made By
the state department that Byington
either be released or given a trial. Ia
is asserted here thas these demands
have been shifted from one Mexican
authority to another. Governor May
toreona Of Sonora, It is said, passed
the responsibility to General Obragon.
constitutionalist chief. who in turn is
alleged to have referred the subject
TO General oarranza. The latter IL
said to have replied
The case Is IN the hands ef the sll=
preme civil court and justice will be
done N the meantime thera II no
supreme civil court and Bylngton
remains in prison
On information brought here By
refugees that James Byington. an
American imprisoned nine months a.
Cumpas. Sonora. without trial was
slowly dying Of neglect. another pro-
test was sent today to the conafitsl-
tionalist authorities at Cumpas de-.
nlanding his Immediate release
According to Americans. who have
been aroused by what they describe
as cruelties inflicted on Bying1on, for
mer protests against his long i1D4rlss
onment without trial have been Re.
eelved with jeers By the constitutions
alist chiefs. Byington, who 3 an o7a
man and native o. Hoise, Idaho e
said to be losing his mind The latest
representations to the Mexican an
thorilies state that il apparently ID not
the intention to give him a trial ana
ask that be be set at Liberty