Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-08-21
SAYS WAS DONE
AN INJUSTICE
n. N. HARRISON TELLS HOW He OBJ
TANNED RELEASE OF AN AMER
ICAN IN MATAMOROS.

- -, o''
in a Matamoros Jail Of Clyde Robinson. an
American citizen, and Roblnson's affidavit.
published In the Brownsville morning paper
in which he charged cruelties while held in
the Matamoros Jail, IL. G.. Harrison of
Brownsville today said that both he and
United States Consul j. III. Johnson had
been done an injustice. Since his residence
IN Brownsville Mr.. Harrison has been a
potent factor IN Strengthening out inter
national tangles in Matamoros, due to his
long residence in Mexico and his intimate
acquaintance with the officials IN Mata-
moros. and the fact that he understands
thoroughly the Spanish language.
Telling Of his part IN obtaining the re
lease of Robinson in Matamoros, Mr.. Har-
rison said today:
Last Saturday | called on General Ma
%farrate IN Matamoros, carrying with me a
letter, written in English, from United
States Consul j. ii. Johnson to General
Nafarrate IN which Consul Johnson asked
"a prompt trial for the American. if guilty
of any crime to punish him, If not, to re-
ltdSf HlDl- EdNf lut itlltI W ttItIdl
Nafarrate. He said he could not under
stand English and asked me to interpret
for him. | did, and Immediately he in
structed the chief Of arms. Colonel Proco-
Pic Ehzondo To release Robinson. The
American was released.
Several DAYS ago, since the release 81
Robinson. | received a message from the
state department At Washington asking me
to do what | could TO obtain the release OF
Clyde Robinson. an American. held in the
Matamoros jail. | do not understand how
that occurred, unless IT was that complaint
was made after Robinson was released.
Il was informed by the officials In Ma
tamoroo that Robinson was arrested while
he was walking along the Matamoros
trenches. which i. q violation of the mill
tary rules there. They tell me hat he said
he was on the way To the river to take a
bath. His release was obtained as/quickly
as possible under the circumstances, and
one factor was the fact that he was not
well. which | explained to the officials. !
am certain that no Mexican arrested on the
American side Of the river for a violation
of military rules could have been. under
ordinary circumstances, released more
quickly than was Robinson"
The anhdavit referred to which was pub
L h,d II a.. -|1"t!nel this morning was as
follow
The State 81 Texas, County Of Cameron:
Before M. tn ~ icrsicncd authority
on this day personally appeared Clyde
Robinson. who first being duly sworn.
upon his oath dcpnses aud SAYS: Ny
/ name il Clyde Robinson. | was horn in
Rosenberg. Texas, hut am u"w 4 citizen
of Los Angeles. California. That nn
Tuesday. the ;rd day of August in the
afternoon went to MatamoroS for tn"
purpose If seeing the places Of intcrcS'.
On Wednesday morning while VA
walking along the road about one block
from the city. | WAS arrested by Mex
lean officials and taken to the custom
house. where | learned the cause Of '
arrest was alleged to be that | had
walked on territory WHICH was prohib
tied by military orders. There was no
notices posted and no person warned
me that il WAS aeinSt the law To walk
in that portion Of the city. / saw M
ii'f'u l''lH' MdihiH- df'ffS W Ndit'
road and they were not moleSted. Al the
military headquarters ! was subjected
to numerous insults and was accused Of
being q NilliSta spy u was afterward
taken to Jail. The trial never came of.
ter being old that I would he given n
trial at two o'colck that afternoon. was
taken Ia iail The trial never came off
The place where | was confined was a
small brick house. with only a small
window for ventilation. There was no
toilet. stagnant water was permitted tn
accumulate. and / was compelled to
sleep on an old doc Saturday after 7
was placed in Jail | was take nSick and
several times requested medical atten
tinn which was refused The first TWEEN
~ four hours was IN Jail was given
four rrackerS for food. They asked me
if ! Ene VILLA aud | told them | had
read about him in The papers. They told
me tho hid witnesses To- swear that |
had visited NatamnrnS several times
nreviouSfV This is untrue had only
been in NatamoroS one time before the
time l was arrested. Saturday morning
| was sent Ia the trenches in the ives
tern norton Of the city and notwith-
standing. ! was very i'll. I was COMPEL
ell to work All day digging in the tren-
ches. Through the kindness Of Manuel
Coko. 4 resident of Hidalgo County. Tex
as. I managed To smuggle a note 10 the
Vice Consul. who later appeared ut the
Jail. He told me he could no nothing ut
that time. When | returned from work
inn - The yI.n~ -- Ill Il. II