| Show An Outraged r S ExConsul PHILADELPHIA August 28C A Van Bokelen of New York exUnited Status ConsulGeneral at PortauPrince Hayti arrived in this city today a passenger on the America Haytien Republic from Pyrt auPrince He tells a remarkable story of outrageous treatment at the hands of the Haytieii Government While acting as Con sulGeneral Mr Van Bokelen married a Haytien woman and at the end of his tenu of office took up the business of dealing in paper money of the native government At thIS he made considerable money and then i desired to invest a part of his gains in real estate but this was forbidden by the law of I Hayti which denies that right to any but a native of Hayti He evaded the law how ever and purchased a piece of property in PortauPrince which transaction reaching the ear of residentSnlomonChief Magstrate of the Republic he caused Van Bokelens arrest and had him locked 1p in a wretched dungeon in the government prison at PortauPrince Here his only companions were negroes of the most de I based type Many of the llw re murderers and desperadoes and very often the prison which is small and a wretched structure I I built on low swampy ground was crowded with nearly 300 prisoners Mr Van Bokelen being the only white man among them His dungeon was a narrow stone cell which measured eight feet by four and the walls were constantly dripping with water There the unfortunate oxconsul was forced to live from March 1884 until June 1885 the place being iafested with rats and vermin His health which was robust when he was first imprisoned is now entirely broken down and he has become a victim to both consnmnHon and nlirnnin nnfnrrli Whito Vila ace is pale and haggard f and gives every evi dence of longsuffering Mr Von Bokelen says No attention was paid by President Salomon to a letter from Secretary Freling mysen and ho was not released uLtil Secre tary Bayard wrote the Haytien President demanding his instant release and stating at the same time that if he was not released a United States manofwar was about to be beV dispatched to PortauPrince with instruc V tions to adopt severe measures if necessary The truth of the story is vouched for by the captain and purser of the steamer |
