The Putumayo, the Devil's Paradise: Travels in the Peruvian Amazon Region and an Account of the Atrocities Committed upon the Indians ThereinHardenburg, W. E. (Walter Ernest)
History
The Putumayo, the Devil's Paradise: Travels in the Peruvian Amazon Region and an Account of the Atrocities Committed upon the Indians Therein
Hardenburg, W. E. (Walter Ernest)
Peru -- Description and travel; Peruvian Amazon Company; Putumayo River; Rubber industry and trade -- Peru
"The statement of Julio Muriedas, made in the same quarter, who stated
that he had been at Matanzas, was then read over to Leavine. He
remembers Muriedas. With regard to the statement that two hundred lashes
were given to Indians, Leavine says this often took place, also the
burning alive of children to make them reveal where their parents were
hidden. This he declares he has seen Señor Normand do more than once.
The eating of the limbs of the dead people by the house-dogs attested by
Muriedas he again confirms, and says it was 'a common occurrence.' The
statement of 'M. G.,' from the _Truth_ accusations, was then read to
Leavine. He recalls this man, named Marcial, being a short time at
Matanzas when Señor Normand wished to make him a station cook, and this
man had refused and they had quarrelled. This man's statement that he
had seen in one month and five days 'ten Indians killed and burnt'
Leavine declares is in no wise remarkable. He has himself seen twenty
Indians killed in five days in Matanzas. As to the 'stinking' of this
section referred to by 'M. G.' he affirms that this was often the case
to a revolting degree. He recalls 'M. G.,' or Marcial, shooting the
little Indian boy by Señor Normand's orders as he, 'M. G.,' accuses
himself of doing.
"Leavine finally declares that Señor Normand killed many hundreds of
Indians during his six years at Matanzas, during all which time he
(Leavine) served under him, and by many kinds of torture, cutting off
their heads and limbs and burning them alive. He more than once saw
Normand have Indians' hands and legs tied together, and the men or women
thus bound thrown alive on a fire. The employees on the station would
look on or assist at this. The station boys, or _muchachos_, would get
the firewood ready, acting under Señor Normand's orders. He saw Normand
on one occasion take three native men and tie them together in a line,
and then with his Mauser rifle shoot all of them with one bullet, the
ball going right through. He would fire more than one shot into them
like this."
On arriving in London, in January, 1912, Consul Casement gave in a
further Report to the Foreign Office, of which the following are
extracts:--
"The managing director of the company at Iquitos, Señor Pablo Zumaeta,
against whom had been issued a warrant of arrest, had, I found, not
been arrested, but, with the connivance of the police, had merely
remained in his private residence at Iquitos during the hearing of an
appeal he was permitted to lodge. This appeal being considered by the
Superior Court of Iquitos during my stay there, resulted in the court
annulling the warrant issued by the Criminal Court below, and the return
to public life of the accused man without trial or public investigation
of the charges against him."[128]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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