H. Pinckney Walker to Be it known that Howard C. Walker, the subscriber of the foregoing protest, now in jail, being sworn before me, the subscriber, according to law, on his oath saith that the above protest is true in every respect, as far as he knows the law, and is true to the facts, in his belief. Sworn to before me in jail, at Minatitlan . Witness my hand and seal of office this 1st day of March, 1884 . JOSEPH D. HOFF, United States, February 29, 1884

Protest of H. C. Walker.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that the undersigned, Howard C. Walker, a citizen of the United States of America, makes and declares the following protest before me, Joseph D. Hoff, United States consular agent for Coatzacoalcos and dependencies thereof, on this 29th day of February, A. D. 1884, at Minatitlan, protesting as follows:

• That he, the said Walker, is now, and has been since 19th day of March, A. D. 1883, a prisoner, and is now confined in jail and under arrest, without trial and only upon accusation, no proof of his guilt having been produced or offered, and that he is still so confined without bail or mainprise.
• That that accusation against him, which is that he has stolen lumber, is false, malicious, and felonious.
• That he has been treated during his confinement as a criminal of the worst character, having been subjected to worse punishment than has been applied to convicted murderers who have been incarcerated in the same prison at the same time with himself.
• That the court by whose order he has been so confined has been guilty of the grossest partiality, in that, although bail has been offered, in any amount desired, for his temporary release, the said court has refused to admit him to bail, although it is a notorious fact that a convicted murderer has been admitted to bail by said court, and is now at large.
• That the said court has been guilty of great injustice and disregard of the laws of the country, in that, although protestor has repeatedly applied for a hearing of his case, no such hearing or trial has been granted by said court.
• That the said Walker is now, and for some time past has been, suffering from severe bodily ailments (as more fully appears by the certificates of two well-known and competent physicians, which are hereunto attached), which render it necessary, for the preservation of his life, that he should be removed from his present prison where he occupies a cell in common with, at times, upwards of fifty other prisoners, to some place where he can receive the care, quiet, and attention which his condition demands.

Admission to his presence has been denied to his wife, as also permission to furnish him with proper food and medicines.

Against all of which acts of arrest, restraint, punishment, and partiality and injustice of court, the said Walker protests; and I, Joseph D. Hoff, consular agent of the United States of America for Coatzacoalcos and dependencies, having myself seen said Walker, and recognizing the injustice and inhumanity of his treatment, do also protest that his confinement is an outrage against humanity and common justice.

Therefore, Howard C. Walker, a citizen of the United States, protests against such usage, and that he will hold the perpetrator of said outrages responsible for such damages pecuniarily.

And I, Joseph D. Hoff, do also protest against such outrages to an American citizen.