BarbarousMexico JOHN KENNETH TURNER

AMERICAN PERSECUTION OF ENEMIES OF DIAZ Z91
was that De Lara had been tried and acquitted of the
identical offense in Mexico more than four years previously.
Another was that while at the trial in Mexico the
value of the wood was fixed by the prosecution at four
dollars, at the Los Angeles hearing its value was placed
at twenty-eight dollars. Because a thief cannot be extradited
for stealing less than twenty-five dollars the wood
market had taken a spectacular jump. But, by an oversight
of the prosecution the market even then did not
jump quite high enough, for by discovering that the price
of silver was a little lower than usual that year, Attorney
Harriman showed that the alleged value, fifty-six
Mexican pesos, did not come to twenty-eight dollars in
American money, but a little less than twenty-five dollars,
and so on that technicality the life of Dc Lara
was saved.
The facts of the case were that Dc Lara had never
stolen any wood, but that, while acting as attorney for
a widow whom a wealthy American mine owner was
trying to euchre out of a piece of land, he had given
the widow permission to cut some wood on the land for
her own use. The audacity of the prosecutors in this
case would be unbelievable were it not a matter of record.
De Lara was released, but only after one hundred
and four precious days of his life had been wasted in
an American jail. He had been luckier than many of
his compatriots. he had won his fight against extradition,
but that three and one-half months were gone and
could never be brought back. Moreover, "Revolucion"
had been suppressed and a Mexican gentleman had been
taught that he who opposes the tyrant may be properly
disciplined in the United States as well as in Mexico.
Magon, Villarreal and Rivera remained in prison continuously
since August 23, 1907, for nearl y three years.
From early in July, 1908, to January, 1909, they were