DOMINICAN SHIP INVESTIGATED

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27989, 8 June 1956, Page 8

DOMINICAN SHIP INVESTIGATED

REPORT OF MAN IN FIREBOX

. NEW YORK, June 6. The Dominican Line cargo vessel Fundacion returned to New York today and detectives went on board to investigate a report that Dr Jesus de Galindez, an instructor at the Columbia University, a foe of the Dominican Trujillo regime, had been forced alive into the firebox of one of the ship’s boilers. Recently Mr Nicholas Silva, spokesman for the anti-Trujillo Dominican Revolutionary Party, went to the authorities with the firebox report. The Dominican authorities denied the report and offered to make both the ship and its crew available to the authorities at the first opportunity. It is reported that the ship had a crew of 65 men on its last visit to New York, but it arrived today with a crew of 38.

Dr. Galindez was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree in absentia yesterday by the Columbia University. At the university it was said to the 5600 graduates that one of their colleagues was mysteriously absent. Dr. Galindez, an outspoken foe of the Dominican regime of General Rafael Trujillo. disappeared on the night of March 12 after delivering a lecture at Columbia University. The thesis he wrote to earn his doctorate was entitled “The Era of Trujillo,” and it contained a bitter attack against the Dominican leader.