Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-24
TO SEIZE LOWER CALIFORNIA.
The Alleged Conspiracy to Annex IL to
the United States.

The San Francisco Chronicle Wednesday gave
complete details OF the alleged con-
spiracy to capture Lower California
and found an independent republic to
be followed by annexation to the United
States. The revelations claim to involve a
number of prominent capitalists interested in
Lower California lands and mines and WELL
known citizens Of Los Angeles and San Diego,
which latter city appears to have been the
headquarters of the filibusters.
The general outline OF the plan it is claimed.
was for the Mexican Land and Colonization
Company, composed of wealthy Englishmen
owning concessions on the peninsula. to place
In the hands of a well-known San Diego capt.
talist 100000, to be used in advancing the
interests of the filibusters The large ware
house OF an English company at Ensenada was
to be filled with arms, ammunition aud pro-
visions for the use of the revolutionists. The
officers of the English corporation claim that
the policy of the Mexican officials in Lower
California has been ruinous to the land
interests OF the company, which has been
obliged to expend thousands of dollars in pro-
tecting its interests, and the salvation of the
company, they assert, finally depends upon
securing the anne xation of Lower California to
the United States A lobby has been working
at Washington, it is said. in the company $
interest, but as the prospects of congressional
action we're unfavorable, a flibustering expe-
dition was fixed upon.
Two propositions were discussed. One was to
capture Ensenada, the other was to introduce a
large number of Americans on the peninsula
ostensibly as railroad laborers. to capture the
Mexican man-of-war Democarta and at the
same time give picnic in honor of the Next
can officials and in the midst of the festivities
capture the garrison and seize the roads and
telegraph lines Simultaneous risings at the
Alamo and Tia Juana were to take place. Sew
eral meetings in March and April were held by
the projectors of the expedition and at one of
these the facts became known to a newspaper
representative. When the peninsula had been
seized provisional government was to be de-
clared on or about August and martial law
was to be enforced. The land of the peninsula
was to be nationalized and, when a peaceful or
der Of things had been secured, negotiation for
annexation to the United States W uld follow
The names Of the projectors are given and the
treasurer of the company, wealthy resident
of Minneapolis, is said TO be interested
A dispatch from San Diego says: United
States Marshal Card and Collector of Customs
Berry today expressed themselves as being sat-
isfied that well-orgsnized scheme has been
maturing, in pursuance of which the Mexican
officials OF Lower California were to have been
seized. This action, 1t is believed, would cause
an uprising of the dissatisfied residents Of
Lower California Among the statements pub
lished in connection with the affair is one to
the effect that the International Company was
to further the project and Sl00,0 600 was to be
expended for arms and ammunition by an
agent who is in New York for that purpose.