The San Francisco call., 1904-04-28
Enriquez Is Accused of
Stealing Funds of
Consulate.

A startling piece of news was con-
reyed so the local Mexican colony yes
terday in the announcement that
Rafael de Zayas Enriquez. former
Mexican Consul General at San Fran
cisco. is languishing in the Federal
prison in the Mexican capital. charged
with the embezzlement of funds of the
Consulate in this city. His peculations,
according to advices received here
from the City of Mexico, amount TO
S5407 p, that is, this amount is unac-
counted for and has furnished basis
for a warrant for his arrest. Possibly
the shortage may eventually be found
to be more.
Rafael de Zayas Enriquez. as poet,
a philosopher, a writer Of history and
statesman, who served several terms
in the Senate of Mexico, has enjoyed
a most enviable reputation in the
Southern republic, and that he should
have fallen into disgrace with the trust
full President of Mexico, at whose in
stigation he was arrested a few days
ago, has caused no end Of surprise
among his countrymen, both in that
country and in this city. He was ap-
pointed Consul General at this port
by President Diaz shortly after the
sudden and mysterious departure of
Consul General A. X. Coney, and he
entered on his duties here in January
last amidst general auguries for sue
cessful career at his new post
FAMILY VENTURES FAIL.
At that time the local colony was rent
by dissension, a condition that was at
tributed TO the unpopularity of Enri-
quez's predecessor, and the first move
Of the new Consul General was in the
direction Of uniting his countrymen
in a general plan for bettering their
condition in San Francisco. He pro-
jected many innovations; but, forssome
strange reason, they did not meet with
the support Of the Mexicans here, and
finally matters lapsed into the former
rut and little was heard of the new
official Meanwhile two of his sons,
both Of recognized ability as artists,
arrived here from Mexico and pro-
ceeded to install themselves in the Bo-
hemian rookeries on the borders of the
Latin quarter. under the shadow Of the
Hall Of Justice. ut soon became known,
however, that the junior Enriquezs
were not meeting with much success in
San Francisco and that their father
was also experiencing some difficulty
in making both ends meet. An attempt
Of the sons to issue a monthly magazine
devoted TO descriptive and Illustrative
articles on Old Mexico proved a miser-
able failure, and the life of the peri
odical terminated on its third issue,
leaving both sons and father in an ex-
tremely embarrassing position finan-
cially. About four weeks ago 1t became
noised about that Consul General de
Zayas Enriquez and his sons were
missing, and hardly had the fact that
they had left the city become known
before ugly stories were in circulation
relative to alleged Irregularities in the
accounts Of the Consulate.
SECRET AGENTS AT WORK.
1t has since developed that these ir-
regularities were discovered by agents
Of the Mexican Government secretly
sent here to investigate, and the fact
was communicated to Minister MariscaI
of the Department of Foreign Rela-
tions. When President Diaz was made
aware of the fact that his confidence
had again been abused by his .epr,-
sentative in San Francisco, he decided
to make an example of the accused and
instructed his Minister to secure the ar
rest Of Enriquez. To have attempted
the arrest Of the Consul General il tnis