Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-28
1Assoclated Pressl

~ ALMA CRUZ, Mexico, Dec. a.
Declaring that the attitude or
~ Secretary Knox toward him could
not fail to be disapproved by all fair
minded people. and that he believed the
secretary's judgment was warped by
false reports from the American vice
consul at Managua, former President
Jose Santos Zelaya endeavored in an
interview today to justify his treat
ment of the Americans, Cannon and
Groce. as an act that any one in his
position would have committed.
Zelaya debarked from the Mexican
gunboat General Guerrero this after
noon and left tonight for Mexico City
in a private car attached to the regu-
lar passenger train due in that city
Wednesday morning.
81 am going to Mexico City to remain
for six months" he said. "If the eli
mate agrees with me will send or go
for my family. If it does not agree
with me will go to some place I'm Eu-
rope I am going to Mexico City to
thank President Diaz and Mexican Of
fcials for their kindness to me-"
Remains on ship
The Guerraro, with Zelaya and his
party on board, arrived last night out
side the harbor. where the boat lay
until this morning. little later It
steamed to the dock and Zelaya ap-
peared on deck to wave greeting to a
crowd of townspeople that had gath
cred.
He was accompanied by Louis A.
Cousin his former secretary of war;
by Robert c. Bowe, his friend and
former jefe politico, and by several
friends.
On board the gunboat Zelaya dis
cussed the killing of Cannon and Groce
and the note of Secretary Knox.
Cannon and Groce." Zelaya de-
clared, "were engaged by the Conserv-
ative party and were brought from
Guatemala by the party, which was
working hand in hand with Cabrera. AS
they never had any ground for aceus-
ing me of any infringement of the
treaty adopted by the Central Ameri-
can republics, they attempted to Gre
ate cause and began trying to insti-
gate a mutiny and an armed rebellion
to force the United States government
to intervene.
GAS regards Cannon and Groce, no
one else in my position would have act
ed otherwise than 1 did. Neither of
these men had any property in Mica
ragua. Americans and other foreign
ers holding property in Nicaragua en-
joyed protection at my hands the same
as native-born citizens and they had
the advantage of not having to pay di-
rect taxes.
"I think Mr.. Knox took harsh action
against me. 1 believe his object was
that 1 should resign. That is what l
have done. / am only a private citi-
zen now and such shall I remain. 1t
is my intention not to enter politics
again. The report that 1 had taken
command of the government forces
was absolutely false, 1 have not and
never intended to do So"
Zelaya attributed much of his woe
to Harry Calderal, American vice con-
sui at Managua. OF this he said:
"The United States government was
grossly misinformed through this man
about conditions in my country. The
vice consul is a member of the Con-
servative party and an ardent de-
fender of that party's views. With
the object of overthrowing my gov
ernment he made false reports to
Washington which I firmly believe had
much to do with the note of Secretary
Knox.
Il have no doubt that these reports
led him to adopt the attitude he did
toward me. That attitude, I believe,
cannot now be but disapproved by all
fair-minded people"
Call on ZeIaya
In the afternoon Zelaya was called
on by several Mexican officials, among
whom was Juan Broising, collector of
the port, who welcomed the former
president with the words: Il receive
you like a brother"
Zelaya said he had had a good voy-
age, but that he was feeling badly
and had slight fever. He did not
appear i'll at ease or excited, and in the
afternoon sat for a photographer ON
the deck.
He left Managua accompanied by
Minister Carbajal of Mexico, who es-
corted him aboard the Guerrero at
Corinto.
81 was at perfect liberty at all times
and was not intercepted" he said 'I
boarded the Guerrero in broad day
light on the afternoon of the gath
The English minister at Managua Of
fered me conveyance on the sloop
Shearwater, then at anchor at Corinto,
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