The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-28
LABOR UNIONS STIR
STATE DEPARTMENT
American Embassy at Mexico
City Called Upon 70 Investi-
gate Cook Case.
COOK LONG IN CUSTODY:
HELD WITHOUT Bali.
Prisoner Is American. Charged
With Completely in Robbery
of Mexican Trains.

ASHINGTON, Dec. 2I.-Acting under
the demands of labor unions, the state
department has called upon the American
embassy at Mexico City 70 investigate
sharply the Incarceration OF Conductor
James A. Cook. An American, arrested
and imprisoned for alleged complicity in
the robbery of freight trains on a Mcxi-
can railroad.
Cook has been imprisoned for some
time without trial. and friends in this
country requested the White House that
lie he gwen trial or released on bonds.
In a case OF the kind. the latter alterna-
tive is never resorted to under Mexican
law.
The text OF the note addressed 10 the
embassy is not made public, although
what purports To be a copy of tae note
was published in an afternoon paper
TO-DAY. State depar tment officials de
lined 70 say whether 81 was authentic. hnt
they acknowledged that the American
diplomatic representative iii the Mexican
immediate and thorough investigation of
the matter and bring the request ot the
United states government 20 the atten-
ton OF the Mexican officials.
Official Statement.
The department deplores the sensa-
tional stories based on this act" said a
high official OF the department tonight.
The United States has taken steps 10
safeguard the rights OF an American citi-
zen because friends of that citizen be-
lieve these rights are not being recos
nized,
PERSONALLY know little about the
case. but do know that the man In
the case has not been imprisoned much
longer. IT as long. as many suspected per-
sons under the same charge have been
incarcerated in this country awaiting
trial. 1t is entirely natural ihst friends
OF Cook should he anxious about him and
should
him brought 20 q speedy trial. The idea
OF an American pictured as helpless and
a foreign Jail. always win appeal 10 the
tender hearted. It Is altogether likely.
however that the Mexican law Is taking
It's course
Accused Union Man.
Cook. 1t is said here, was Il member Of
the Brotherhood OF Railway Trainmcn he
fore he went 10 Mexico to work on rail-
roads there, This organization is power
ful and Is closely allied with other rail-
way labor organizations equally powerful.
70 bear, not only on the White House and
on the state department. but also on
congress. The dclega tion from Kansas,
the stale fruu which Cook halls. has
taken up the matter.
At present the exchanges between The
United States and Mexico are purely
friendly and are being conducted through
regular channels, with a complete rccoS-
milton oi the laws governing tn" opera
ton OF railways I'm Mexico. Not the slight
est friction. officials Of ne depsltment
Insist has arisen q, result OF tho in
terChange and a satisfactory solution uf
the problem is matter OF few hours
OF days.
The Mexican Law.
The delay in the mattcr Of giving Cook
a hearing is we'll known here.
Under the Mexican law the conductor
OF a train which Kills or Mains a citi-
zen or is looted Is held without bail
until he can be heard and his case
passed upon by a court OF first instance.
which corresponds With the American
grand ju!y. Cook was arrested last Au-
gust aud has been in prison since. all at
tcmpls TO obtain mis- release on ball hav-
inG been refused.