The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1912-04-15
WANTON ACT
RESENTED
BY j. 5.
UItimatum Sent to Federal Cow
ernment and Chief of
Rebel Force
OR0ZCO IS ACCUSED OF
NUMBERING A GUNNER
Humane Treatment for Prison
ers and Safety for Life and
Property Required

TTYA ASHINGTON, April IA
M Warning was issued today
by the United States to the
Mexican government, as well
as to General Pascual Orozco, chief
of the revolutionary forces, that it
expects and must demand that Ameri-
can life and property within the re-
public of Mexico be justly and ade-
quately protected, and that this
government must hold Mexico and
the Mexican people responsible for
all wanton or illegal acts sacrificing
or endangering American life or
damaging American property or in
terests"
The attitude of the United States
as expressed to both the rebel and
federal officials is that any interfer-
ence with American citizens will be
deeply resented by the American
government and people, and must be
fully, answered for to the American
people
Warning for Both Sides
Acting Secretary Wilson of the
state department, who today issued
special instructions to Ambassador
Wilson at Mexico City, and Marion
Letcher, American consul at Chi
huahua, authorized the statement
that Intervention was not contem-
plated by the United States.
Ambassador Wilson was ordered to
communicate at once the views of
the United States to the Mexican
minister for foreign affairs, and
copy of his instructions likewise was
sent to Marion Letcher, American
consul at chihuahua, with special
representations addressed to General
Orozco.
Orozco recently refused to recog-
nize Letcher as the American con-
sular representative, because the
United States withheld recognition
of the rebel cause. The representations
to Orozco accuse him of practical
murder" of Thomas Fountain, an Amer
lean gunner enlisted with the federals.
but summarily executed last week
when taken prisoner by the insurrec-
tos
Proper Treatment Demanded
Though declining to justify partici-
patton of Americans on either side. the
United States expressly stipuIates that
American combatants when taken pris-
oners must be given humane treatment
in accordance with the international
rules of war.
The correspondence made public to-
night is admittedly the strongest de-
mand the United States is known to
have made upon Mexico for respectful
treatment of Americans as well as
other foreigners, and declares that
continuation of illegal acts is tending
to create difficulties and obligations
which it is to the interests of all true
Mexican patriots, as it is the desire of
the United States. to avoid
Ambassador Instructed
The instruction to Ambassador Will
son sent by telegraph today follows:
You viii Immediately communi-
cate the following to the minister
for foreign affairs:
THE enormous destruction, con-
stantly increasing. of valuable
American properties in the course
of the present unfortunate disturb
anees; the taking of American life,
contrary to the principles govern
ing such matters among all civil
lied nations: the increasing dangers
to which all American citizens in
Mexico are subjected. and the SEEM
ingly possible indefinite continuance /.
of this unfortunate situation, COM
pei the government of the United
States TO show that it expects and
must demand that American life
and property within the limits of
Mexico be justly and adequately
protected, and that this govern
ment must hold Mexico and the
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