Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-01
Whiffen in Sole Charge.

Everything connected with the gather
ing Of the news and getting it past the
censors was left by the Associated Press
management in the United States to Mr..
Whiffen, Mexico City being so far away
that it was impossible to help him in get
ting his news out, although attempts
| were made to do so. Men We're sent into
| Mexico to Mr.. Whiffen's aid as soon as
the situation was seen to be serious.
John r. Caldwell went to Vera Cruz
| from Havana, and John #. Meehan was
sent to sea to Vera Cruz from New
Orleans. Mr.. Meehan continued up to
Mexico City and helped Mr.. Whiffen in
the final cleanup Of the story of the
| successful Diaz revolution. Mr. Cald-
| well stayed several days at Vera Cruz
| and when the situation became sufficient
| ly improved, returned to Havana.
| In letter on the experiences of the
Associated Press men during the height
| of the fighting in the streets of Mexico
| City Mr.. Whiffen writes as follows:
I'VE had a lead of two hours on all
competitors on the biggest development of
the latest Mexican revolution, but we
were blocked in getting it away by a gov
i eminent censor That was the most
heart-breaking experience of the various
experiences of McFall and myself during
the events which eliminated in the over
throw OF the Madero administration.
i "On the previous night l had been told
IN Str1ctest confidence that Francisco /.
Madero was to be made prisoner in the
national palace by Huerta and Banquet
on the following day. We put Leopoldo
Lea, Mexican reporter who was closer
to Huerta and his officers than any other
newspaper man in the city, on the story.
Noon passed without developments At
IL O'Clock Zea ran into the cable office
where We had established our headquar-
tiers, and, hardly able to speak for want
Of breath. said that Gustavo Madero
brother of the president, had been ar
rested. Twenty minutes later he bolted
In again with news of the arrest of Presi-
dent Madero and Vice President Pine
Suarez. The program appeared to be
working out step by step.
Up Against the Censor.
1--WE tried to bulletin the facts, but the
censor refused to pass our message. We
argued with him, then we cajoled and
browbeat him. We told him that his
government was gone: that he was work
ing for an administration which had been
lOverthrown He regarded us with fishy
stare and persistently refused to accept
our messages. Presently, after asking
j our names. he left his post We had
visions of being arrested for attempting
to interfere with government censor,
and both of us faded away until he
came back He was still obdurate. The
other correspondents We're alive to the
fact that something big was happening.
but 1t was an hour before they learned
the true story.
Meanwhile crowds began to gather in
4 the streets. Their shouts of Viva Diaz-
Viva Huerta! and Viva Banquet
reached the ears of the censor who ap-
peared to be growing more nervous every
minute. At about 5 o'clock he left the
office again. and at $50 Charles Cum
mings manager of the cable Office ran
from within and pulled down the sign
announcing the censorship, shouting The
censorship Is off!
There was a rush by correspondents
for the filing windows. We had our bull
letins ready and the story itself well
under way to jam through. I believe we
landed, but if we could have had a clear
wire we would have run rings around all
competition.
Il never expected that it would fall to
range, and 1t was a nexperience that l
would not have missed for a good deal.
There was mighty little chance to pick
locations There was no portion of the
city where the popping of rifle bullets
could not be heard at almost any hour of
the day or night. AS a matter of fact
we became SO accustomed to the sound
that We gave 1t little more thought than
We would the noise of firecrackers on the
Fourth of July. On one occasion 1 made
a detour. Of necessity on foot Of about
four miles around a federal battery to
get from the cable Office to the embassy.
/ had a mile OF open country to cross.
Now and then rifle ball would sing over
my head. l never before realized how
long a mile could be. had visions of
stopping one of the bullets and perhaps
lying in the open for days before being
found.