Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-05-19
Tales of Murder of Americans Re-
lated at San Fran
cisco.
AMERICAN CONSUL IMPRISONED
Clement S. Edwards Released After
Being Held on Mexican
Ship.

Americans, the capture by Mexi
can transport of the American bris
Geneva, the Imprisonment of United
States Consul Clement S. Edwards Of
Acapulco, and many atrocities or
the west coast of Mexico were
brought in yesterday by the officers
and $50 refugees on the British
steamer Cetriana, which arrived yes
K terday from Manzanillo.
Lieut.. Edward J. Minister, roya
naval reserve, commander of the
Cetriana, got his steamer, loaded
with refugees, away from Manzanil.
10 by daring and skillful action on
April 2S when he believed the Mexi-
cans were preparing to burn it al
the dock by firing and dynamiting
the wharves. d.
According to the refugees, when
news of the capture of Vera Cruz by
the United States reached the west
coast, it was taken by the Mexicans
as the beginning of war. The Mex
leans were inflamed to high pitch,
they say, and the Americans aban-
doned their homes and fled. All be-
lieve they would have been killed if
they had stayed.
AS the Cetriana got away from
the dock, maneuvering adroitly out
of what is reported to be an at
tempt to hem it in by four Mexican
steamers, a rifle fire was directed
against it. Many of the bullets
struck the steamer. ...f
Upwards of score of murders
mostly of Americans, were reported
by the Cetriana's passengers, but it
was difficult to trace any Of them to
an authoritative source.
1--WE left San Francisco Jan. 81
and discharged our cargo at Quay
mas, Mazatlan and San Bias. On
April FL we were all ready to sail
north except that we needed water
and provisions. .-.-
"That night the news of the TAX
ing of Vera Cruz was received and
the port officials notified me that
war had been declared between the
United States and Mexico. They
would give us no water or provis-
ions, but told US to sail. We took
on four American refugees, includ-
ing woman with a baby, and sail
ed.
There was not sufficient water
aboard for US to reach an American
port. The water was absolutely
necessary.
II decided to proceed to a point
off Manzanillo and arrived there
April 25, five miles from the har-
Dor. There was no American war
ship in sight and the Geneva headed
out to sea. On April 26 we were
twelve miles off Manzanillo in fiat
calm.
THE Mexican transport Korrigan
with an armed crew steamed out of
Manzanillo and approached us.
hoisted the American ensign on
their order. The Mexican command
er hailed us, told us war was on, and
said he had orders to seize the Gen.
eva as a prize of war and all Ameri-
cans aboard as prisoners of war.
eve could not escape and the
Korrigan towed us to Manzanillo.
Port officials came aboard and got
statement from me. They were
courteous but ordered no one to
leave the vessel.
"The next day, the 9th, the Ce-
triana arrived and / exchanged sig
mails with Commander Minister. Min
;ster was then informed that he
could not communicate with us;
that we were prisoners of war.
A man aboard knew the German
consul, Fritz Kayser, and got into
touch with him. Commander Minis
ter sent. us word that he would not
leave until we were released. Hell
arranged to steam away and pick us
up after we had escaped in small
boats.
1--WE were ready to escape in the
small boats when the Raleigh arriv-
ed. The Cetriana started to leave.
/ raised the Stars and Stripes on the
Geneva and a roar of cheers broke |
out from the refugees on the &C.
triana.
1--WE got into the small boats and