The Washington herald., 1914-05-19
SEAL OF SECRECY
! PLACED ON RYAN
Bryan Fears Fate Of Other
Prisoners if Pledges
Are Broken.
THE SITUATION IS ACUTE
Secretary Feels Physician Has De-
prived Him Of Full Right TO De-
mand Explanation Of Huerta.

Secretary OF State Bryan yesterday
placed the seal Of secrecy upon Dr.
Edward d. Ryan. Of Scranton. Pa. who
was Imprisoned and threatened with
death as an American SPY by the fed
eral authorities at Fresnillo. Mexico
soon after the seisure OF Vera Cruz
DR.. Ryan's release was secured from
Huerta upon the strongest kind OF
representations from the United States,
but then only on the condition that he
pledge himself not TO reveal any OF
the circumstances which surrounded
his imprisonment or the information
affecting the plans of the Huerta
forces which had come into his pos
session,
Secretary Bryan decided that It
would be best 10 adhere to these
pledges. inasmuch AZ he thought the
chances that other Americans In Mex
leo might at some future time be re-
leased under similar conditions would
be diminished should DR.. Ryan fail to
carry out his promises.
Mseh Speculation Here.
The American physicians expert
ences have been made the subject for
much speculation here. 1t In evident
that DIR. Ryan has some official status
under the State Department. and indi-
cations are that the State Department
feels that in some measure the phys.-
ciap has deprived this government Of
the full right to demand reparation Of
the Huerta government for its treat
ment OF him as might be done in the
case of other Americans who have not
unofficially represented this govern
ment in the interior of the southern
republic after the severance Of diplo-
matte relations.
II was learned last night that the State
Department ha- no present purpose of
demanding explanation of the Mexican
authorities for their treatment of DR..
Ryan.
Dr. Ryan went to Mexico City nearly
two years ago to study typhoid fever.
He was at Mexico City In the employ of
the Neutral White Cross Association, at
the time Of the bombardment Of the city
which resulted in the overthrow of Ma
dero. Before Madero's downfall. he was
placed under arrest by the Mexican au-
thorities. but later was released After
the seizure Of Mexico City by Huerta
and Felix Diaz. DR.. Ryan became con-
nected with the American Red Cross As
sociation.
His first mission undertaken for the
State Department was in July. 1913, when
chased large amounts of medicine and
proceeded TO the relief OF Americans In
Torreon- He was rec
ognized by Huerta as an authorized
agent of the United States in refugee
work.
Came to washlnGton.
In February of the present year, DR..
Ryan came to Washington and con-
ferred with Secretary Of State Bryan. He
to -,exico late in March, and
appears to have reached the
Mexican authorities that his relations
with the Sta. Dc-lrtment had become
of a confidential character instead of
merely those Il q refugee relief agent
DIR. Ryan was thrown into jail at Fres-
milo April 2. He was charged with
being an American spy. 1t Is said that
the Mexican authorities, when they ar
rested him. seized q copy Of the State
code. which was in his
possession. News of Ryan's imprisonment
the State Department from un-
official sources. and a vigorous effort
was made to procure his release. This
was accomplished with great difficulty.
and only after the Brazilian Minister at
Mexico City had made the strongest sort
OF representations directly to the Mexi-
can foreign office.