The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-05-18
MEXICAN REFUGEE +.
TELLS EXPERIENCE
TO PAIL REPORTER
G.. D. woodward Criticises
Bryan's Attitude in Hold
ing Off Quick Aid to AM
erican Citizens.

Americans at Tampico were forced
to accept the courtesy of German and
British war ships when the American
ships were withdrawn to Vera Cruz.
This story and that Of the flag Incl
dent with many other incidents replete
with intense interest, is told by G. d.
woodward who is manager of the
Madero flour mills at Tampico and
who is the son of G. M. woodward,
manager of a flour mill at Tampico
and who is the son of q. M. woodward,
manager of a flour mill on the west
coast, both Of him, with a son, Fred
have returned to this city and are
staying at the home of Mrs. Cole, AZ
South Tenth street.
1T was when Bryan, to our great
surprise and humiliation refused to
back up Mayo in his demand that the
Mexicans salute the flag, that the
said Mr.. woodward. Then they told
the ignorant poems that the guns were
of wood and the battleships would not
hurt them.
Il was within fifty feet of the steam
launch in which seven American sail
ors were arrested by the Mexicans and
saw that they were carrying an
American flag, although the Mexicans
gas as their excuse for the arrest that
no flag was displayed. | was watch
ing the procedure from my launch on
the river.
U. S. Consul Protests.
"On the day of April % when the
Americans landed in Vera Cruz, and
the American ships were removed, the
American consul protested but Mayo
replied that he was acting under or
ders of the war department.
With no threatening boats there,
the Mexicans soon began to form
mobs and meetings were held on al
most every street corner.
Escape To City.
1.-TWO other men who work at the
mill with me and | took our trunks
and suit cases and escaped from the
water front through canals in speed
launch to the city. Excited mobs were
marching through every street and by
looking carefully at the corners, we
got to tee Aperican hotel. We could
here them making speeches, telling OF
the Mexican blood which had been
shed defending the country from the
Americans and the shouts of XIII the
Gringoes by the poems
"All the Americans at the Southern
hotel were armed and by 8 o'clock we
had organized to defend the hotel and
had elected Ed Williams as our chief.
Part of us were downstairs in a small
court where We had breastworks and
the rest were on landings mad station
ed upstairs where they overlooked the
lobby.
The attack did not succeed hOwev-
err, as the German admiral sent word
to the Mexican commander that un
less rioting stopped within fifteen
minutes, he would send marines on
shore to stop it. At that time they
were throwing fire brands inside one
of the hotel stores. but as the floors
are cement, they failed to ignite.
THE Mexicans who were then
laughing at the American flag and at
what they believed were wooden
guns obeyed the Germans. Then fol
lowed a general eXodl., of foreigners
We called on two American yachts in
the TampicO harbor and when they
raised anchor to leae the harbor fol
the town. six miles up the river the
Mexican commander of the gunboat
there sent word that they would be
blown I'd if they left.
The British marines furnished III
with lunch next day and when
British officer ordered his men to opel
tins of Corned beef and hard tack TO
use he said. We are sorry that this i
all We have to offer but it is the hes
We can do since your own nation ha
deserted you
There was a silence on deck 70
ten minutes. Even the sight o
twenty-three American gun boats am
dreadnaughts failed to arouse an
patriotism and many were bitter be
cause in the time Of stress, they ha
failed TO help us"