Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-14

Washington. May 1o.--President Wilson
'eceived to-day at the White House Am
bassador Da Cana of Brazil, the rank
ing member of the South American medi-
ators who are trying to compose the
Mexican trouble. Neither the White
House nor the ambassador would make
any statement as to the conference, but
the receipt later of a despatch from Mex
70 City stating that Foreign Minister
Ruiz had protested to the modators that
scvcral United states torpedo boats with
transport and tender had landed a
party ON Lobos island eight miles off
lhe coast and taken the lighthouse
vas believed to have been the purpose
# the ambassadors unusual visit to the
White House on Sunday.
The mediators had held an early con-
ference previous to the ambassadors
rail- at the White House, and this meet
ing on Sunday indicated developments
Of more than ordinary Importance. No
information was ohtainable from the me-
}iators or the White House concerning
Minister Ruiz's telegram but it was be-
fcved that a reply had been made.
a PRECAUTIONARY ACT.
The navy department has not made
public anything concerning the operation
IF vessels about I.ohos island. Admiral
Howard cabed yesterday to the navy
separtment that Huerta had ordered the
lighthouses on the Pacific coast extin-
Suished SO as to impede navigation by
American shipa
The sama order by Huerta is reporte
50 have been made rs TO lighthouses on
ahe Atlantic side. SC that the reported
seizure OF the lighthouse on l.oboa is
land might he neld TO be a precautionary
measure to keer the lights burning and
thus protect All shipping along the east
coast, where many British. French
Spanish and other foreign vessels ply.
As such n precautionary measure the
taking OF the lighthouse, it is contendcd
would be without significance as an oc-
cupatlon or territorial acquisition Of the
island, and therefore would not justify
any charge of violation of armlstce.
MEDIATORS CALLED III.
The call Of two of the inediators on the
secretary of state last night, followed by
their assembling Tor a meeting on Sun
day morning, led to the belief that dcve'-
oplnents of the past % hours involve |
something more than mere discussion or
preliminaries for the coming conference
at Niagara Falls It was made plain
however, after the White House confer
once that nothing had occurred which
would act as an obstacle to tho continued
progress of the negotiations
Associate Justice Joseph p. Lamar OF
the United States Supreme Court and
Frederick w Lehman Of St. Louis, for
MGR solcitor-generaL will be the represen-
tatvcs of the United States to confer with
the mediators This became known from
an authoritative source tonight. During
the day Justice Lamar had a long talk
with the President and later he and Mr.
Lehman conferred.
NEWSPAPER MEN FREED.
to relieve anxiety was news of the re.
lease of the four newspaper cor
respondents arrested at Mexico city
Walter Wiffin of the Associated Press
Richard Harding Davis of the New York
Tribune; Medill Mccormick of the Lon,
don Times and A. j. Sutton of the Wash.
ington Post. Word Of the release reach,
ed the state department through tn,
Brazilian minister at Mexico City, Senol
Dliveira, and dispatches also came to the
british, Spanish and Brazilian ambas
sailors, each OF whom had acted prompt
ly and theoretically in behalf of tn,
American newspaper men.
The dispatches to the ambassadors stat
ed that Messrs. Mccormick and Davis hac
left by refugee train for Vera Cruz yes
aerday and Mcsrs. Whilfcn and Sutton
would leave to-day II Was said that th,
eargASaondeutS had asked for permits L