The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-05


can flags they could get and dragginG
larger ones through the mud.
That night they stoned the once Of
American Consul General Shanklin and
tore the United States coat-of- arms from
the doorway They again assaulted tbs
American club and gained admittance
partly wrecking the clubhouse and driv'
Ing out and maltreating the servants
Gen. Agramente and Mai Yeager
president and manager. respectively, oil
the club, were arrested and thrown into
prison for no other reason than that
they were officers Of the organization.
That same night mobs stoned the
Mexico City Bank building and Eman
Beck. president Of the bank. and Mr.
Ramsey, the auditor. were arrested for
having arms in their possession. San
oorn's American Drug Stores were en-
| tered and sacked. the American Grocery
Store was burned after being sacked. The
Tampico News Company's stores, an i'm
mense department store. owned by two
Russian Jews, was looted and nearly
every 5American-owned place of business
was attacked and the windows broken.
That same night the great bronze statue
OF George Washington was dragged from
its pedestal in Colonia Roma, and pulled
through the streets by automobiles 10
the Benito Juarez statue in the Alameda,
where II was left lying at the feet of
the statue of the Mexican hero. face
downward. The mob which accomplished
this was led by a son of President Huerta
and his automobile helped drag Wash
ingtons statue through the streets.
The police of the city did not attempt
to interfere with any OF the demonstra-
tons. They stood quietly by and watch
ed four men breaking the windows of
Porters Hotel by hitting them with a
heavy piece OF iron. In the mobs were
some policemen OF duty. many young
Mexican army officers. members OF the
chambers of deputies, and any number
OF minor government officials.
Raid American Consulate.
When American Consul General Arnold
Shanklin and his staff left the capitol
TO go to Vera Cruz with Nelson o Shaugh-
messy. the american charge d'affairs, the
mob broke into the consulate, looted 1t
and pulled the flags from the windows.
The Mexican government confiscated
all the arms at the American Embassy
including the two machine guns and 80
Krag-Jcrgensen rifles with about 5000
rounds OF ammunition.
Then the soldiers confscated all the
arms at the British concentration head
quarters and searched every room in
the Hotel Geneve for arms. despite the
protest Of T. S. Gore. the Canadian pro-
prietor.
They also made a house to house search
for arms and ammunition through Colo
mia Mano. the aristocratic section.
where many Americans had their homes.
The authorities took all the American
owned automobiles they could ind and
formally took possession of American
Club House.
They took over the ofices OF the
Aguila OIL Company. Lord Cowdray's
big corporation, and seized the Mexican
Tramway Company's Office and rolling
stock, driving out all the white men
employed in any capacity. regardless
of their nationality. The Tramway
Company is a Canadian corporation.
All the cOmpany's cash was confiscated.
All this time the Mexican newspapers
were doing everything possible TO in
cite the people to violence against
Americans and the government was
forbidding Americans to leave the city.
Feeling Against Huerta.
With all this going on. and with
Huerta calling on the people to rise
and drive the invaders from Mexican
soil there has been and is a decided
under-current of feeling against
Huerta and his government and the
best citizens the bankers and mer-
chants, Is well as many members OF
the Chamber of Deputies and the Sem
ate are saying that the days OF the
dictator are numbered and that his
fall is certain in the near future.
Huerta has heard OF this and arrests
have been made in great numbers of
men who have dared to oppose Huerta's
rule by word or gesture. That the old
Indian is determined to stick II out TO
the bitter end there can be no doubt.
but what that end is to be none can
foretell at this writing.
Sir Lionel Garden. the British Minister.
has brought great pressure to bear upon
Huerta, and in this has been backed by
all of the other members of the diplo
matte corps in Mexico.
1t Is an undoubted fact, however. that
a train has been kept in waiting for him
for nearly week to take him TO Man !
zanillo He might have gone on this
train but for the fact that he has been |
closely watched by the rebels, and |
knows It His bodyguard has been |
doubled and trebled, and he can not
make a move that a score or more OF |
secret service men and officers are not !
close to him alert for an attack. He is /
trying now to make a combination with |
the rebels, both north and south, ap-
parently with little or no success
II Huerta is driven to the wall he may
commit any excuses and even order a
massacre of Americans He is fully cap
able OF 1t. especially when drunk. and
he is rarely entirely sober these days