Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-05-20
A LETTER FROM VERA CRUZ.

! A LETTER FROM VERA CRUZ.
Through the courtesy Of Mr.. Theo
Shelley, The Democrat is able to
give its readers extracts from a let
ter written by his brother, a mem.
ber of the Red Cross staff who saw
conditions in connection with the
taking of Vera Cruz by the Amer.
lean marines and sailors several
several weeks ago. The letter was
written at Vera Cruz and addressed
to Mr.. Shelly's parents, and tells in
an interesting way of the work that
the Red Cross organization is carry
| ing on under conditions such as the
marines and sailors found in the
taking of the city of Vera Cruz.
The. following extacts are taken
from Mr.. Shelly's letter: .5.s.
Vera Cruz, Mexico, April 26, 1914. {.
Dear Father, Mother and ALI :.
I wrote you a letter a few days
ago. saying that war was declared
with Mexico, and will now change
it, as just the city of Vera Cruz is
under martial law to protect the
citizens that are here.
OF course, there was quite time
here for two days and two nights.
Fifteen sailors and marines were kill
ed and from fifty to sixty wounded.
Everything would have been all
right but for the fact that the Mex
lean government turned out some
thing like two thous and prisoners Of
San. Juan prison and armed them
with ammunition and gave them the
privilege to shoot all Americans.
3is Well, to start with they robbed
everything and everybody, even the
U. S. custom house, SO that Uncle
Sam put a stop to that by sending
the sailors and marines off OF the
ship. VIZ ~. l> @ s 4
The u. s.. S. Chester shelied the
Mexican barracks and killed sixty.
five in that building alone. In all
about five or six hundred were killed
and wounded The town Is quiet now
and business has begun to start up
again. We intend to stay here until
everything is going on to suit the
United States. pity the people here.
It is too bad for them to be robbed
by such men as Huerta has had un-
der him. Il: .,53s
{ We are stationed in big theater
in Vera Cruz, and, believe me. we
are some crowded at night. / am In
Battalion A, Company 3, Hospital
Corps. would rather carry a gun,
as ] believe it is much safer. AS the
men fall we are to be on the Job
and rush them to the hospital. We
lost three and seven were injured on
.he u. S. S. Minnesota. 1 tell you.
father, never had the chills; and
never did my hair. rise any higher in
all my life, than it did last Thursday
night. The bullets were so close that
I, imagined that l could feel the heat
from them, but, thank heaven, did
not get hit with one. 94s
: We have. hung and shot to death
nine prisoners so far, and, guess,
that will be all now as they under
stand the laws. The ones we had to-
hang and shoot, were shooting at the
Red Cross and that calls for death to-
anyone who violates this lnterna-
tional law. This is a new law which
all civilized nation uphold. $9 II Never;
shoot. at a man wearing a Red Cross g
or at building flying the Red Cross
flag. "A person In the hospital corps
or Red Cross i not permitted to- CIR
~ a: weapon OF any kind s. SO all thAts.
protects him is the little red cross on
his left arm !. Well, dear Ssolbs, will
close ana hone this slettelf reaches you
as IT, leaves. me-.in goQe beAlth.
VIII say good a6h don t worry,
am safe and o. x. Sss *
Il @,s .si G .sF IN g2i ;i..: r 4 GENE. w