The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-05-20
WANTS HIS RELEASE
BRYAN DEMANDS FREEDOM OF
AMERICAN CONSUL.
he IS Held PRISONER

hexicans Loot Consulate and Hold
Many Americans Prisoners,-Later
They Release Every One Except
Consul Silliman-Government Is
Active.
While peace negotiations marked
time pending formal sittings Of the
South American mediators, to begin
Monday on Canadian soil, the media
tors and officials of the state depart
ment at Washington Monday were oc-
cupied with several serious phases Of
the Mexican situation demanding I'm
mediate attention.
Secretary Bryan called at the Ar
gentine legation late in<the day and
spent two hours in conference with
the South American ENJOYS, discuss
ing the continued detention OF John
R. Silliman, American vice consul at
Saltillo, by Mexican federals, the Lo-
bos incident and the case Of the five
South Americans under arrest at
Vera Cruz for firing upon the United
States sailors and marines.
Mr.. Bryan insisted that the release
of Stilliman must be brought about
at once. When asked about the mat
| ter, he would not say what would
happen if the vice consul were kept
in prison, but he was gravely en-
phatic in announcing the govern
ment's determination to have him
| freed.
First official news of landing Of
American sailors on Lobos island
reached the navy department late
Tuesday night in a cablegram from
Rear Admiral Mayo, stating that the
Mexican keepers deserted the great
light house on the island and that the
destroyer tender Dixie was main
tanning it for the benefit Of naviga-
ton.
Admiral Mayo's report responded
to request Of the navy department
for immedinate information concern
ing the incident complained Of by the
Huerta government to the mediators.
It said: "Lobos island has not been
occupied. The keepers Of Lobos is
land light house deserted it and the
Dixie is maintaining it for the benefit
of navigation. I understand that the
destroyers have had occasional land
ing parties ashore"
The report was sent at once to Sec
retary Bryan. The department OH
cials were confident that the explana'
ton would make It plain that there
had been no violation Of the armis'
tice. Assistant Secretary Roosevelt
said the Dixie anchored off Lobos IS
land only because it was a convenient
place to coal and that the light house
keepers evidently quit their posts in
panic at the appearance Of the Amer
lean warships.
At that time Secretary Daniels and
his advisers will take up the problem
Of the closed light houses on the west
coast Of Mexico. Some naval officers
favor the occupation and operation
of all the abandoned lights along the
coast because navigation has been
hindered seriously. 1t is probable
that the state department will re,
quest that the light houses be kept
open at the request Of the American
government under the armistice
rules. It was said that foreigners on
board warships off Tampico wanted
refuge and not removal.
Disturbing elements continued tc
arouse interest throughout the day
Gen. Funston at Vera Cruz was ap,
pealed to by the Brazilian minister al
Mexico City to release some South
Americans, including three Brazil
ians, who had been arrested and are
awaiting trial for "sniping" American
soldiers from the refuge Of tramp
steamer in Vera Cruz harbor.
| Authorities were informed that
American Vice Consul Silliman was
imprisoned by Huerta's soldiers al
Saltillo. From Tampico, where Mexi'
can federals and Constitutionalists
have been preparing for sanguinary
struggle, came rumblings Of battle
while reports that Huerta's strength
was waning in Mexico City and that
the bandit leader Zapata was about
to attack the capital from the south
served to arouse diplomatic agents Of
foreign nations lest their people in
Mexico City might be In Immediate
danger Of persecution or death.
State department officials were III.
dignant when it became known that
Vice Consul Silliman and his clerk
Joseph A. Marchani, as we'll as sew
eral other Americans, had been pris-
oners of the federal commander at
Saltillo and that the consul still Is
held despite urgent representations
for his release made by the Brazilian
minister in Mexico City. Late dis
patches were accepted as indicating
that the Mexican war minister's as
surances to the French charge last
iweek that neither Consul Silliman
nor members Of the consulate's stan
and Americans in Saltii!c mad been
in danger" was intended cnly to de-
ceive state department officials as to
the real state of affairs .t ,altillo.
Late in the day Consul Canada re-
ported the arrival of Consular Clerk
Marchani in Vera Cruz. The clerk
informed Mr.. Canada that before he
was released from custody Of the
Mexicans he was marched under
guard from the Jail to the consulate
and compelled at the point OF re-
I1r