South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-25
US. CITIZENS
CAUGHT; MAY
BE MURDERED
Telegram From Bryan Indicates
ChiCagOan is Among Twenty
Prisoners of Huerta Soldiers
in Danger of Execution.

CHICAGO. April 25. Twenty
Americans including one Chicago
man and a British subject are re-
ported 20 have been captured and
possibly executed by Huerta soldiers
near Vera Cruz according to an Off
cial telegram 70 Chicago from Secre-
tary Of State Bryan.
The telegram was received by DR.
Herbert a. Parkyn OF the Motzoron-
70 company which has an office IN
the Marquette building. A. NJ Turn
er Of 1914 l.. Sixty-first ST., is the
Chicago man believed shot. He left
here two weeks ago, when conditions
on the company's 155, 900 acre ranch
first became serious
Grave Anxiety Felt.
secretary Bryan's telegram indi-
Gates that the gravest anxiety is felt
for the prisoners. 1t follows:
Herbert A. Parkyn. president
Motzorongo company. 1914 Marquette
building. Chicago:
The following. dated April %. at
10 a. m, and received from the
American consul at Vera Cruz. is sent
for your information:
Am reliably informed at s o'clock
Tuesday night soldiers stopped train
IN vicinity of TERRA Blanca. on Vera
Cruz 1sthmus railroad. taking fol-
: lowing prisoners:
Wv. Mangum, railroad superin-
tendent
Elliott. engineer.
Riley and Hart. conductors.
'All are Americans. These per-
sons were taken TO Cordoba or Ori-
zaba and believed ordered shot.
Some Is or more Americans left
for TERRA Blanca. g b. Heron,
secretary Isthmus railroad. wife and
three children; J. o. Cook. chief en-
gineer; John Fighter. conductor. J.
[ r. LangstOn and wife: KeT giu engi-
neer. and Mr.. and Mrs. { GORGE Ma
p cOmber.
Same soldiers stopped at Hacienda
MotzorongO on same railroad taking
I prisoners Edward Munsh and son
Sidney: A. NJ Turner. secretary of
the hacienda MotzOrOngO, all Amer
leans: also a man named Boyd, Brit
ish subject.
''AIl taken to Cordoba or Orizaba.
+ IL Is reliably stated that these pris-
Oners may be executed.
'Admirals Fletcher and Badger
have this Information before then.
(Signed) Bryan"
Edward Wunsh, mentioned in the
+ dispatch, is manager Of the planta-
ton which is a $4,000. 900 corpora
ton having 1900 American and
British stockholders The Mr.. Boyd
London. cashier OF the plantation.
He is "A years Of age and has report
ed since the recent troubles between
Mexico and the United States that he
was keeping in close touch with the
British consul at Vera Cruz.
Fears Worst Has Happened
Or. ParkyG, upon receipt of the
dispatch from Secretary Bryan, i'm
mediately wired the state depart
ment and Consul Canada at Vera
cruz TO spare no money In any pos
sible effort 10 rescue the prisoners if
they are still alive.
In a statement TO the press DR..
Parkyn said;
II fear for the worst. our planta-
tion IS in al isolated position be-
tween Cordoba and TERRA Blanca. 1t
has been in operation eight years.
+ and during the revolution in Mexico
we have frequently been obliged to-
pay tribute 10 each OF the contend
ing forces.
"Our policy has been to make no
complaints. although we had a tele-
graph line passing through the
plantation. Some times the federals
and sometimes the rebels would take
possession of the plantation for day
or SO They have generally confined
themselves 10 seizing horses or what
ever money happened 10 be in the
safe and have never attempted TO
harm the workers.
Conditions have been growing
worse. however, and when Mr. Turn
ct left Chicago two weeks ago I had
"A long talk with him and advised him
that II there was fresh trouble he
should get all the white people to-
gether and leave for the coast He
said he was not afraid but I gave
him strict orders 20 leave at the first
sign OF danger.
Now Il seems that they all may
have fingered until they have been
murdered. The dispatch indicates,
10 my mind. that there must be
strong reason for believing they have
been shot which would be nothing
less than murder. as they have taken
no possible part in the war.
Expressed No Fear.
"Shirtiy before I received the tele-
gram from Secretary Bryan today
received n letter written about a week
ago from Mr.. Turner He said thiGgs
were going all right and that he be-
lteved he would be able 10 wind up
the seasons sugar crop without trou-
BILE
'T had previously received n cable
gram from him last Friday annoUnc-
ing his arrivel When the war de-
velOpments came this week 1 wired
Consul Canada. on Tuesday, giving
him the names OF the employees. the
plantation and urging that everything
possible be done 20 safeguard them.
The consul replied:
"'All we'll at present. VIII do
everything possible
That was the last word received
untu the message telling OF the prob
able fate OF the men came tonight
There are several persons who were
~ the plantation who are not men
toned in the dispatch from Wash