Evening star., 1914-05-12
Interpreter D'Antin and Wife Es-
cape Arrest Only by Continu-
ing in Hiding.
NEWS STRICTLY CENSORED
Americans Not Even Permitted to
Send Message or Telegram-War
Held to Exist and Search Is
Made for Spies.
By Medill Mccormick.

VERA CRUZ. Mexico. May IL.
americans are in prison in
Mexico City, held incommunl-
cado i'll places unknown to the
Brazilian legation. | do not know
how many are so held by the po-
lice. but when | LETT Mexico City
on French special train for
Puerto Mexico Walter Whiffen
OF the Associated Press was un-
der arrest for the second time
within twentv-four hours, Mr..
Doster OF the international News
Service was in jail, and so was
Mr.. Sutton of the Washington
Post. An American named
Schouler and a locomotive engi-
neer who had returned from Cuba
for his family were also in prison.
Luis d Antin, interpreter for
the American embassy, dare not
leave the precincts of the Bra
lillian legation, while his wife is
afraid to leave the house where
she is hiding. The MeNicans
would have taken D'Antin but
for the intervention OF the repre-
sentatives Of Argentine, Brazil
and Chile, the mediating powers.
Americans Not Safe, He Says.
The City of Mexico is inarticulate.
dazed, afraid. Americans are not safe
there and they ought to leave. Other
foreigners are alarmed Mexicans do
not speak aloud the names of consplcu-
Gus men or of strateglcally important
places There are Mexican spies every
where and everywhere they are looking
for American spies The Mexican au-
thorities hold that war exists but that
there is an armistice by virtue OF the
mediation of the A. B. c. powers Yet
no American is permitted to send cable
foreign friend to advise my FAMILY and
the daily News of my release a second
time and he doubted whether the mes
sage had passed the censor.
Press messages by correspondents VINO
are not Americans are censored SO that
they are valueless. Although Ameri-
cans are not safe. and are forbidden to
ca BILE home they cannot go to the Brit
ish or German legation for protection.
There may be reasons of high diplo-
macy why Brazil should represent our
interests in Mexico. but it is fact that
although he does his best, Senior Car
dozo D. Olievera is unable sufficiently
TO protect our fellow citizens in Mexico
City if there be rioting. Even II there
be none | am afraid we shall be sorry
that the care of American interests
was taken out of the hands of Sir
Lionel Garden, the British minister.
Twice Under Arrest.
| do not like to give too much space
| to our own experiences. but ! must relate
them in so far as they Illustrate condi-
! ,ions and the attitude of the Huertistas
| toward Americans Twice We were ar
rested and once held incommunicado
a sbort time and searched as spies for
| i,c-irninating documents Thursday morn
| ing Richard Harding Davis Frederick
| Palmer and | left Vera Cruz by tram
for the gap in the railway where the
| N.xicans cut the track April -. 1t is
not surprising that we were stopped
| II is surprising that two of US got to
Mexico City and back again with so
| little delay.
| American man Of letters. Davis says
The further we advanced into the in
t.rior the more | looked like shaNen
Uncle Sam. Davis himself looked
| !, me like mixture of John Drew
and Theodore Roosevelt shaken Well
before using He and !. anyway.
seemed selected for defeat. Adam
Weimar d German American employed
| Nv the Banco- National, who started
With us from Vera Cruz. did what he
J could TO help us Davis had letters
from the Brazilian consul to his min
ister in Mexico City.
Il had a personal letter from the
French consul introducing Davis and me
to Cen. Mas. while in addition | had a
certificate which showed that l repre-
sented a great English newspaper. Our
credentials. like Mercutos were not
much hut enough but Palmer had only
!, visiting card. From the gap We rode
by rail to Paso Del Macho where We
stopped for lunch. 1t was very hot and
the platform was packed with waiting
/ Mexican refugees for Vera Cruz.
Davis First to Be Arrested.
Suddenly l saw Davis going through
tho crowd with shabby little office,
| =, his elbow AS / started to his rescue
| ,no+ber officer still shabbier tapped me
~ the arm and invited me to follow
! vim | did AS the guard closed around
s We turned to welcome PaImer's
| n,an,n accession to our ranks. Off tt
~. ial we marched. little sandaIed sol.
aie,s shutting along either side The,
drove crowd of men and women ou1
~ the Jail court into the jail and asked
us for our papers.
They read the papers and then offered
n chair first to Palmer, not to sit on
but 10 facilitate the removal of his
boots to see IL his socks contained dis
matches. They searched us, but point
edly refused to give up my letter to
| CONTINUED on Second Pagel