The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-06-14
(continued From Last sunday.)

Vera Cruz Mexico, Oct. 18th. 1903.
I reached here at 8 p. m. the night
of the 18th, and Immediately set out
for the consurs Office. Mr.. Canada is
our Consuls at the smaller ports are
Consular Agents, on sort Of a zee
basis, and report to Mr.. Canada
The streets of Vera Cruz are poorly
lighted. and my vocabulary Of about
forty Spanish words proved INSULT
cfent to carry me to the ConsuPs Of
flee by the most direct route. How
ever I reached the place In time, and
climbed dark stairway TO a dimly
lit office. A sleepy American negro
was in charge.
He lives here Cor 'huhr') but he amt
here"
told him I would look around town
a little and be back in half an hour,
and I was.
The porter was little sleepter5 the
Consul had not yet returned
I took in Vera Cruz, which was
getting darker and qufeter all the
time. in three or four half-hour trips,
at the end Of each reporting at the
Consult, and getting the same an
swer.
1t was close to midnight. when I
found the Consul in and he was IN
a rage and bawling out the porter.
That id nigger," ne finally ex-
planned, had me locked out on the
roof I have been trying to get in
since o'clock"
(Note. in 1914: A few months ago
when the press dispatches told of
the thrilling escape Of the younger
Diaz from Huerta's soldiers at Vera
Cruz. at night. over the roofs, to Con
sui Canadas office, and thence to an
American man-of- war; could see IT
I'll. but made sure that Mr.. Canada
was previously informed Of the in
tended flight and saw to II, himself
that the roof door was not locked
Otherwise DiaZ could not have gotten
in. Could he? r. F. b
Mr. Canada is about fiftyfv short,
rather thick set. white hair, with
white close clipped mustache. Not
withstanding the unseasonableness OF
the hour and the unimpOrtanCe (tO
hm) of my mission, he gave close At
tention to my story. He seemed to be
used to hearing the tales Of hard luck
Americans. He knew nothing about
the Richard" He said that he had
an inkling that the Consular Agent at
Frontera was not all that he should
he-that he was interested in various
schemes there-some Of which might
have proven counter to the interests
of my vessel. That was all. except
that he asked me to report my ind
ings.
I could not learn a thing from the
\ l.
the next steamer would sail for From
terra.
In the meantime I had engaged
room at the Hotel Diligencias (pro-
nounced DilahensyD An American
doctor on the train advised me to go
there as many cases of yellow fever
had come from the hotel that I had
intended to go to, the Hotel Mexico.
(There were twenty-five new cases
here Yesterday
1 went to bed, and hardly had
closed my eyes cit seemed) when 1
thought was the firing of heavy can
non right in my room,
rushed to the window. tt was get
ting daylight. Opposite the window,
and across the street was the helfry
platform of Vera Cruz's big cathedral.
and four long gowned priests were
Justify beating big bells with sledge
hammers could not hear myself
think Then it commenced to rain,
n regular deluge I hastily dressed
and made my way through the trop-
ical downpour to the waterfront, de-
termined that nothing should interfere
with my catching the first steamer for
Frontera.
I reached the dock at o'clock A
little steamer was Just passing the end
of the breakwater. I knew 1t before
I asked--it was the steamer I should
have caught, and l was left behind.
in a yellow fever town A steamer
sailing at that hour he'd never been
heard Of Hard luck. The first time
4 have ever missed anything, and J..
Mexico!
Yesterday passed, today IS passing
and the next steamer for FTontera, 1t
is alleged will sail tomorrow. In the
meantime I am having a much better
time than I supposed I would. l have