The Sentinel=record., 1914-05-12

tce had been discussed.
 State department officials were in. dignaut when it became known that Vice Consul Silliman and his clerk, Joseph A. Marchan, as well as sey- eral other Americans, had been pris- oners of the fedaral commander at SaltilIo 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 week that neither Consul Siliman, no member of the embassy staff, and no Americans in Saltillo had been in danger was intended only to de- ceiye the state department officials as to the real state of affairs at Sal tilo.
 Today Consul Canada repored the arrival of Consular Clerk Marchani in Vera Cruz. The clerk informed Mir. Canada that before he was re-
 
 he was marched under guard from the jail to the consulate and com pelled at the point of a revolver to open the safe and surrender to the federal commander all the consular records and all valuables, including money and a quantity of jewelry left there for safekeepng. 1t is not known here how many Americans were imprisoned, but word was re- ceiyed that all had been released eX- cept Consul Sillman and that these Saltillo refugees are part of a band of 100 who left Mexico City for Vera Cruz today. There is nothing off cials here can do to expedite the re- lease of Consul Siliman They merely can await the good offices of the Brazilian minister. who gives as- surancas that he is doing everything possible to obtain his liberation
 Despite such disquieting clements always attendant upon revolution and threatened international conflict, the Latin-American mediators proceeded energetically with their plans for the conference at Niagara Falls.
 Justice Lamar and Mir. Lehman, the American representatives, did not confer, awaiting murther instruc- ti0ns from the state department and President Wilson, who will return to- morrow from the memorial in New tn American advisers do not know when they will leave for Canada, but expect to decide tomorrow. Thus far no steps have been taken to or ganiZe their mission. Details and the selection of their assistants will be taken up with the president and Secretary Bryan tomorrow. There is a possibility that still another Ameri- can representative may be chosen, but Mir. Bryan said tonight it would be assumed for the present that there would be only two. Justice Lamar made no comment on his se- lection for the important mission. Mir. Lehman said:
 " the secretary of state"
 With relation to the arrest at Vera Cruz of the South American citizens, General Funston has proposed to try them before a military commission. As penalty for conviction would be death, Latin-American diplomatic representatives in Mexico City were thrown into a panic and induced the Brazilian minister to intervene. req soning that because the minister had assumed responsibility for the lives and property of Americans in Mexico, these representations might have greater weight. Secretary Gar rison postponed temporarily a deci- sion upon the appeal by calling atten- tion to the fact that it should prop erly be made by the ministers in Mexico representing the countries of which these prisoners are citizens, and referring the whole matter to the state department.
 The subject, it was pointed out, might prove embarrassing for the reason that the case involves the right of General Funston to try any person for his life before @ military commission in time of peace; and that the administration has not con- ceded the existence of state of war.
 The navy department seeks to as- certain all the facts connected with the reported seizure of Lobos Island, about % miles south of Tampico, by Admiral Mayo's orders, as was charged by the Mexican government in a complaint submitted by the Bra zilian ambassador here, as head of the mediation board. The state de- partment has requested such an in- vestigation. but the naval authorities, pending it's conclusion, are confident that there has been no seizure of ter ritory and that the most that Ad- miral Mayo has done has been to take the necessary steps to insure the maintenance of the important as-