New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-03
New York Harvard Club
Member, However, Spells
a Picturesque Story.
HELD UP ID HOURS,
HE is FINALLY FREED
w. Belmont Parker Tells of Thrill.
ing Experiences of Refugees
Leaving Mexico City.
BY ARTHUR RUHl.

hnODlduCll, tNe pldyWflBnt, dulHoI VI
"Kismet," and member Of the Har-
ward Club Of New York, is another of
the young Americans shaken out of
Mexico by the crisis.
Knoblauch's career has been at quite
the opposite swing Of the pendulum
from that Of his literary brother. He
is a mining and civil engineer, lean
and bronzed like an Indian, and has
spent most of his life since leaving
college in hard work outdoors.
The story told Of his escape Is pictu
rescue, In that he was about to be
hanged by Mexicans as a spy when he
tried to satisfy them by pretending to
be a German citizen, since he speaks
German.
This might seem easy, but the Next
cans were not convinced. At the last
moment a chlvalrous Spaniard slipped
a German coin into Knoblauch's hand.
He pretended to pull it out OF his
pocket, and said: "See, here's a coin l
brought with me from the old country"
de veras," said the Mexicans. and
let him go.
Unfortunately this attractive mar
rative is not quite true, in that there
was no rope and the German coin was
given to Knoblauch before he left Mex
leo by another Harvard man, w. Bel
mont Parker, a member Of the New
York Harvard and Lotos clubs, who is
in Mexico investigating economic con-
ditions. Knoblauch did borrow citi-
zenship papers from a German friend,
but, although held up for fourteen
hours at Soledad, he did not have to
use them.
Parker tells an extremely interesting
story of conditions in Mexico City. A
feeling of tenseness and excitement
was in the air everywhere. The shop
ping streets were deserted, the stores
were barred up and mounted police
men were stationed in front of the
American Club. Even that social holy
of holes, the Mexican Jockey Club,
seemed filled with a strange air and
murmur of something about to hap
pen.
1t is gossiped everywhere that
Huertas resignation was written last
Sunday and was about to be published,
when the old President took another
drink, pounded his fist on the table and
shouted that he would never resign
while there remained breath in his
body.
Signs were put up in the streets be-
fore the refugee trains left, saying
Now or never" and five hundred
Americans gathered at the station.
spending four hours there before they
could get off, amid the greatest con-
fusion, excitement and suspense.
Meanwhile there was no hostile demon
STATIONS from Mexicans.
At one small station i'm the highlands
the train made a long wait, during
which the populace crowded to the
windows, shouting. Death to the
Gringos" A big, blond mining en-
gineer shouted back, Viva MexicO." A
lady suggested that he take off his hat
to the crowd. He swung his hat in
the air and shouted viva Mexico" with
greater enthusiasm. And before he got
through the childlike crowd was reach
ing through the windows TO shake the
hands of the Americans.
At another place where the train
stopped for the night there were three
thousand Mexican soldiers gathered A
line of them stood guard outside the
car windows all night, nodding over
their guns. One of them slipped and
his own rifle went off and a bullet went
into his neck and out the top of his
head All night his comrades kept
coming up, lighting matches and point
ing to the holes where the bullet went
in and came out. 1t was not comfort
ing to those inside, who did not know
when the next gun might be dis
charged in the same way.
This was the crowd which changed 10
the Isthmus Road at Cardoba and
caught the Hancock at Puerto Mexico.
Parker has been an English instructor
at Harvard. He arrived in Mexico only
about a month ago.
The near approach of the rainy sea-
son is a matter of some concern TO the
American forces. The danger from
mosquitoes and consequent malaria is
much greater. Vera Cruz, with It's
underground sewers and asphalt
streets, is one of the healthiest cities
in Mexico. All parts of the lowland. or
TERRA nealiente. in this neighborhood
are subject. however. TO malaria and
tropical fevers, and the infantry at the
outpost camps, where mosquitoes are
already thick, will need screened tents
more than the bluejackets did.
The weather thus far has been very
hot. but dry, except for one early morn
ing rain. so that some of the most dis
heartening difficulties of campaigning
in the tropics are yet TO be met The
climate about Mexico City and the
highlands generally is much cooler in
summer than New YORK.
General Funston's men brought only
dog tents and the lightest equipment.
II the camp about Vera Cruz continues
through the rainy season, moving
troops to a higher altitude will become
a matter of serious consideration.
Equitable's War Policies.