The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-12

merly q resident Of Topeka and a stu
dent at Washburn college. who was
one Of the men who was forced to get
out Of Mexico during the recent crisis,
is to the effect that hatred against the
gringo is strong in the western part
of Mexico.
Fritts was residentsof Guadalajara
when Vera Cruz was seized by the
American marines and was in charge
Of an educational institution there.
When the news reached Guadalajara
that Vera Cruz had been taken there
were 800 Americans in that city. It
was rumored throughout the western
part OF Mexico that war had been de-
| clared and the governor Of the Mexi-
can state gave the Americans who
lived in Guadalajara just forty-eight
hours in which to leave the city or
become citizens of Mexico. It was I'M
officially known by the Americans
that If they refused to do one or the
be stood up in front Of a stone wall
and shot,
Two hundred and fity-nine Of the
Americans left the city and arrived
at Manzanil1o which is located on the
west coast of Mexico at midnight The
refugees were Quartered in the Ameri-
can consular building and were left
there from midnight until the next
afternoon without food or water. The
Americans were transported from
Guadalajara to Manzanillo on mill
tary train which was obtained by some
Of the more influential Americans in
the party.
Before the Americans were permit
ted to leave the American consular
building in Manzanillo they were
forced to pay the Mexican officials
the sum Of 1000 pesos as their ran
leave the building with the American
consul and board tramp steamer
which was anchored in the harbor.
All the Americans with the excep-
| ton Of eighteen men were on board
the steamer when word was received
by the Mexican officials that an Amer
lean warship would arrive in the har-
| Dor at any minute. The eighteen men
were at once lined up in front of the
American consular building and the
| American flags and seals that were
in the building were torn from their
places, dragged through the streets,
| kerosene poured over them and were
burned by a rioting crowd OF Mex1-
cans. All this time the American In
| charge Of affairs in Manzanillo was on
the tramp steamer and practically
helpless to save the Americans on
shore. He sent a message to repre-
sentatives of the German and Nor
wegian governments who were on
shore and asked them to do every
thing in their power to get the Ameri-
cans released. One man of the eigh-
teen was suspected by the Mexican
officials as being a spy. This man
posed as q Norwegian: the Norwegian
consul pinned small flag over his
heart and stated to the Mexican Of
Gals that there would be something
| doing if the man was molested. He
was at once released and permitted to
! board the tramp steamer. The British
consul rescued another man whom the
Mexicans claimed was a spy and aided
| him to get to the steamer.
| The Mexicans planted mines in the
harbor and in the city and were ready
to destroy the port should the Ameri-
can warship come in sight The
! Americans on shore knew that should
the ship open fire on the city that they
| would be shot at once. It was q half
hour of nerve-racking anxiety for
| those on the steamer.
| When the ship came in sight of the
harbor it proved to be a merchant
i steamer and after considerable effort
| on the part Of British and Norwegian
i consuls the Americans were released.
i MT. Fritts was the last man to leave
tho shore before news was received
| that the American warship was APP
preaching. When the ship proved to
be q merchant steamer his wife who
was with him tainted. Mr.. Fritts and
his wife are at present the guests Of
DIR. NJ. q. Sloo. q Topeka physician-
FrfttS while attending Washbufn col
lege in Topeka was employed ~ q
carrier by the State journal.