New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-30
Saves Americans by Cow
. ing Huerta and Other
Mexican Officials.
SNATCHES 113 FROM
HOSTILE COLONEL
Tweedie Forces Dictator 10 Let
Three Trainloads of Refugees
Leave Mexico City.
fBy Gable 70 The Tribune

Vera Cruz. April 29-The hero Of the
hour here to-day was Commander
Tweedie, OF the British cruiser Essex
But like q modest sailor the plucky
Scotsman left most of the talking OF
his deeds to his interpreter.
Tweedie's mission TO Mexico CITY was
brilliant success, thanks entirely 70
the British officers determination ana
insistence. In spite of opposition IRON
Huerta. Commander Tweedie saVe1
every American left in the Mexican
capital, three trainloads of them. lie
also snatched from the hands of
Mexican colonel at Soledad 113 Amerl-
cans who were threatened with death
i'm twelve hours.
lie brought the 113 here with him
Yesterday They were all farmers from
the Merida colony I'm OaXaca, who mad
been thrown into jails in TERRA Blanca
Orizaba and Cordoba. Ten or the
women had babes IN their arms. All
were weeping as they descended from
the train here and wrung Commander
Tweedie by the hand, thanking him as
their deliverer.
II Is believed that Tweedie has left
behind him such wholesome respect
for the foreigner that there will be no
more trouble. The danger Is not so
much from Huerta and his men as
from the mobs, but Huerta and those
in authority under him have the power
to control the populace If they wish
and It is thought that now they will
wish.
Huerts Yields at Last.
Commander Tweedie, when it became
known that Huerta was holding Amer
lean refugees in the capital and would
not let them leave. went to Mexico City
TO intercede for them. He was &C
companied only by his orderly and an
Interpreter, Julio Frankie. OF this city.
In the Mexican capital the Scotsman
found lie had no easy task. Huerta at
first refused 10 he convinced that he
should release the Americans. Tweedie
admits that he carried with him the
most energetic orders from England 10
Sir Lionel Garden, the British Minister,
that nothing was 20 be left undone to
accomplish the safety of the American
refugees. Minister Garden was called
into the conference with Huerta.
At last Huerta promised that all
Americans should he permitted TO
leave. Minister OF War Banquet and
Foreign Minister Portillo Rojas
Joined their chief in giving assurances
that all prisoners should be released
and that all Americans desiring to do
so might leave for Puerto Mexico.
Arrangements were made and three
trains were provided. Then II was dis
covered that Huerta would not provide
an escort. which meant that the ref
ugees might be seized anywhere en-
route. There had to he another con-
ference, and Minister Garden when he
came from a visit to Minister Portillo
was wearing no sort of pleasant look.
Huerta asserted that he knew OF no
reason why an escort should be put on
the trains. 1t would mean, he said,
that he assumed responsibility for the
safety Of the passengers, and he did not
care TO do that. Commander Tweedie
did not mince matters. He told him
that that responsibility was just what
/ he had to undertake and nothing less.
Shook British Lions Tail.
According to the story told by
Frankie, the interpreter, it was good 10
see Tweedie flashing the British lions
tail in Huerta's face. Huerta tried Ia
get out Of it by saying the trains would
be operated by and in charge OF Eng
lishmen. Tweedie would take nothing
less than the provision Of protection.
Huerta's final stroke of obstinacy
was that he would allow none of the
American refugees 10 be brought away
on Commander Tweedie's train. As it
turned out this was piece OF luck.
When Tweedie reached Soledad or