Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-01-22
State Department in Posses
sion of Facts Regarding
Convention Held at Cordoba
Last November,
EXPLAINS MASSACRE
OF 21 F0REIG NERS
Villa, Zapata, Argumedo, Agui-
lar and CedlIIo Brothers
Leaders Of Pact for Ey-
termination,
l., soaslro 1ouss., srse,.l lsssso w,ssi

! Washington. Jan. 2i.--Dcath TO
/ Americans in Mexico and destruction
Of their property. as wen MS war TO
finish against carranzn was deter
mined upon, 1t became known here to-
night, at a formal convention of Mex
lean revolutionary leaders held. in No
vember at a ranch near Cordoba.
Present and joining in the agreement
are said to have been representatives
of Villa. Zapata. Argumcdo, iIiglnio
Aguilar the Cedillo brothers and
many lesser chieftains.
Mcagcr reports of this gathering
came to the state department long
ago, but they were not made public
and until tonight few people in Wash
inston knew that there was n general
conspiracy against Americans or even
that the various rebel factions in the
field in Mexico had effected any kind
OF an agreement for concrete activi-
ties against the de facto government.
Massacre Part Of Plan
The recent massacre at Santa ysa-
bel, attributed TO bandits led by Villa
officers, is believed to have been per-
petrated in accordance with the rebel
convention order. Officials think the
long period elapsed after the Cordoba
meeting before the murders because
of the time required by the various
delegates to make reports TO their
commanders, and the fact that news
Of The conventions decision had to he.
carried to subordinate military COM
manders by courier. Cordoba is on
the railroad between Vera cruz and
Mexico City, and some one thousand
miles from Ysabel.
The Carranza authorities have been
fully advised concerning the move
ments of the rebels, and have been
depended upon by the Washington
government to take every possible
precaution to prevent the threats
against Americans from being carried
out. They are believed to have the
situation fairly wen in hand now, al
though the chiefs whose delegates met
at Cordoba are still in the field opcr-
ating more or less openly
Why Americans Were Warned.
soon after Carranza was recognized,
the state department Withdrew its
consular officers from northern Mex
leo and reiterated it's warning to
Americans to leave. only by getting
citizens of the United states from ter
ritory not fully controlled by the de
facto government, II was realized,
could there be any real assurance of
safety.
Few details oi the Cordoba convcn-
tion are known, but according to the i
reports. it lasted for several days and
some OF the earlier arrivals awaited
probably weeks for all the delegates to
appear Apparently the call for the
meeting was sent out as soon us il be-
came known the United States was
about to recognize Carranza, although
1t was q month after recognition actu-
ally had been accorded before the del !
cgatcs got together At that time
large forces of Villa and Zapata forces
were operating II the neighlorhood OF
the railroads near Mexico CITY and
1t was possible for the convention to (
assemble ana do it's work with COM |
paratlvc safety from interruption.
Future Is Unknown.
Whether there Is any great proba- /
bility Of continued concert OF action /
among the factions fighting Carranza. T
officials here de not profess to know /
Some information has reached here
to indicate that money may be forth /
coming to finance n revolution on a !
scale with the hope Of
the support Of all the rebels,
but officials tonight said there were
no reports to show that such a move
mcnt actually was under way
Adyiccs to the state department
from El Paso today told Of the re-
ported capture near Chihuahua of
eighteen bandits alleged to have tax
on part in the Santa Ysabel murders.
and said they were 10 have been exc
cuted today No confirmation of the
report that Villa himself had Leen
taken was received and officials of
both the department and the Mexican
embassy abandoned hope that it was