Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-17
State Department Asserts
Carranza Officials Assured
Americans Route Was Safe


Evidence collected at FL Paso by
state Department agents indicates tha'
Csrranza authorities at Chihuahua as
sured C. r. Watson. head of the party
of Americans killed near Santa 1sapei.
that no escort was necessary. In that
opinion. however, many of the Amerl-
cans agreed, although they had sug-
gested to the authorities the aoFisa
bility of sending troops with the party.
The advices further stated that the
Carranza governor of Chihuahua gave
Watson a personal passport and that
the CarranZa immigration authorities
in JuareZ gave general paSsport 5oi
the whole Watson party. Ihese ue-
yelopments are taken to point 10 the
responsibility of the CarranZa govern
ment for not adequately protecting the
Americans. 49,,
The state Department gave out tins
paraphrase of its official advices from
Ell Paso:
Holmes, the only survivor of the
massac has no, knowledge as TO
whether Watson and companions re-
uuested a military escort or guard lot
their trip from Chihuahua to Cusihuirt-
achic. He states that if they did so the
authorities declined to furnish an es-
cort or guard. Holmes says that all OF
the members or the party IeIt sdie III
making the trip.
ut is reported by a person connect
ed with one of the companies operat-
ing in Chihuahua that the day that
the Americans that were killed start
ed for the works he had a conversation
with Watson and asked him il Next
can escort was to accompany his party
He replied that such an escort would
not accompany them, as he had talked
with the authorities and they toid MIN
il was not necessary.
Issued Passport to Party.
LAS to what assurances, if any, Wat
son and companions had received from
Mexican authorities that it would be
safe to resume operations at Cusi-
.huiriachic. knowing that the Cusi
mines were situated at Gust and that
the purpose of the return of Watson
and companions to Mexico was to re-
sumo the operation of these mines, the
immigration authorities in Juarez.
upon application of the Ell Paso agents
of the Cusi Company. gave general
passport to the Watson party. The
Governor of Chihuahua also gave
personal passport to Watson.
Watson went to Chihuahua and was
there January 4 to ascertain If 1T
would be safe to resume operations.
While there he got the de facto au-
thorities to send a garrison to and
maintain il at Cusi. On that day three
trains of troops. of twenty cars each.
supposed to carry total force of !. 900
the de facto government, left Chihua-
hua for Cusi at am. and 1880 and
pm, respectively. The ] 80 train also
carried the Mexican civilians. Lopez
Mining Company; Eduardo Enriquez,
employe of the Cusi MeXicana Com
pany. and Pascual Aiaga. employe
OF the Minas San Juan Y Anexes Com
nan naa ri n I'D
pany in the cusi camp. Said Enriquez
is brother of the de facto governor of
the state of Chihuahua. After being
satisfied that a garrison was going to
the camp and after the second mill
tary tram had left Chihuahua, Wat
son left for III Paso at pm
on January the Chihuahua agent
of the cusi Company. with whom l
graphed Watson at FL Paso, in ref
ence to the above named civilian pas
kengers on said second military train,
information received by him from Cusi
by phone as follows: Boys arrived
tusi safely last night. They found
everything quiet over there As this
telegram mentioned the boys without
mentioning the troops, Watson on the
same day, TO make certain that a gar
rison was established at Cusi, tele-
grsphed the chihuahua agent: Wire
If troops arrive Cusi and trains run
ming Northwestern To which the
day Troops arrived Cusi. Since yes
terday evening Northwest trains sus-
pended indefinitely, account no fuel
On the same day said chihuahua agent
also telegraphed Watson at FL Paso:
'Cusi office again reports everything
quiet and Lopez telephones have
Just located two bags missing and we
are now receiving some in our office
Silver Part of Loot
The missing bags referred to were
silver that had been stolen during a
previous looting of the camp, and per-
haps indicated to Watson restoration
of order with the establishment of the
military garrison. Foregoing messages
are supposed TO have been with Wat
sou on the. trip to Gust, as he took all
the records from FL Paso with him
preparatory 10 operating the offices at
The property. Members of the party
tina; rescued the bodies state those
records and papers could be seen scat
tered BY winds around the scenes of
the massacre They did not try to
gather them. because of approaching
darkness and presence of Nillista ban
dts on nearby hills. Copies from
hich the foregoing were taken were
furnished by the Western Union office
al III Paso.
Having passports issued by authori-
ties. and IA garrison having been estab-
lshed which they understand to num-
her 1000 men, they had ample assur-
aices that II would he safe to resume
operations at Gust.
~ pom the question OF safety en-
route the dc facto authorities had run
iheir three military trains to Gust on
the itb. and. az afterward came to the
notice Of the party. was that day run
mag d special out TO pick up and bring
back the equipment used for those
three trains II was this special that
blocked the track and trapped the Wat
son party. The train which blocked the
track at kilometer IS on January 10
consisted OF engine No. 500 and water
car aud caboose. all National railways
equipment, aUd Was operated by a crew
Of the National railways. which Ma
ttoral railways are operated by the de
facto government authorities.
Were Government Employees.
Therefore the crew in charge OF this
train were employees OF the de facto