The sun., 1916-10-11
Richmond lowering At
tacks Vice-Admiral's Ncr-
sion of 'Tampico Incident
DESERTED CITIZENS
Is CHARGE HE MAKES
Secretary Daniels. After
Seeing President, Refused
to Heed Officers Protest.

Many points In v~ice-Admiral II. T.
Afayo's own story Of the 'Tamp!co Incl
dent" which was carefully canned and
issued by the national Democratic conn
uittss In answer to Republican charges.
vere alta yesterday BY Richmond
Leverins, president OF the Metropolitan
OIL Company Of 100 broadway. Mr..
Levering made 1t a point to tell an
portant chapter In the history OF ram
pico on the day Of the American cap
turo Of Vera Cruz. This chapter con-
tains many points which Admiral Mayo
cid not discuss.
Mr.. Levering. who Is thoroughly ac-
suainted with the oil fields OF Mexico
ana has been employed by the Navy De-
partment OH two distinct commissions
during the present Administration had
unusual opportunities to observe things
that occurred In the Navy Depa rtment
on the day Of the occupation or Vera
Crus and the efforts made by naval OF.
ncsrs to give adequate protection to
Americans In Tampico on that day. only
70 be frustrated by Secretary Daniels.
Backed ~ Afnaawits.
Mr.. lowering made many contradic.
lions TO Admiral Mayo's statement and
~ supports some Of them with afidav!ts
and letters. He charged absolutely that
vico-Admiral Mayo. despite his protesta-
lions to Admiral Fletcher. was ordered
away from Tamp!co by Secretary Daniels
through Admiral Fletcher: that Vice-Ad-
mirai Mayo left without making any ar
Engagements with foreign warsh ps to
grant protection to Americans: that
steps to warn Americans In the environs
Of Tampico OF their danger were taken
By the British warships at the request
Of the British Ambassador In Washing
ton.
Because Of the fact that I was doing
work for the Navy Department. ! had
unusual opportunity to be In touch with
events on the morning Of April 81. 1914.
when Admiral Fletcher seized Vera
Crus." said Mr.. lowering. The state
ment made by Admiral Mayo to George
Creel and promulgated by order OF Sec.
retAry Daniels 10 erroneous and m'slead-
Ing and II lodges the most Important
part Of the situation.
Nov let us take up some Of the state
ments made by Admiral Mayo. First.
there Is the assertion that he never made
any appea! to Secretary Daniels for per.
m'ssion to remain at Tampico and pro-
tect the Americans there. OF course he
didn't. but he did make two protests to
Admiral Fletcher. who wirelcssed them
to Secretary Daniels. ! was in the Navy
Department and read them on the morn.
ing Of April 81.
TIVE Protests From Mayo.
THE FIRST message which Admiral
Mayo sent to Admiral Fletcher after the
GArYatarv'a nrherg IN Ian va T. nicn had
been transmitted to him announced that
Mayo considered It dangerous TO remove
the American wal vessels. To that Sec
rotary Daniels replied that Mayo must
leave.
Then Admiral Fletcher sent another
message which he had received from
Mayo protesting against the remova, OF
the vessels. Again Secretary Daniels in
sisted that Mayo's continued presence at
rampico was dangerous. According )
Mayo passed out Of jet.ies at 10 40.
at which time he received a message from
ADMIRAL Fletcher that he did not need
the Connecticut. Dolphin. Des Moines.
Cyclops and Solace. and hat they were
10 remain along the coast to give pro-
lection 20 Americans.
Now when Mayo sailed down the
river he did not make any arrangements
with the foreign warsh!ps to give protec-
ton to Americans. That Is a vital point.
for six weeks before the capture Of Vera
Crus Secretary OF State Bryan. at the d.
rection Of President Wilson. wrote a let
ter to Z certain embassy saying tina n
would give two weeks notice OF any in
tended invasion Of Mexico. Yet this
never was done. and the hrs, the British
Ambassador knew OF the occupation Of
Vera Cruz was when I carried him the
news on the morning of the attack. The
British feet under Admiral Cradock had
no knowledge either. for Cradock was in
Vera Cruz on the morn ne Of the attack.
n the first he knew Of the attack was
when he heard the firing.
British Cruiser P%owerIess.
after Admiral Mayo had left Ameri-
cans At Tampico to their own fate news
arrived from Vera Cruz OF the attack
there. Immediately the Mexican popu-
lace became enraeed. Hostile speakers
gathered In the streets and made speeches
against Americans, This ! can prove by
q number OF aff'davits which have been
submitted to the Senate committee.
These aifida'its prove hat the critical
time for Americans In Tampico was on
the afternoon and the night of the occu-
patton OF Vera Cruz.
in the evening the hotel owned by L.
ii. Fouts, where Americans were gath
cred. was surrounded by Mexicans and
attacked. Appeals were made by a rep
resentatlye OF the American Consul 10
the Captain Of the british cruiser Her
mione TO send a wireless to Admiral
Mayo asking for help. but the British
Captain said the United States was at
wal with Mexico and he had no author
ity to transmit such a message. Fur
thcrmore, appeals were made to the Her
miono by Americans 20 take them On
board. but until shortly before midnight
those appeals were refused on the ground
that British subjects must be rescued
first. These affida Wits also show thai
German officers went To tho protection of
Americans, men. women and children.
hnd took them on board the German
cruiser.
Admiral Mayo does not assert tina,
hs did anything for the Americans AZ
Tampico on April 81, the day Of the real
danger. but he does assert that on the
morning Of April &c he communicated
with Capt. Doughty of the iIermione an
bouncing a plan Of sailing up the river
10 get Americans, but that Cant. Doughty
warned him against such a course. hd.
,nlral Mayo says Capt. Doughty Offered
10 warn Americans and to rescue them,
rs n matter OF fact the rescue work was
rtarted by Capt. Doughty, acting AT The
request OF the British Ambassador In
Washington.
st1tc brpartmen sleeps,
" wa evident by 2 4. NJ. on the o2d
mat a lars" PORTION Of americans in
I'h'pl'o proper had lcnn rescued by tho
German and British wtl,hips. but that
n great nunhyr ~ .\nuri,ans In ranns
''AN fran T'mpico had NO varniny ~
y V1ueia " 9u!t tne coua.ry Or infor.