Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-06-21

, anu Las 1eldudS. all occurring curing
| September last, are typical. In these
attacks on American territory. Car
/ ranZista adherents and even Carrar-
Zlsta soldiers took part in the loot
| ing, burning and killing. Not only were
| these murders characterized by ruth
| less brutality. tut uncivil;zed acts OF
mutilation We're perpetrated.
Representations were made to Cen
eral Carranza and he was emphatical
| ~ requested to stop these reprehensi-
! bic acts in a section which he has long
claimed to be under the complete dom
| lnatlon of his authority. EotWithstand-
| ing these representatives and the
promise of General Nafarrete to pre-
vent attacks along the international
boundary, in the following month of
October. a passenger train was wreck
ed by bandits and several persons kill
! ed seven miles north of Brownsville,
and an attack was made upon United
eral days later Since these attacks.
| eaders of the bandits well-known bot
to Mexican civil and military authori-
/ ties as we'll as TO American officials,
have been enjoying with impunity tho
|
leo. So far has the indifference of the
de facto government to these atroci.
ties gone that some of the leaders, as
| | am advised. have received not only
the protection of that government but
encoura cement and aid as WELL
| "Depredations upon American per-
sons and property within Mexican iu-
risdiction have been still more numer-
Gus. This government has repeatedly
requested on the strongest terms that
| the de facto government safeguard the
lives and homes of American citizens
and furnish the proteo ton which inter
national obligation imposes to Ameri
can interests in the northern states
CT Tama ulpas. Nuevo Leon, Coahuila.
Chihuahua and Sonora and also in the
states to the south. For example on
Jan. 3rd. troops were requested to pun
ish the bands of outlaws which looted
the CuSi mining property. 50 miles
west of Chihuahua, but no effective
results came from this request Dur
ing the following week, the bandit Viii
ia. with his band of about 1000 men
was operating without opposition be-
tween Nubio and Santa Ysabel a fact
we'll known to CarranziSta authorities
Meanwhile party of unfortunate
Americans started oy train from Chi
huahua to visit the Cusi mines. after
having received assurances from the
Carranzista authorities in the state of
| Chihuahua that the country was safe
and that a guard on the train was not
necessary. The Americans held pass
ports for safe conducts issued by au-
nf no do
| On Jan 10 the train was stopped by
Villa bandits and IS of the American
/ party We're stripped of their clothing
and shot in cold blood, in what is now
known a. the Santa Ysabel Massacre
General Carranza stated to the agent
of the State Department that he had
issued orders for the immediate pur-
suit. capture and punishment of those
responsible for this atrocious crime
and appealed to this government and
to the American people to consider the
difficulties of according protection
along the railroad where the massa-
ere occurred. Assurances were also
given by Mr.. Arredondo, presume bly,
under instructions from the de facto
government. that the murderers would
be brought to justice and that steps
would also be taken to remedy the
lawless conditions existing in the state
of Durango. 1t is true that Villa Castro
and Lopez We're publicly declared 20
he outlaws and subject to apprehen-
sion and execution, but so far as known
only single man personally connect
ed with this massacre has been
brought to justice by the Mexican au-
thorities. Within month after this
! harharouS slaughter of inoffensive
Americans. it was notorious that Villa
Vas operating within 20 miles of Cusi-
huirachio and publicly stated that his
purpose was to destroy American lives
and property. Despite repeated and in
s!stent demands that military protec-
ton should be furnished to Americans
! Villa openly carried on his operations
! He was not intercepted nor were his
( movements impeded by troops of the de
facto government and no effectual attempt
was made to Illustrate his hostile designs
against Americans. In face. as | am in
! formed, while Villa and his band were
slowly moving toward the American from
| tier in the neighborhood Of Columbia, y.
M. not a single Mexican soldier was seen
| in his vicinity. Yet the Mexican authori-
ties were fully cognizant of his move
ments, for on March s. as General Gavira
publicly announced, he advised the Amer
! lean authorities of the outlaws approa ch
! to the border. Villas unhindered activi-
! ties eliminated in the unprovoked and
! cold-blooded attack upon American SOL
diers and citizens in the town of Column
bus on the night Of March Q. After MUIR
dering. burning and plundering, Villa and
his bandits fleeing south passed within
| sight Of the Carranzista military post at
Casas Grandes and no effort was made
| to stop him.
"In the face Of these depredatons, not
| only on American lives and property on
Mexica soil, but on American soldiers
citizens and homes on American territory
| the perpetrators of which General Car
| rama was unable or possibly considered
| it inadvisable to apprehend and punish,
the United States had no recourse other