Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-20
SERIOUS SITUATION
F.. CREATED BY |NSUL
+. TO AMERICAN FLAG
Boat Load of Sailors From
u. S. S. Cheyenne Robbed
by Bandits.
EXPLANATION is SOUGHT
FROM CARRANZA OFFICES
Washington Considers Affair as
Grave, and Quick Action Is I,
Demanded.
TROOPS GIVEN NEW ORDERS
Authorities at Mexico City Promise
Immediate Investigation OF Incl
| dent on Sunday, July 6.
EXPLANATION is SOUGHT
FROM CARRANZA OFFICES
TROOPS GIVEN NEW ORDERS
Authorities at Mexico City Promise
Immediate Investigation OF Inci.s.
dent on Sunday, July 6.

WASHINGTON, July 1a-The most
serious of the recently growing list OF
attacks on Americans in Mexico came
TO light today.
n boat load OF American sailors froti,
the L. s. S. Cheyenne were held up in
the Tamesi River on July 4 nine miIel
OF the city of Tampico and the sailors
we're robbed. The American flag wa,
flying from the boat at the time
Closely resembling the attacks on
American sailors which led TO the or.
cupation OF Vera Cruz i'll 1914, the
state Department did not hesitate to
regard 1t as a most grave affair, and
imm ediateiy dispatched urgent repre-
sentatives to the Carranza government
and the local authorities at Tampico.-
Although the sailors were fishing,
they were on official duty bringing In
food for their ship, and the American
flag flying from the boat denoted that
| II was official business.
preliminary reports of the attack
reaching the Navy Department on July
until today, when it promptly wac
given out No explanation was made
for the delay, Today Secretary Dan.
iels asked for a fuller report.
Regarded as Serious.
The incident Is regarded as most
because the Carranza forces are In full
control OF the Tampico district. espe-
clally the city and the waters about IT,
| and because 1t comes IS the climax to o
long series of recent attacks on Ameri-
cans all of which have been made the
subject Of increasingly urgent repre-
sensations to the CarranZa government
Since President Wilson returned from
| the peace conference he has turned his
attention great deal to the Mexican
! situation. Various reports have been
| Mexican affairs that the American gov
ernment's policy had undergone
| change, but there has been no official
| indication or announcement
1t is known. however. that the Amer
| lean troops along the border have a
new set Of orders. which was evidenced
| by the prompt manner in which they
crossed into Juarez and cleaned up
the fighting there when it menac"% vi
| Paso. The extent to which the mill
tary establishment has been prepared
fully been disclosed. but there are evil
| dences that the government is taking
measures to be prepared for any even
! Qualities into which 1t may be forced.
Insult Given In 1914.
It was an incident at Tampico in
4: Vera Cruz. 4 boat from one Of Ad-
miral Mayo's shops was Detained a
paymastrr was arrested and jailed. and
ships were menaced ashore. General
Huerta refused to apologize and salute
ta- American flag. and the occupation
of Vera CluZ followed.
Officials here see in. the incident ot
July s the makings OF a more serious
TIL State Department made the fol-
loving statement this afternoons:
The I'spartment of state has just
from the u. S. S. Cheyenne and
ocSunied by enlisted men of that Yes
gel who were on fishing trip, was
pcn. by armed men. The sailors were
robbed of personal effects.
Promise to Investigate.
Urgent representatives have been
both the local Mexican authorities at
Tampic" and to the Federal govern
ment at Mexico City. and the author
gate =: once"
Between fifteen and twenty sailors
are are believed to have been on the small
launch which flew the American nag.
IT. Is not 10, yet known whether any shots
DRnielS today ordered a complete re-
port of the inc ident from the COM
waters. - :.
The American sailors were helpless
before the bandits. They did not carry
Carranza government and II has been
the contention of Carranza authorities
right along that the Tampico district
Ihis Is the second case within the
past month wherein Americans In the
Tampico district have suffered from,
dee aepr ,on Of bandits While The
who attacked the Americans sailors la
as yet unknown. the. murder OF John
w. Correll, an American citizen last
month mon within twenty, miles OF Tam.
plco was accomplished by party OF
nifty men, many OF whom wore the uni.
forms OF Carranzista soldiers
Widow In Washington.
Mrs Cornell the widow, who waa
attacked and mistreated by the marau-
ders. and her son, Joe. boy OF six
teen. who was beaten when he at
tempted 10 defend his mother, are now
In Washington. waiting for an oppor-
tnnity to see the President and tho
state Department to give all inforua-
ton concerning the AFFAIR. The latest
murder of an American citizen, that os
Peter Catron, on July in Meico was
reported to the state Department. yes
terday. Only the barest details were
available and no further information
was received today. Urgent represen.
tations have been made In this case.
There, are. about six American men.
of.war In Mexican waters at the pres
ent time. The Z. S. s. Cheyenne is q.
monitor; tho other vessels either. mon-
TORS or cruisers. Since 1912