Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-21
RELEASE OF
JENKINS is
dem ANDED
Further MoIestation Of U. S.
Consular Agent at PuebIa
"WiII Seriously Affect ReIa-
tionS of Two Countries"
STILL IN CUSTODY
AND Ill BESIDES
Jenkins, In Letter, Gives Full
Description Of Capture ano
Experience With Bandits
During Time He Was Held.

During Time He Was Held.
Washington, Nov 20.-Mexico
was warned today by the American
government that any further mo.
lestation of William 0. Jenkins. ~
American consular agent at Fuebia
who recently was kidnapped by ban
dts, would seriously affect the re-
latons between the United States
and Mexico, for which the govern
ment of Mexico must assume sole
responsibility"
Coupled with the warning was
a demand for the immediate release
of the consular agent, who was re-
arrested Tuesday on charges in con-
nection with his abduction and ran-
som in the sum of $l50,000 gold. OF.
ficial reports that Jenkins had again
been imprisoned at Puebla reached
the State department today, from
the American embassy at Mexico
City, which was instructed to trans
NIT note demanding his release.
Outcome of Arrests.
jenkins was first arrested earfy
this month on the charge of col-
lusion with the bandits. who took
! him from his home at Puebla, Oc-
tober 1o, but he was released after
remaining in the penitentiary two
hours. He was restricted to his
home, however. and on Tuesday was
Trearrested on complaint that he had
threatened poems who had given
evidence on which the state authori-
ties acted in first taking him into
custody.
So far as the department has been
advised he still. is held in cutody
and because of his weakened physi-
cal condition. resulting from the
hardships endured during the week
the bandits held him in the NOUN
j tains, of Puebla state, officials feared
long Imprisonment might perma-
nently affect his health.
Planned to Return Home. =
Before his arrest, Jenkins. who
operated a large cotton mill at
Puebla. had planned to return. to
his old home in Tennessee, and Il
necessary. come to Washington to
present his claims to officials for aa-
sistancc ip paying off the obl;gs-
tons contracted in raising the fund
paid the bandits for his release.
These plans of the consular
agent were outlined in a letter re-
ceiyed frofff him today by Repre-
sentative Davis of Tennessee. Writ-
| ing under date of November 4, Jen-
kins gave a description of his cap.
ture by and experience with the ban-
dts who. he said told him that the
principal object in kidnapping him
was ITO demonstrate that the pres
ent government of Mexico was not
able to give guarantees (to for-
eigners) not even in the second city
of the country"
Overpowered in Yard.
Jenkins said he was overpowered
in his own yard by five armed reb-
els. and told he would be killed is
he resisted.
Il was searched for any weapons"
he said. "and had my hands tied
together, and then was forced to 90
to the Office, where the two safes
were completely emptied of all
money. amounting to few hundred
pesos more than $4,000.
when the safes had been rified,
two of the men were sent forward
with the money and the other three
advised me that l would have to
| accompany them. / made every
possible plea to dissuade them from
their purpose. but | was informed
that it was their principal object
to demonstrate that the present
,, government of Mexico was not able
to give guarantees. not even in the
second city of the country"
jenkins said he was given per-
mission to see his wife. who added
her pleas to his own. in vain.
Carried Of to Mountains.
81 was carried off to the imoun-
tains that night" he continues,
travelling all night on horseback,
and was kept in the mountains for
one week, moving from one place
TO another and sleeping in the open
hills and in the brush. Unfortunate
ly, it began to rain on Tuesday and
for three successive nights it rained
all night and was wet to the skin.
On Thursday night I began to suf-
fer rheumatism. and by Saturday
! was in deplorable state. having
my right leg swollen horribly and
unable to eat or sleep. As a mat
ter of fact | was in such a shape
that think | would have died in
few more days
MY friends were very active DUR
ing this week. but it took several
days to get in contact with the reb-
els, who absolutely refused to give
me up, except through the payment
OF the entire sum of 100000 pesos,
but it was pointed out to him that
my physical condition was such that
l would only live few days and