New-York tribune., 1919-12-01
Suppressed Records Tell
Story of Mexican Torture
Bandit Crueties, Leading Up to Death of Land and
Whteford After Their kidnapping, Covered Up as
''Cerman Propaganda at Washington's Request

Thomas to communicate with White
ford's captors and bring about his
release
Ferris is living in Los Angeles now.
His sworn statement covers thirty
eight typewritten, single spaced sheets
of paper 1t is so full of dates as -
establish that Mr.. Ferris is slave
to detail. Every bundle of twinc, evecy
sack of concentrate that passed be-
tween Mazatlan and the properties of
the Cuyutlan Gold Mines Company, is
mentioned in Fcrris's statement. In
terspersed is material for a novel, but
a novel with a tragic ending.
Sought Help of Priest
Ferris at first had sought to get into
communication with General" Felix
Diaz through priest named Gil
Cazares A note was sent to him by a
messenger, who travelled in an auto
mobile from Acoponeta, in which town
Ferris made his headquarters during
the two months Whteford was pris-
oner, to Rosa Morada, tho home of the
priest. The note explained that the
bandits had sent word they wanted
5000 pesos for the release of White
ford, but Ferris explained that he
thought it would be we'll to offer them
$500 pesos first. He also asked the
preist to meet him in the village of
Colorados to talk things over and
avoid the excited and gossiping natives
in Acoponeta, in which unquestionably
there moved about quite freely men
whose business it was to carry infor-
nation to Felix Diaz of the West.
The priest was a bit tlmid about
visiting the bandits and sent a mes
senger to their stronghold instesd.
Then Mr.. Ferris, according to the
associations copy of his statement.
decided to carry $500 pesos, concealed
in the gasoline tank of an automo-
bile, to the home of the priest. 1t was
midnight as he stopped his car in front
leaned cautiously out of a window and
warned him to leave Immediately He
said the bandits were in town at that
very minute Mr. Ferris wasted no
time in leaving, and later he learned
that within five minutes after his de
parture twenty-five horsemen surround
ed the priests house while their leader
talked with him. Not long afterward
the priest sent word that he would be
unable to conduct the negotiations
Guns and Gold Demanded
Other schemes were tried, and finally
a native messenger brought word that
5000 pesos in gold and couple of
good automatic pistols with a supply
Of ammunition could buy freedom for
Whiteford. This was confirm ed in q
few days by q letter forwarded by the
priest. 1t was written by Matas Ra-
mircz and was dated at Las Carpas, the
headquarters of Felix Diaz of the West
Raminez explained that the pistols
should be left-handed weapons and
asked that his best wishes be conveyed
to Donna Angelelta, evidently a mu-
tual acquaintance.
A few days later Ferris learned that
the bandits had decided that White
ford's friends ought to pay 10000 pesos
for his release.
Ramirez finally met Ferris and ex-
planned to him that Whiteford was
being treated very much better by the
bandits because he had begun to treat
the sore eyes Of the bandit chief. Not
long afterward there came brief
letter from Whiteford requesting medi-
cine for the eyes of Felix Diaz and
speed III the payment of his ransom.
The medicine was sent back bv a
messenger named Manuel Segovia, VIII
also carried letter from Ferris to
Whiteford. Segovia was instructed to
roll this up until it resembled a
cigarette and to hand it to Whiteford
at the first opportunity. The letter
told Whiteford that all of the general 5
demands had been complied with as far
as possible; that it was impossible to
get 10000 pesos in gold without great
delay, but that all the money would be
sent at the earliest possible moment.
Ferris also wrote:
II am telling the general YOUR wife is
sick and that your family is worrying
Messenger Murdered
few days after that a Mexican who
was sent to the bandit HEADQUARTERS
with several thousand pesos to be an
piled to Whiteford' s ransom was muir
dered, in all probability by the men Of
Felix Diaz's command. The rules of the
game, as made by the bandits, for such
an event provided that the loss was the
"gringo's."
Not long afterward Ferris learned
of the death of his messenger, and a
few days after that Ferris, in the town
of Tepic, received word to call at the
office OF May, Delius & Co. which was
also the office Of the German Consul.
There Mr.. Ferris was handed letter
directed to him by Colonel Gencro Co
varrubias, custodian of Whteford and
Land. The letter was written in Span-
ish on a typewriter and it was brief.
1t was dated May 25, 1918, and read:
"Thoy are demanding more money. They
have cut off finger and I cannot sign
the letter" Apparently it was written
by Whiteford There was no signature.
The members of the firm of May, Delius
& Co. then showed MIR. Ferris a bottle
of alcohol in which we're two human fin
gers 1t had been brought by the same
messenger who had delivered the letter.
There was another letter, supposedly