New-York tribune., 1919-12-02
No Evidence Presented

No Evidence Presented
Moreover, the ground expressed
for the imprisonment of jenkins,
namely that he Is supposed TO be
responsible for the crime Of render
ing false Judicial testimony must
be taker-and my government di-
rects special attention to this point
AS merely an expression Of opinion
on the part of the Mexican govern
ment, as it is entirely unsupporte ed
by evidence There is not produced
any Of the testimony rendered by
him or any extracts from such tos-
timony tending to show the correct
ness Of this opinion.
The Mexican government cannot
expect the United States 10 accept
in the grave circumstances OF this
case such a bare. unsupported state
ment as valid excuse for the I'M
prlsonment Of an American consular
officer, particularly in view OF the
fact that the Investigation of the
case by the repre- entatives Of the
United States in Mexico, so far as
it has proceeded. fails utterly to
support this opinion Of Your govern
ment
con the contrary the Investigation
gives the government of the United
States every reason to believe tha-
MIR. jenkins has not knowingly given
any false testimony IN respect OF
vital points in his case. although he
has been harassed By Mexican author
tiles TO give such testimony, even
while lying IN the hospital too weak
and exhausted to make them as a
result Of his treatment By the ab-
ductors, and while he knew evidence
was being obtained against him
through intimidation Of Witnesses
SO stands the single, unsupported
and, my government believes. utter Y
unfounded ground alleged for Jen-
klns's imprisonment.
what CONCLUSION is to be drawn
from such a reply Of the Mexican
government other than there has
been a studied effort on the part OF
Mexican authorities 70 cnsnare Jan-
hins in the intricacies of legal pro-
ceedlngs by alleging the commission
OF technical otfenses and by bringing
unsupported charges against him
fol purpose9
Bandits Not Suppressed
"In the first place. to divert tne
attention OF the American public and
the American government, and indeed
of MeXlcans themselves. from the
actual situation, namel;Y =, hat Puebla,
the capital OF the state Puebla
and perhaps the second largest city
in Mexico, is without adequate pro-
lection from outlaws who infest the
immediate neighborhood and who are
accustomed openly and freely 10 visit
the city without hlNdrance. that by
the failure to furnish adequate pro-
lection in this district the Mexican
authorities have, through their neg
Ngence, made possible NC abduction
Of Jenkins. and that in harmony with
Mexican authorities they have failed
10 carry out the duty and Obligation
lncum bent upon them TO apprchcnd
and punish the bandits concerned in
the crime of which Jenkins was the
victim And, in the second place. il
appears 20 have been the purpose ot
the Mexican govern ment to assume a
willful indifference 10 the feelings OF
the American people that have been
aroused 10 the point Of indignation
by the exposure. hardship and phys
ical suffering endured by jenkins
during his abduction and his subSe-
quent treatment at the hands Of
Mexican authorities
I'm view OF the consideration
which have been SCI forth and iu
view particularly Of the belief OF my
government tha- the charge against
Jenkins Of deliberate false SWear'Y -
IS uNfounded, the government of the
United states must renew its reques,