The sun., 1919-08-04
ANOTHER MEXICAN
OUTRAGE is Barred
DR.. and Mrs. Sturgis Tell Of
Violence and Confscation
by Present Government.
BRUTALITYKILLs MOTHER
House Committee to Get More
Evidence of Carranzistas'
Defiance to u. 8.
as.c.ar n..pa.oA % M. sur.


wAsHrNcroN, Aug. s.--one more out
rage by Mexican bandits against Amer
lean citizens dwelling in the Carranza
republic will be brought to light next
week by the appearance before the
House Rules COMMITTEES OF DR.. and Mrs.
Charles T. sturgis. formerly Of Wash
ington, who have Just returned to the
United States. broken in health and
fortune and their property coniscated
by the present Mexican Government In
the course OF the sufferings Of the pair
Mrs. Sturgis's aged mother. Mrs. w.
w. Keenright, also of Washington.
died of starvation and brutal treatment.
and was buried where she died In
remote corner of the State Of Chiapas.
DR.. Sturgis went to Mexico nearly
twenty years ago. In 1905 he returned
to America. and married Mrs Keen
rights daughter. returning with her to
Mexico. He had amassed 100000, but
this too. he charges. the Mexicans have
confiscated. Tho first incursion Of 'trou-
BILE for the Sturgis family came from
Carranzista soldiers under command OF
Capts. leopold Garcia and Julio Cas-
tiliano In January, 1918. Mrs. Sturgis
says that a contingent of troops under
these officers raided their home in search
Of revolutionists and In, their search
asked Mrs. Sturgis give them assistance.
Her refusal was met with blows with a
rife butt welded by Capt Garcia
Mrs. Sturgis said her protests were
met with the answer: "Go ahead and
kick to your Government. Kick to mine
II you want to. II won't do you any
good. We are going to drive all OF you
damned Gringoes out of the country"
Mrs. Sturgis said the Carransistas went
away after insulting her as grossly rs
possible and 1t was not until June. 1913.
that the plantation was raided by Mex
lean bandits under the command Of Gen.
Cal Mayor, one of the late Emiliano
Zapata's followers and close friends.
Meanwhile DR.. Sturgis was subjected
TO a systematic ruin of his plantation
and the dissipation of his fortune by the
Carrenzistas. His 127 laborers were
chased away under threats OF execution
and his stock of goods IN his plantation
store was taken. In the June. 1918,
raid DR.. Sturgis said he and his wife
were made to leave their ranch and
for days were prisoners Of the bandits.
Mrs. stursis says OF the experience at
the hands Of Gen. Cal Mayor:
We were prisoners from June 26
1918, to February IS. 1919. II was or
November IS, 1918, that my mother dief
of slow starvation. She was 66 years
old and In delicate health. On the day
we were taken prisoners they marched
US twelve miles. My mother was or
n horse. DR.. Sturgis and had TO tramp
In the blazing sun. The next day they
marched us fifteen miles. A day later
we reached Cal Mayors camp. He had
500 men constantly under arms. Al
they fed us was dry tortillas without
salt. and all we had to drink was river
water. Once in a week or so they would
toss US a handful of beans to kern us
alive. Mother was sinking rapidly
Thank God she did not suffer much to-
ward the end. She was too weak. She
Just slowly starved. grew unconsciou;
and died.
And then at last we were set free
DR.. Sturgis was unable to walk. he wa.
so weak. They put him on one Of oul
own old plantation horses without saddle
or bride. They gave me q machete
and they sent one OF their spies along
to trail US. We started out on thai
fifty-odd miles to our old plantation
How we got there / don't know.
had to go ahead and cut brush and
vines with my machete. The doctor fel
of his horse several times. We found
our home stripped bare"
After much trouble the American
Consul at Salina Cruz was communi
Gated with. He furnished money SUM-,
cient to pay their expenses to the United
States.