The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-01-03
DENY CHARGE
BY CARRANLA
.Mexico's Claim That Wallace
Attacked Soldier Who Shot
Him Branded as False

I the Mexican government, as IeCSIIllS
presented to the American embassy in
Mexico City, that the killing near
Tampico late III November Of James
Wallace, an American citizen, resulted
from his failure to heed the warning
Of Mexican sentry, are denied in an
account Of the incident which reached
Washington today from Aguila Com
pany, of which Wallace was an en-
ploye.
The killing of Wallace caused the
State department to make an urgent
inquiry of the Mexican government as
to the circumstances. The Mexican
foreign Office in its reply charged that
Wallace, while intoxicated, passed a
sentry stationed at what was charac-
terized as dangerous spot and
failing to halt, was shot and killed.
The Aguila Company's report, which
was presented at a meeting in Tam
pico Of oil company managers and
which is the first detailed account Of
the Americans death to reach Wash
ington, says:
ION the morning of the 26th Of NO
vember Mr.. James Wallace, employed!
by US as foreman on our earthern res
eryoirs at Potrero Del Llano, was rid
ing from the Office down to the tank
farm. a distance Of about ESQ meters.
On the road was an outpost of four
government soldiers With a machine
gun. AS far as we have been able
to ascertain, Wallace's horse reared
x-t.;,1 ,,occ;,,r +l,;c o,,rnoct and kick ed
the machine gun. whereupon one of
the soldiers shot Wallace, killing him
instantlys None Of our men actually
saw what happened. Some Of them
had been talking to Wallace minute
or two before, and hearing the Shot
they ran out of the office and found
Wallace lying on the ground dead.
THE soldiers gave the explanation
that Wallace insisted on passing be-
tween the machine gun and sentry,
that his horse refused to- go forward,
for which reason one of the soldiers
beat it several times with the butt Of
his rifle, and that Wallace then threw
his horse over on the soldiers, nearly
upsetting the machine gun. They also
claim Wallace hit the soldier with an
axe handle he was carrying and fur
thermore make the statement that
Wallace was intoxicated. The state
ments are not substantiated by facts.
Apart from the circumstances that we
have never known Wallace to be in
toxicated during the ten months he
was employed by US, and that it is
in any case very unlikely man would
be under the influence Of liquor when
going to his work at o'clock in the
morning. we know positively that
Wallace was absolutely sober, as sew
eral Of our men were talking with him
a few minutes before he was killed.
LAS regards Wallace having as
saulted the soldier with an axe han
die, the lack Of foundation for this
statement is proved by the fact that
the axe handle which he was carrying
down to the tank farm was still found
strapped to the saddle when the horse
Wallace had been riding was brought
back to the corral. Furthermore. il
is extremely unlikely, TO say the least,
that man armed with only stick
should attack four soldiers with rifles
and machine gun. Another circum-
stance which proves the soldier who
killed Wallace did not act in self-de-
fense is that the nature of the wound
according to medical evidence, shows
beyond any possibility of doubt that
Wallace was shot from behind.