New-York tribune., 1920-01-09
Crime Wave in
Mexico Against
Americans Seen
Continued from page T.

boys took when patrolling No Mans
Land at night. A shot may be fred
from the brush at any moment. The
Americans ere usually marked for rob
berry because they are known always
to carry money. Sometimes oil com
panes intrust their pay rolls to trust
worthy Mexicans in their employ. Not
long ago one of these was stopped and
robbed by two nondescript men, and
while one held the victims hands the
other chopped them off with hatchet.
More recently the manager. of one
american OIL company. accompanied by
an American employee. both on mule
back--the only method of travel on ac-
count Of the mud-encountered a body
OF Carranzista soldiers advancing to-
ward village held by rebel troops.
1he Americans had just traversed the
village and were travelling in the OBJ
posite direction.
The Carranzista general ordered the
Americans to tell all they knew. con-
stantly threatening them both Even
tuaily, he held the employee captive,
while the manager was forced to ride
back into the village fer the purpose of
ing oiehel iHlorHlatlon. lie was
told that the employee would be killed
unless he returned. When finally he
returned, both Americans, on threat of
death, rode ahead of the federal col
umn toward the village for the purpose
of drawing the rebel fire.
Luckily the village had been evacu-
ated by the rebels, otherwise the Amer
lean State Department would have had
two more Americans on the oil field
death list and the Carranza govern
nent would have placed the blame for
their killing on the rebels.
The Americans were held captive in
the village all night long, while the
rebels returned to harass the federals
with stray shots which drew volleys
from the Carranzistas. Fully 10000
shots were fired by the federals during
the night.
Both of these men would come to the
United States to testify before the Fall
committee Investigating Mexican affairs
If they dared subsequently to return to
Mexico. They are in the exact position
Of virtually every American whose
business or investments keep him in
our neighboring republic.
Their lips are sealed, otherwise they
are marked men, like Consular Agent
Jenkins, who now faces an outstanding
mass of faxed evidence in dishonest
Mexican courts, and who will be con-
victed, without doubt, unless the State
Department intervenes in his behalf.
With Jenkins before them as an ex-
ample, Americans in Mexico who know
the present Mexican situation are not
testifying before the American Senate
contWittees. They are hanging on and
hoping that the mass Of evidence which
the State Department has in it's posses
sion will eventually Stir some one into
realization that the time has come
for acts.
Not long ago, when British oil
company operating in the Tampico
region complained to the federal com
mander Of the district that the com
pany's pay rolls were constantly stolen,
the commanders retort was: "Why
don't you let Carranza troops carry
your pay rolls?"
In order not tor aggravate the COM
mander, the company decided to try the
experiment An escort Of soldiers was
provided and money amounting to sew
eral thousand dollars was intrusted to
the officer in charge. The detail ar
rived at the first camp in good order
and delivered the money.
The second camp was reached three
days late, the excuse being that the
roads were impossible. The last camp
was reached in two weeks and to cele-
brate its achievement the troops looted