New-York tribune., 1920-01-15
Senators Get
Story Of How
Oil Men Died
Americans. in Tampico
Send a Representative
to Reveal Facts About
Murders by Mexicans
By Wilbur Forrest


SAN ANTONIO, Tex, Jan. 14--De-
tailed stories of death to Americans
and destruction of their property in
Mexico were related to Senators Fall
and Smith, who are holding the second
days session of the Senate investigat-
ing committee here to-day. Likening
Americans remaining in Mexico to
pioneers, and declaring that American
lives were worth more in the Argonne
Forest in the great drive of General
in the autumn of 1918 than they are
to-day in the Tampico oil region, James
J. Britt, a Tampico lawyer. told his
story on the witness stand this after
noon. He was the main witness of the
day.
Mr.. Britt asserted that 1863 Ameri-
cans had been killed in the Tampico
district and that not one of the real
assassins ever had been brought to
justice by the Carranza military
forces, (Which food the country" The
situation is aggravated by German
propaganda, the witness said. He laid
the recent agitation for expulsion from
Mexico of 400 members of the Tanpic"
post Of the American Legion to Ger
man propaganda.
Cabrera Declared Antagonistic
Mr.. Britt went on to say that LUZ
Cabrera advocated the expulsion Of
American war veterans, when Senator
Fall interrupted with:
"Who is Luis Cabrera?"
''He is Acting President Of Mexico,
although he holds the position of Sec
retary Of the Treasury" Britt replied.
"The Tampico post of the Legion
will remain in Mexico SO long as the
American government stands behind
it," Mr.. Britt added.
The witness recounted details of the
murder Of Earl Boles and F. J. Roney,
American oil men, both of whom, he
said, were personal friends. They had
taken dinner with Britt at his home
before starting on their last trip to
the oil fields, Britt asserted. They
were killed within the Carranzista
lines by Carranzista soldiers, the wit
ness said. Roney was shot from be-
hind at such close range that a part
of his right shoulder was torn away.
Bolcs was shot in the ankle and then
chopped to death with machete. His
BODY was badly mangled, the witness
said.
Organized Robbery Charged
Describing activities in the oil region
Britt said all oil company paymasters,
before leaving Tampico for the fields
with payrolls for workers, must first
90 to Carran2a authorities and obtain
permission.
"This information is passed down
the line" the witness said, land Car
ranzistas who receive the information
-waylay the puymasters. Roney was
heavily built man. resembling in many
ways the paymaster OF the Aguila COM
pany who lett Tampico the same day
that Roney and his com. anion set out.
Roney evidently was mistaken for the
Aguia company official and was slam
by Carranzistas under the impression
that he carried q large sum of money.
Half an hour later the Aguila paymas
ter arrived and discovered the bodies.
"We Americans in Tampico received
the bodies and guarded them" Britt
declared, "because when James Wallace
was killed, in November, the Mexicans
poured tequila on his body and down
the dead Americans throat to make 1t
appcar that he had been killed in
drunken brawl.
ave didn't want repetition of
this" the witness continued. "Ameri-
cans stood guard until an American
physician arrived to assist in the in
quest"
Palaez Paid $4,000 Month
Senator Fall, by questioning the wit
ness, gained the admission that Amerl-
can oil companies are paying the Mexl-
can rebel Palaez in excess of $4,000
month for protection. Senator Fall
interpolated and Britt affirmed that
the transactions with Palacz were be-
y IL ~ 1f 1,n
American State Department. For the
same reason the oil companies were
refusing to conform to Article XVII
of the 1917 Constitution Of Mexico,
the witness said. This provision di-
rects that the oil companies should re-
nounce ownership Of subsurface de-
posits of land bought by companies
from Mexican landlords.
Mr.. Britt suggested that the oil COM
panies should close their fields unless
the American government supported
them in their fight against Article
XVII.
"Tampico oil fields are now paying
the running expenses of the whole
Mexican Republic,' the witness as
serted, "and it represents pure graft
on the part of Cabrera and Carranza."
Pioneer Oil Man Exile
Mr. Britt said Edward OOneny tne
man who even mortgaged his home and
his wife's jewels years ago to develop
the first oil we'll in Tampico. does not
dare to return to the region to-day "be-
cause his life would not last twenty
four hours" Doheny is president of the
Huasreca Oil Company.
ANY man who goes into Mexico de-
serves everything he can get out of it, +"
the witness continued.
"And he doesn't deserve some things
he gets out Of it," observed Senator
Smith.
MIR Britt described the rigors of
travel on the Mexican railroads, where
trains are inadequately protected by
"children and aged men in the guise of
Carrnnza soldiers" The witness said
he. luckily, had escaped two "blow up
recently on the San Luis Potssi- Tam
pico line. He declared there had been
an epidemic of robbery Of American
hons in Tampico. Burglars had entered
his home twice. h esaid, taking the first