New-York tribune., 1920-01-05

Sanco Dc Maya ct 8 eclocR ana wal
there for = passing automobile, /,
which I would recognise the interpreter
Ford automobile with two men il
the front seat and another on the real
seat passed promptly at 8 o'clock. This
door opened and stepped in. We rod.
at high speed for about ten blocks
Then the automohile stopped at cor
ner Of what appeared TO be tho poo,
district OF tho city. The interpreter
and ! stepped out, the interpreter dis
missing the car.
Meets Rebel Chief
We walked hurriedly for about
three more blocks, turning several cor.
ners, and soon passed low, one-story
corner house. which the interpreter
indicated as the rendezvous Of the
rebel chief. Some men standing on
the corner caused US to walk block
beyond before turning to see if we
were being watched. We retraced our
steps slowly and the men disappeared
My interpreter knocked several
times while we stood in the shadow OF
the doorway, and after more than two
minutes rather pretty Mexican girl
bearing 9 candle, opened the door
lu(GTrret0T
spoke few words rapidly in Spanish.
The door swung open and we entered.
Following the girl through the bare
hallway, We were ushered into . small,
unlighted room, where two men, whose
forms were just visible in the faint
light coming from the adjoining room,
looked Us over but said nothing, The
girl then opened the door into the
second room. where q bare table. a
sputtering candle and three chairs
were the only. furnishings.
The girl retired, and from the dark
ness of third room beyond, where he
had been watching us, emerged Feder-
!co Cordova-the man whose daring act
IN kidnapping the American consular
agent caused the United States and
Mexico to engage in the most rabid
verbal pyrotechnics in years, and which
case as It stands to-day should. whan
known by the American people, cause
them to demand Of our State Depart
nent some sort Of real stern policy
toward Mexico and the present govern
ment there.
Though demonstrating constant evil
dences Of watchfulness, the rebel chief
was most afable. He was not armed.
and he advanced to shake hands imne-
sdiately. demanding of the interpreter,
however. some evidence Of my abso-
lutte reliability and some proof that
! would not leave the house and notify
the Csrranxista. authorities Of his
whereabouts.
1 presented several documents of
iidentification, including papers issued
% the american Army and used when
l was war correspondent in France.
The revolutionary leader, as he terms
himselfs seemed satisfied, but gently
informed my interpreter that any
treachery would be paid for with the
latter's life
Eyes Flash Alternately
To call Cordova bandit would dis
please Cordova, and as he undoubtedly
must say in all fairness that the face
which looked across that little bare
table In the Pickering candlelight for
more than an hour was not the face
Of q bandit.
Cordoya has rather good face. His
coal black eyes alternately fash,
though they are hidden in rather
devilish leer as ne speaks about the
Mexican revolution. They flash, how
yer, when he speaks about the maze
of intrigue in which the Mexican gov
,rnment is slowly enmeshing itself in
fonneetitr with the Jenkins case.
Surmounring shock of coal black
iair was a black Fedora hat, placed
bandit look. A similar coal black
nnstache however. bushed itself over
rather hard" mouth made that
vay.. perhaps, through years Of al
,ghly dangerous life in the Mexican
hills A rather thin, efFeminate nose
and Arm chin complete the face of
the rebel leader.
Sitting directly opposite Cordova,
With my interpreter on the right, we
oegan the interview which should bear
as much weight In the Jenkins case
as tho doctered evidence now being
produced by the Mexican government |
in its. effort to jail Jenkins or Danish |
him from the country in which he
has invested his fortune.
Exonerated Jenkins.
believe that Cordova has told me
the truth. Speaking in Spanish, which |
underatood he spoke "at me-" but |
!or purposes OF accuracy ! asked the |
interpreter to repeat every word in |
English. Cordovn said:
Il want to impress on you at the
beginning, and hope you will make
il clear to the American people through |
The New York Tribune, that Seiior |
Jenkins had nothing to do with the kid |
naping Of his person, which / myself
personally carried out. Sehor Jenkins
is innocent Of wrong against the Mex
lean government.
"This government is prosecuting him
TO save It's face. and it will do every
thing low and contemplate to gain its
ends.
Il want to make il entirely clear
that had nothing in mind against the
American government in abducting
Sehor jenkins. Nor did / have any
thing against Sefor Jenkins himself.
l am sorry to have bothered him so
much, but was forced TO take him to
obtain results which our tause 80 much
needs and which could be obtained in
no other way--namely. to monstrate
that the actual Carranza government Is
entirely unable to give guarantees to
residents Of Mexico against us.
Why He Chose Jenkins
"This could only be demonstrated by
selecting a representative Of the
American government to be held for
ransom, so that the Incompetence Of
the present government in Mexico