The Washington times., 1920-01-07
FACTS SOUGHT
/. FROM MEXICO
Consul Directed to Investiqatd
Staying Of Oil Man
BY Officer. :,
TO DEMAND PREPARATION
Department Awaits Official In
formation Of Earlier Kill
ings by Robbers.
TO DEMAND PREPARATION

Gabriel Porter, an American citfA
zen In employ Of the Penn-Mex. Co.
was shot and killed by a Mexican
federal army officer at Tuxpam,
December 81. the State Department
was advised today by the American
consul at Tampico.
"The consul has been directed by
telegraph" the State Department an
nounced, "to report further informa-
ton, and ii warranted by the circum-
stances to urge the local authorities
rtN,she ysmpico district to arrest and
punish the guilty person !" ~ii
Bring New Crisis. !
The State Department SO far has
not received o complete report on tina
details Of the murder Of two Ameri-
can employees of the International PEA
troleum Company at Port Lobos.
The killings reported vest erday and
that Of Porter. reported today. may
bring a new crisis in Mexican reIa-
tions II it is shown that Carranza soI-
diers are responsible. it was believed
here.
While the State Department await
ed q complete report on the staying
near Port Lobos of two American
employees of the International PETROL
cum Company, II was believed today
that should 1T develop that Carranxa
soldiers were responsible for the kill
ing, the relations between the United
States and Mexico would again ap-
proach the breaking point.
Slayers Not Identified.
The State Department so far had
not been advised who killed rbe
Americana. P. J. Role and Eailo
Bowles, but the American consul &C
Tampico has been instructed to make
a report on the details OF the crime
The American embassy at Mexico City
also has been directed to make urgent
representations to the Mexican gov
ernment for the punishment OF tho
murderers.
1t was believed here today that ths
Americans were killed either by stray
bandits or by CarranZa soldiers. Tho
belief was expressed that the consul
at Tampico certainly would not have
notified the State Department 80
quickly of the murders had they been
the result of a fracas among en-
ployes of the oil company. or had
they been committed by native Mexi-
cans under circumstances which tend
ed to show that the Americans were
In the wrong.
1t was pointed out here that tho
Carranza troops are in complete con-
troll of the Tampico oil district. in
which the Americans were killed, and
that, therefore, II was not likely that
there was any organized body of ban
dts operating there.
The only revolutionist leader about
the oil district is General Manual
Pelaez, and he and his forces are to
the south. In addition. Palaes is
friendly towards foreigners, accord-
ing to representatives hero of Ameri-
can oil interests in Mexico.
Had Pay Funds.
According to the State Dcpart-
ment's sdvices, the Americans wera
believed to have had pay funds OF
the company in their possession at
the time OF their murder.
with receipt of information that
Harry V. Leonard and Harry o. Mar
tin, two American sailors, were to bo
released from Jail in Mazatlan on
January IL. the state Department.
hoped that incident would be closed.
The two sailors were sentenced to
two months imprisonment for al
legged assault upon n MexicaL. 1nas-
much as tho state Department had
been advised that the men were prop
erly arrested, II was believed hera
that the sentence handed down In
their case was proper
MEXICO CITY, Jan. 7.--Commcnt-
ing upon similar action by the United
States the foreign ofNce announced
today Mexican consuls throughout tho
United States had been instructed to
compile list OF Mexicans killed. rob-
bed or otherwise mistreated in Amer
lea
The list will he designed TO show
Mexico has as much cause for cous-
plant Of treatment OF her citizens in
the United states ns that Govern
ment has over treatment Of its oiti-
zens In Mexico. II was said. 4
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