The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-27
MUST HAVE CASH
WITHIN 4S HOURS
Mexican Government Warned
To Protect American Lives.
Property Must Also Be Pro-
teeted, State Department Says.
$4,000 Pesos Is Ransom Asked
by General GOrOzabe, Rebel.
fBy international News service.l }

Washington. June 27.-Forty Amer
ican citizens and property valued at
$3.50. 600 owned by the Cortez OIL COM
pany are being held for ransom near
Tampico. Mexico. by the Mexican Cen
eral Gorozabe. the state department
was advised today. The general has
240 well armed men under his COM
mand.
The dispatch to the state depart
rnent came from Consul Shaw at Tam
pico. He said the general was hold.
ing the Americans and the property
for 900 pesos ransom, giving them
forty-eiEht hours TO get the money
The capture took place at Aguade,
near Tampico-
The state department Immediately
upon receipt of the dispatch wired
10 George SUNNI erlin. American
chat-. d'affafres at Mexico, to make
vigorous representations to the Mex
lean government to obtain the release
of the American prisoners and prop
erty.
t'orsdl Shaw was also instructed to
make representation to the local au-
thorities at Tampico. demanding i'm
mediate release of the Americans
There are understood to be no reg
ular Mexican troops in the vicinity of
Tampico-
Fear for Americans Safe1y.
Fears are held for the safety Of
the American prisoners Recent re-
tion between Americans working in
the OIL fields and Mexican soldiers
who are not members of the federal
army.
II Is thought a serious outbreak is
extremely likely at Tamplco unless
troops of the Mexican government can
reach there in time TO disperse Gen
eraI Georzabe's troops who are now
in complete control of the situation.
Consul Shaw's dispatch did not give
the names of the Americans held. but
il was assumed by the state depart
mcnt officials that all of them are
either employed by the oil company
concerned or affiliated with the in
dustry.
It Aggravatcs the situation.
The seizure of American citizens
and American property on such a
wholesale scale. coming as it does on
top of the abduction of A. Bruce Bic
iaski former head of the bureau of
investigation. department of justice.
cannot fail TO aggravate the whole
Mexican situation. officials said. The
news OF the Tampico coup came at the
very time the American embassy in
Mexico City was making vigorous
representations 20 the Mexican foreign
office in the Bielaski case
That administration officials re-
Earded the case with some anxiety
was indicated soon after the dispatch
was laid on the desk of Secretary
Hughes He went Immediately to
the White House in advance Of the
regular cabinet meeting and trans
mitted the information to President
Harding
Takes 3 Days to Get Troops.
If the situation at Tampico should
make il necessary for Americans to
land there. the troops could reach the
Mexican coast within three days after
orders were dispatched from Wash
iugton-
The cruiser Galveston now is at
Guantanamo bay, Cuba and the cruis
ers Birmin gham- Tacoma, Cleveland, |
II the special service squadron in
southern waters, are stationed at
The birmingham is the flagship of
his squadron and is commanded by |
Admiral william Cole. Captain David |
Hanrahan is in command of the Gal |
The dispatch to the state depart
ment was dated the 26th yesterday !
indicating that the seizures took place /
on the preceding day. the 25th-
Officials here expressed some sur /
prise that the ransom money de-
manded. $4,000 pesos. is small Fif- /
teen thousand pesos amounts to only /
about $500. absurdly small /
amount in comparison with the mag |
nitude OF the operation
Mexico City. July 27.-Officials here /
auNiously awaited word today of the
safety Of A. Bruce Bielaski. former
chief OF the bureau of investigation i
OF the American department of JUS
tice. who was kidnapped near Cuer-
navaca on Sunday with Jesus Barcena.
a Mexican lawyer Barcena was to |
he released upon payment Of 10000
pesos
That amount had originally been
demanded for release of Bielaslxi. but
later the bandits increased the amount.
Il Is believed the former American
officials will be safe and free before
another twenty-four hours have
elapsed.
According TO information furnished /
the American consulate by Jerome A.
Eassity there were eight members in
the BielaslSi- Barcena automobile par
" Three OF them were women.