Evening star., 1922-06-28
MEXICAN TROOPS
PURSUING CAPT0RS
OF 40 AMERICANS
Release of Bielaski by Ban
| dts Hindered by Act
| of Friends.
RANSOM SENT, BUT NOT
AS REBELS STIPULATED
Oregon Officials Delay Financial
Plans With New York Bankers
Until Incident Clears.
By the Associated Press.


MEXICO NCITY, June 2s.-Mexican
government officials believe that the
kidnapping of A. Burce Bielaski in the
state of Morelos and the capture of
forty other Americans near Tampico
within few hours of each other are
isolated cases of banditry which will
be adequately attended to by the fed
eral troops now in pursuit
According to advices from Cuerna-
vaca, negotiations are still in prog
ress between Mr. Bielaski's friends
and his bandit captors, a brief mes
sage from the former stating: "Ar-
rangements for release almost COM
pleted. Bruce safe and WELL"
In some quarters it is asserted that
the presence in Cuernavaca of numer-
Gus friends of Mr.. Bielaski has mill
tated against his speedy release, as
various attempts are being made to
pay over the ransom, none of which
complies with the program strictly
outlined by the bandits last Sunday.
Federal Agents Busy.
Mexican government agents are
known to have been in Cuernavaca
since Sunday night with sufficient
funds to meet the ransom demands,
but actual contact with the bandits
has not been accomplished. The war
Office announces that two columns of
troops equipped for mountain and
hill fighting are now securing the
terrain adjacent to Gu rnavaca-
Secretary of War Serrano has not
yet been advised officially of the
seizure of the Cortez Oil Company's
property near Tampico and the de-
tention of the forty employees, but
newspaper reports caused him to di-
rect Gen Guadalupe Sanchez, federal
commander in that zone, to start a
campaign against the rebels in the
entire region.
Gen. Gorozave, commanding. the
Tampico rebels. was reported killed
several weeks ago but, according to
the war office, he suddenly appeared
in the Huasteca region last week and
his activities against the oil COM
pany's Aguada camp indicates bis
program of outlawry. Gorozave, who
is a Spaniard, is said to have nearly
300 well armed men under his COM
mand. No news has reached here
from Tampico concerning the cap
ture, and local representatives of
the Cortez interests said they had no
information other than that contained
in dispatches from Washington 1t is
rumored here that of the forty cap
tured less than a dozen are Ameri-
cans. the remainder being British SUBJ
iects.
Bielaski Case Separate.
There appears to be no general
feeling here that there is any con-
nection between The Tampico cap
lures and the kidnapping of Mr.. Bic
laski, and the most popular belief is
that the latter is being held by ordi-
nary bandits who were in need OF
money and who carefully selected
their victim from the scores OF
Americans and other foreigners who
traversed the road between Crena-
vaca and the famous caves of Caca-
humilpa last Sunday.
The developments of the last few
days have caused little stir in Mexi-
can official circles. although in some
quarters it is said that formal rati-
fication of Financial Secretary de Ia
Huerta'S agreement with the New
York bankers was deliberately post
poned yesterday, so as to allow the
situation to clarity before proceeding.
Representations to the Mexican for
eign Office urging immediate action to
secure the release of forty employees
of the Cortez Oil Company, held by
the rebel Gen. Gorozave. were made
Monday night by George T Summer
lin, the American charge d'affaires, it
was announced today.
At the time the request was re-
newed for the release of Bielaski and
for the apprehension of his captors.
DISTURBS MEXICAN ENJOYS.