Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-06-05
TO

Continued from page one)
Brownsville and presented TO the
Mexican consul credentials signed by
General Alvarez in which the consul
was instructed to aid Rendon in
clearing the documents" through
the port. I.
Seven cases of silk were passed
through this point and reached their
destination, the Mexican capital.
A few days later Is cases arrived.
Numerous kilograms, some bearing
the signature of Alvarez and others
~purporting to come from President
Gales were received by Le0poldo
Verduga, collector Of customs Of
Matamoros, instructing him to pass
the shipments and forward them
without delay.
Verduga's suspicious became
aroused. When the twenty-second
ease of secret documents" had
passed through his hands he crossed
to the American side and held a tele-
phone conference with Guilebaldo
Elias. director general Of customs at
Nuevo Laredo. Elias Immediately
called President Gales over the long
distance telephone and asked the
chief executive if he had telegraph
ed Verduga at Matamoros to hasten
clearance Of % cases of "docu-
ments."
Get Silk ut Monterrey
The Mexican president assured
Elias no documents were coming
through the Matamoros port or any
port on the American border and
ordered Elias and Verduga TO pro-
coed to Monterrey and investigate
the cases.
Fastening 10 Monterrey the Gus
toms men were able to intercept the
second consignment Of documents"
finding il in charge Of the military
authorities who refused to turn it
over to the customs men, stating
they had been ordered to transport
it to Mexico City under military es-
cort. While the customs men were
comforting with the military COM
mander the latter received q tele-
gram from Alvarez ordering Kim to
forward the documents" without
delay and under heavy guard.
Elias called President Gales over
long distance, and received another
order to investigate the cases, the
commander Of the garrison being
called to the telephone BY Gales ard
iSstructed to turn the consignment
OF documents" over 10 the customs
men. The cases were then opened
and each was found packed with high
grade silk.
Alvarez Arrested
President Gales was Immediately
informed Of the contents Of the l5
cases at Monterrey and ordered the
arrest Of his chief Of staff, General
Alvarez. Agents Of the government
were placed on the trail Of the seven
cases received in the capital a few
days previous and these were locat-
ed in a large mercantile establish
nent within a few hours.
President Gales then summoned
a. G. Vasquez. Mexican consul at
Brownsville. to Matamoros for n
telegraphic conference, the consul
reporting that ten additional cases
Of documents" had been received
in Brownsville for clearance and
that he had received orders from AL
varez the day previous to forward
the cases without delay. Verduga
had also received kilograms from
Alvarez and others purporting to
have been signed BY President Gales
urging there be no delay in re-dis-
patching the cases to the Mexican
capital.
President Gales ordered the con-
sui 70 investigate the ten cases in
Brownsville, which was done, and
they were also found filled with
silk. They are now in the South
Pacific freight depot.
Leopoldo Verduga, collector Of
customs at Matamoros, received a
telegram of congratulation from
President Gales upon the part he
played in exposing the smuggling
plot. Had not his suspicious been
aroused by the heavy shipment 81
documents" ii il doubtful il the
plot would have been exposed, the
Mexican president stated. Nerduga
received 20 kilograms st various
times, some signed by General Al
varez and others ~purporting to have
been signed by the Mexican presi-
dent, all urging utmost haste in
clearing the consignments through
this port.