CHAPTER XII.

MEXICO.

In 1881 Mr. William Ewart Gladstone surrendered to the Boers in South Africa after Majuba. The last South African war was the outcome of that surrender. It was a sanguinary and long drawn out campaign. The position the United States occupies in relation to Mexico is similar in some respects. It has not forcefully intervened to protect the lives or property of its people living in that Republic, nor in any respect has it caused prompt armed intervention to protect the lives or property of the subjects of foreign nations, although reprisals were in effect on April 21st from other causes. This peculiar interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine is not in accordance with the application of the theory of "Policing Latin America," and the result may be, that begotten of this policy, the United States will have to participate in conflicts sooner or later, much the same as England did in South Africa as a result of Mr. Gladstone's weak military policy. It is generally conceded that had he used a firm hand in 1881, the last war would have been unnecessary. A firm military policy in Mexico today will obviate more serious complications later.

The condition in Mexico for a year prior to and three years after the resignation of Porfirio Diaz was one of riotous bloodshed. The indiscriminate and unjustifiable slaughter of over three hundred unoffending and industrious Chinamen at Torreon by the Madero insurrectionitsts, was the most outrageous exhibition of blood-thirsti

ness ever enacted in a Christian country, excepting only St. Bartholomew.

The children in Torreon played with the heads of the victims on the streets and pulled them about by the pigtails. The Madero Government consented to a small indemnity to China.

The resignation of Diaz (1911) left Madero, who had been recognized by the United States as President despite the Chinese massacre, at the head of the Government. Assassination, insurrection and war were rife during his supremacy. At this time the Covadonga incident occurred: Two Germans, man and wife, were attacked by Maderistas. The wife was outraged by soldiers in the presence of her husband. She was then mutilated and broken beer bottles thrust into the amputated breasts. The husband was then killed. Photographs taken at the time, and now in possession of the American Press Association at New York, exhibit the shocking condition of the bodies of these foreign victims. The incident is well known at the German Foreign office, and copies of the photographs are said to be in the possession of a very important German personage.

An English ex-army officer, living at Tampico, who had expressed political opinions, was found decapitated near the banks of the Panuco River. The name of this officer is in possession of Colonel H. S. Fitzgerald, C. B., who had the matter brought to the attention of the House of Commons. But for the attention attracted to buzzards devouring the body, the murder would not have been discovered.

In addition to the above was the murder of Mr. MacKenzie and other Americans in Sonora during the Diaz administration. Mr. MacKenzie, a Yale graduate, was the partner of Mr. W. C. Potter, then a practicing min

ing engineer of Chicago, and a son-in-law of the late Mr. Paul Morton, ex-Secretary of the United States Navy.

A condition of rapine and murder of Europeans, Asiatic and United States citizen residents, has been continuous in Mexico now for nearly four years, and the following is an authentic partial list of the attrocities committed:

1. Mrs. Anderson, daughter and neighbor boy, killed June 22, 1911, Chihuahua. Murderers arrested by assistance of Americans. Confessed, served six months in jail and released. Madero soldiers.

2. Mabel Richardson, little girl, outraged. Colonia Juarez. No attempt made to punish perpetrators.

3. James D. Harvey, killed, State of Chihuahua. March, 1912, and mutilated with a spade. Nothing done. 4. William Adams, killed July 2, 1912, with his daughter's arms around him, by Mexican officer. Nothing done.

5. Thomas Fountain, executed after courtmartial by Salazar, at Parral, after protest from the U. S. Government. Madero and others threatened by Mr. Taft. Nothing done. Salazar later arrested in the U. S. charged with smuggling and later released. Now being held at Fort Bliss. (Madero administration.)

6. Joshua Stevens, killed near Colonia Pacheco, Mexico, August 26, 1912, in defending his daughters from attack. The girls, one with a stick, the other with a shotgun, drove their assailants away.

7. John Brooks, Texan, killed at Colonia Chuchucpa, Chihuahua, in 1913. (Insurrectionists.)

8. Killing of Rogers Palmer, Englishman, because of failure to open safe at Durango about June 18, 1913. (Insurrectionists.)

9. Wounding of Carlos Van Brandis and L. W. Elder, Americans, about the same time, by explosion of bomb used to force door where foreigners had taken refuge. Foreigners compelled to pay ransom. (Insurrectionists.)

10. W. N. Steep, American, about the same time, shot on failure to pay 500 pesos. (Bandits.)

11. A. W. Lauriaut, English subject, stripped, beaten, shot and left for dead about the same time. (Bandits.)

12. Edmund Hayes, American, employe of Madera Company; also Robert Thomas, negro, killed at Madera by Mexican Federal officer, Santa Caraveo, and demand made by Secretary Bryan on Federals through embassy and Marion Letcher for arrest and punishment. Nothing done until September 11, when Senator Fall called attention of the State Department and President to the fact that this officer was in Juarez, five minutes ride from El Paso. On the telegram he was formally arrested and later discharged.

13. B. Stowe, shot in Chihuahua by rebels, 1912. Nothing done.

14. Benjamin Griffin, rancher, murdered July 5, 1913, near Chuichupa by bandits.

15. John H. Williams, mining engineer, killed by stray bullet March 8, 1913, when rebels attacked Nacozari.

16. Boris Gorow, consulting engineer, killed when an attack was made on Neuvo Buena Vista on February 11, 1913.

17. U. G. Wolf, mining engineer, murdered July 16, 1913, by outlaws in Northern Sonora.

18. Mrs. E. W. Holmes, killed by shell during bombardment of Mexico City, February, 1913.

19. Frank Ward, shot in back by bandits in his home near Yago, Tepic territory, April 9, 1913.

20. John S. H. Howard, United States customs inspector, assassinated near Eagle Pass, Tex., February 10, 1913.

21. Pablo Soto, merchant of Naco, Ariz., killed by a stray bullet March 8, 1913, when rebels attacked NacoMarch 24, 1913.

22. L. Bushnell, mounted police, killed in Naco, Ariz., March 24, 1913, by a bullet fired by rebels.

23.

Frank Howard, killed by bandits in Coalcoman, State of Michoacan, in March, 1913.

24. Herbert L. Russell, manager of American ViceConsul McCaughan's ranch near city of Durango, murdered by Rebels September 29, 1912. Consul Theodore C. Hamm cabled report to the Department of State.

25. Robert Williams, policeman of Phoenix, Ariz., killed by Mexican bandits who crossed the line to attend a celebration of Mexican independence day in Phoenix, September 16, 1912.

26. Scott Price, bystander, killed when bandits were firing on Williams.

27. N. Matheson, aged and crippled Mormon, killed while fleeing from Colonia, Morelos, Sonora, September 16, 1912, when bandits were looting town.

28. McKenzie, an American resident, executed near Agua Prieta, September, 1912, because the Rebels suspected he had given information to Federal troops.

29. W. H. Waite, manager of the Esmeraldas plantation at Ochotal, Vera Cruz, killed in April, 1912, when he refused to pay money demanded by bandits. He was beheaded.

30. H. L. Strauss, formerly a newspaper correspondent, killed with thirty-four other non-combatants when