File No. 312.52/452.
Consul Letcher to the Secretary of State.
Chihuahua, October 19, 1914.
Sir: I have the honor to report that the Acting Consular Agent at Parral has reported to this office that on September 29, 1914, following the withdrawal of Generals Maclovio and Luis Herrera from Parral with all their forces, in consequence of Villa’s declaration of rebellion against the Carranza provisional government, Parral was occupied by some 4,000 Villa troops under command of General Rodriguez, and that Antonio Larrucea, the leading Spanish subject remaining in Parral, was immediately thereafter arrested and thrown into prison. The Acting Consular Agent was thereupon visited by a delegation of Spaniards, who besought his aid in securing protection for their countryman, it being understood by them that Larrucea was to be shot on the following morning. The Acting Agent called upon the commanding officer in Larrucea’s behalf and gained the assurance that the prisoner would not be executed, although it was stated that a demand for the equivalent of $2500, U. S. gold, would be enforced against him. On October 4, as reported by the Acting Agent later, Larrucea was released upon payment of the sum mentioned, and was allowed to leave Parral for El Paso, Texas.
In view of the general orders for the expulsion of Spaniards from the State issued by General Villa last December, which have never been rescinded, it is well to note that the Herreras, who have commanded at Parral continuously since the triumph of the Constitutionalists in this State, refused to carry out Villa’s orders with respect to Spanish subjects, and, in fact, forbade the exodus of Spaniards from that part of the State controlled by themselves. As a consequence of their position in the matter a number of Spaniards were found at Parral pursuing their ordinary course of business when Villa’s troops entered the place after the Herreras’ withdrawal. It may be noted that the Herreras have been particularly [Page 830] considerate of the rights of foreigners, Americans among them, in and about Parral, a circumstance of striking peculiar import when the bitter anti-American speeches to which attention was recently called as having been endorsed by them are considered, their action in this connection standing in strong contrast to that of many other Constitutionalist military leaders who have been very free in expressing general sentiments of amity for the American nation but very slow in granting even rudimentary justice to foreigners, Americans included.
Attention may be called to the fact that the professional defenders of Villa made much ado some months ago over the fact that the orders for the expulsion of Spaniards had been rescinded, or, at least, so modified as to permit those Spanish subjects who would prove themselves guiltless of participation in domestic politics to return to the country. I might note that not a single Spaniard has availed himself of the apparent opportunity thus offered him ‘to return to Chihuahua.
I have [etc.]