File No. 312.62/102.
Vice Consul Bevan to the Secretary of State.
Tampico, August 6th, 1914.
Sir: Referring my August 2, 9 p.m., August 4, 6 p.m., and August 6, 9 p.m., I have the honor to advise the Department that on the afternoon of August 2d, the German Consular representative called on this office and requested its assistance in preventing the local authorities from boarding the German S. S. Antonina, of the Hamburg-American Line, and making a search for Dr. Virgilio Villanueva and Manuel P. Pazas, alleged criminals. It was maintained by the Constitutionalist authorities that Dr. Villanueva was implicated in the assassination of late President Madero, and that Señor Pazas was Chief of Police in Mexico City. The Captain protested that the accusations were mere pretexts and refused to allow the authorities permission to search the ship. The military authorities then ordered their cannon and machine guns placed on the end of the Fiscal wharf, where the ship was lying, and gave the officer in charge orders to sink the vessel if it attempted to leave the clock.
On the morning of the 4th the German Consular representative again came to this office and advised that an order for releasing the ship had arrived, and the ship was at complete liberty, and no further search for the alleged criminals would be made. Within an hour he returned again and advised that the Collector of Customs, had issued a new order to have the ship searched for the prisoners. In the meantime I had received the Department’s August 3, 6 p.m. requesting this office to advise local authorities to proceed with extreme caution and to use moderation in their dealings with the German steamship officials.
I immediately called on the Collector of Customs and advised him of the above instruction. At that time an armed force was on board the ship making the search, and the Captain was under arrest in the custom house. The German Consular representative was also detained on the ship while the search was in progress. The Captain was ordered to the custom house to sign some papers and while he was there the arrest was made, and the force was sent on board. I protested against the arrest of the Captain and the detention of the Consul, and the Collector promised me that they would be released as soon as the search had been completed. The search continued for about two hours at the termination of which the Consul and the Captain were both released. Although they were unable to find the alleged criminals, they still insisted that they were on the ship, and that the Captain was aiding and abetting them in their attempt to escape. On the same night after Mrs. Villanueva had retired the officers entered her room without knocking at her door and tried to force her in many ways to tell where her husband was hiding. On one occasion she fainted when they entered the room, and not before several hours could the doctor bring her to. The German Consular representative advised me in writing about this incident. They remained on board all day Thursday, the 6th, and about 4 o’clock in the afternoon advised the German Consulate that the ship would be [Page 894] thoroughly fumigated, the engine room and every space on the ship. Without the slightest provocation, and not a half an hour after the notice regarding the fumigation, a communication was received by the German Consulate from the Collector of Customs that all proceedings against the ship had terminated, and that the ship had been released.
The ship was immediately shifted to mid stream and no further action has been taken in regard to the alleged criminals. Owing to the state of war existing in Germany the Antonina will remain in this port indefinitely.
The general belief is that Dr. Virgilio Villanueva escaped over the side of the Antonina and boarded the Waters Pierce tanker Mexicano and sailed immediately for Texas City, Texas. Mr. Manuel P. Pazas left the Antonina in Vera Cruz as soon as he discovered that the Antonina was going to call at Tampico.
I have [etc.]