File No. 312.11/7057.
Consul Alger to the
Secretary of State.
No. 699.]
American Consulate,
Mazatlan,
November 26, 1915.
Sir: I have the honor, in continuation of my
No. 698 of November 23, 1915, to enclose copies of messages sent and
received regarding the situation at Los Mochis, Sinaloa. * * *
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure 1—Telegram.]
General Muñoz to
Consul Alger.
San Blas,
November 23, 1915.
In reply to your telegram [Inclosure 5, despatch 698] I would state
that the entire city of Topolobampo indignantly complain to me of
landing of armed marines from the Annapolis.
If this complaint came from a single individual I might doubt it,
but in the present case the abuses of the Commander of Annapolis can not be discussed. Also, the
Commander of the Guerilla Hernandez, an honorable officer, notifies
that he saw armed Americans in Mochis, which is proven by the fact
that on his approach they threw away their arms and fled. I beg of
you to do all in your power to prevent a repetition of landing of
armed men, as I have given definite orders in accord with my
previous message.
[Inclosure 2—Telegram.]
Consul Alger to
General Muñoz.
Mazatlan,
November 23, 1915.
In spite of assertion of entire city of Topolobampo, I repeat: Not
one armed man has been landed from Annapolis.
It is possible that armed Americans you refer to may be American
civilian residents of Mochis who have been forced to take arms to
protect their lives. In order to avoid any possibility
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of men being landed later
on, it is necessary that you, General Muñoz, give the protection to
foreigners at Mochis and Topolobampo that they are entitled to from
Mexican authorities.
[Inclosure 3—Telegram.]
Commander Kavanagh to Consul Alger.
U. S. S. “Annapolis,”
November 22, 1915.
Villistas and Indians have again raided Los Mochis, burning several
large residences, looting and wrecking all others, pillaging all
warehouses, driving off all live stock. Several Mexicans have been
killed, a number of Mexican women have been carried off or outraged.
All Americans and a great number of Mexicans have fled here for
safety as a reign of terror exists. Please lay these matters before
General Muñoz and very strongly and insistently request that he
immediately send a sufficient force of troops to protect lives and
property and to fix a definite time when these troops are to be
expected here.
[Inclosure 4—Telegram.]
Consul Alger to
Commander Kavanagh.
Mazatlan,
November 23, 1915.
General Muñoz refuses accept your denial. I have again emphatically
assured him not one armed man has been landed from Annapolis; also that if he wishes to avoid marines being
landed later on he must give Americans protection they are entitled
to.
[Inclosure 5—Telegram.]
Commander Kavanagh to Consul Alger.
U. S. S. “Annapolis,”
November 23, 1915.
Please remind General Muñoz that: Protection not protests is what is
desired here; the protests can be settled afterwards. For more than
ten days now the Americans here have been without protection from
the Mexicans although the deplorable state of affairs has been
repeatedly brought to their attention.
I would like to know definitely if General Muñoz refuses protection
on the grounds that armed men were landed from the Annapolis or if that is not the reason, what is the reason
he does not send a force here.
[Inclosure 6—Telegram.]
Consul Alger to
General Muñoz.
Mazatlan,
November 24, 1915.
The Commander of the Annapolis wires me that:
Protection and not protests is what the situation demands; protests
can be taken up later on, protection must be immediate.
For more than ten days the American colony of Mochis has been without
protection from the Mexican authorities, this in spite of its having
been repeatedly requested.
I wish to know definitely if you, General Muñoz, refuse to give
immediate protection, basing refusal on grounds of armed men having
been landed from the Annapolis; or, if that
is not the reason, then for what reason do you not send forces to
protect foreigners?
I request from you a categorical reply as to whether you will without
further delay give protection to foreigners and in what time limit
can assistance be expected by Americans at Topolobampo?
