File No. 312.52/510.
The Spanish Ambassador to the Secretary of State .
Washington , January 22, 1915 .
My dear Mr. Secretary: I beg to inform you that I have today received a despatch from the Spanish Consul at Vera Cruz, dated January 15, in which he informs me that, not being able to communicate either by post or telegraph with the Spanish Minister in the capital of Mexico, he is corresponding with me in order to call my attention to the critical situation of the Spaniards residing in the States of Vera Cruz, Puebla, and Tlaxcala.
A few days ago, the Consul reports, seven Spaniards were killed by the Constitutionalist forces at the station of Esperanza, on the Mexican Railroad, and another one lost his life at the station of San Marcos of the same railway.
Persons who have recently arrived at Vera Cruz from Puebla have reported to the Spanish Consul that there are more than fifty Spaniards imprisoned, whose ultimate fate there is every reason to fear for.
These reports are confirmed by the news which I received from the Spanish Minister, from the capital, and all of them reveal an extremely serious situation for the Spanish residents of the States I have mentioned and very specially in Puebla, where our large colony and important manufacturing interests have attracted the animosity and the cupidity of the various Carrancista and Zapatista faction which have held that territory under their control.
I venture to call your attention once more to this critical state of affairs, in the hope that you will exert all your influence to obtain an improvement in the situation.
Believe me [etc.]