File No. 838.00/1289.
Admiral Caperton to the Secretary of the Navy.
In northern Haiti the Cacos situation is becoming critical. Because of their leaders, who are endeavoring to obtain exorbitant [Page 487] bribes, these Cacos will not come within our lines and surrender arms and will not disband. Repeated efforts have been made both through channels in the north and through their leaders in Port au Prince, and liberal offers of 15 gourdes per soldier and 100 gourdes per chief have been made to pay for their rifles and to give them sufficient money to return to their homes; but the offers were not accepted.
In Cape Haitien these Cacos have again begun investing the town and are preventing market people and food stuffs from entering. As recommended in my radiogram 16029 (S. D. 1141) I believe that furnishing work on railroad construction in the vicinity of Cape Haitien might induce many men to desert their chiefs and go to work. In this connection unless prompt measures are taken I shall be forced to consider very soon offensive operations against these Cacos.