817.00/5015: Telegram
The Minister in Nicaragua ( Eberhardt ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:41 p.m.]
225. My September 2, 8 p.m. Moncada’s recent trip to Ocotal for the ostensible purpose of urging Salgado to lay down his arms was a failure in this respect. Moncada did not even confer with Salgado but took advantage of his visit to that region to strengthen himself politically. He reported Salgado to be a dissipated, elderly bandit, about 60 years old, who preferred to live by banditry and would not in his opinion lay down arms in any case. This latter statement seems borne out by more recent events when the marines have attempted in various ways to induce him to lay down arms. President Diaz was induced to send $2,000 to the American commander at Somoto from which to offer Salgado $10 for each serviceable rifle he or his followers might surrender. While a few of his followers are reported to have laid down arms, he himself has persisted in making increasingly difficult and obnoxious demands and is plainly temporizing and making himself a hero in the eyes of the ignorant class by the manner in which they believe he is deceiving the Americans.
He has now been given 48 hours within which to lay down arms after which it is believed the marines and constabulary may send an expedition against him. It is generally believed that if such an expedition had been sent long ago against Sandino to destroy him and comparatively few followers the larger number of deaths at Ocotal might have been avoided. It is feared that a similar incident may occur with Salgado if he and his band are not destroyed.