817.00 Bandit Activities, 1931/17: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Nicaragua (Hanna)
76. In view of reports of Commander Asheville now at Puerto Cabezas that all the Guardia except one officer [sic] were last reported 78 kilometers away and that bandits were reported 13 kilometers away, that 4 Americans were killed in the last 48 hours and 3 [Page 807] missing and that the only guard left of Puerto Cabezas are unreliable civilian outposts which do not cover all approaches, the Commander of the Asheville was instructed to land forces to protect the lives of Americans until a Guardia detachment, which is due to arrive in about 24 hours, can take over the situation. The Department has announced that when the Guardia arrives the situation will be turned over to it and the landing forces from the Asheville will immediately be reembarked and that the Americans at Puerto Cabezas who do not then wish to remain will be taken off on the Asheville and on the steamship Cefalu, of the Standard Fruit and Steamship Company, now in the port.