837.00/3623: Telegram
The Ambassador in Cuba (Welles) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:32 p.m.]
138. Personal for the Under Secretary. I have received confirmation this morning from two reliable sources of the fact that yesterday at a secret meeting at which were present Ainciart, until recently Chief of Police, and four other police captains, a plan was decided upon should President Machado be forced to resign to assassinate me in order to provoke immediate American intervention. Countless reports of a similar character have come to me during the past 10 days to which I have paid no attention. In this instance the information comes [Page 346] directly from one of those present when the plan was concerted who is a member of one of the secret organizations. It has furthermore a creditable basis inasmuch as I was directly responsible for the removal of Ainciart from his position and since he is fully aware that should a change in government take place he would be immediately subject to trial and punishment for the innumerable crimes of which he is personally guilty. By forcing, as he thinks, an American intervention he would be guaranteed by the intervening power against aggression from Cubans and against punishment inasmuch as the blame for such action would be attributed immediately by the authorities to one of the secret societies and if there were no witnesses present the conspirators would naturally escape scot-free.
I shall naturally not change in the least my mode of existence nor take other than ordinary precautions but I think the information will give you an indication of the state of affairs now existing here.