Experiences and observations of an American consular officer during the recent Mexican revolutions

Front matter

.0'

o V

,0^

Preface

The Author's daughter accompanied him to Mexico and resided there for several years, when she married and returned to the States. To keep her informed of the progress of affairs in Mexico — in which she had become considerably interested — he wrote to her from time to time, giving accounts of events as they happened down there. On his own return to this country, finding that his letters had been well preserved, and that they were helpful in refreshing his memory about particulars, he decided to make liberal use of them in compiling these chronicles. Therefore the reader is to understand that all unaddressed, and unsigned letters, or parts of letters, made use of in the preparation of these chronicles, were written by the Author to his daughter, Mrs. W. C. Carrington, of Pueblo, Colorado. Such other letters as may appear in these pages, whether copied from those of the Author to other persons, or from letters of others to the Author, will explain themselves.

The publication of these letters is not intended as a contribution to history, nor as even a pretense at giving a full account of the revolutions to which they largely refer, but it is done merely to gratify a personal whim, and aflford to any one who may care to do so, the opportunity of living over with the Author, in retrospect, experiences which he and some other Americans had during the most turbulent times of the recent revolutions in Mexico.

WILL. B. DAVIS, M. D.

Chula Vista, California, January 15, 1920.

Contents

Chapter Page

1. A Few Preliminary Remarks with Some Reminiscential

References 1

Chapter One A Few Preliminary Remarks With Some Reminiscential References

The Guadalajara Consular District: Its Situation and Importance.

The Guadalajara Consular District is composed, in ordinary times, of the State of Jalisco ; but, during- the recent revolutions, by force of circumstances, the Territory of Tepic, and the N-W portion of the State of Michoican, were also served by the Guadalajara post.

The State of Jalisco, bounded on the West by the Pacific Ocean, is the wealthiest, and most populous, in the Republic of Mexico: Estimated population, 1,500,000 — a thorough census never was taken anywhere in Mexico.

The City of Guadalajara, capital of the State of Jalisco, is second only to the City of Mexico in population, wealth and importance as a commercial and educational center; industrially, it leads every other city in the Republic : Population, 200,000. Guadalajara is situated a little over 400 miles N-W of the City of Mexico, and about 175 miles West of Irapuato — where the Guadalajara branch of the Mexican Central Railroad connects with the main line — (Mexico City to El Paso.) It is also connected by rail with the port of Manzanillo, on the Pacific coast, and by these and several branch roads with many other cities, towns and villages of importance. Because Guadalajara is so far removed — (to the West) — from any of the main routes of travel from Mexico City to anywhere on the Texas border, and there has, heretofore been so little travel via the port of Manzanillo to and from the States, it is not very well known to the outside world; and during times of revolution, not much is heard from that sec-

2 SOME REMINISCENTIAL REMARKS

tion; although, in the estimation of the Mexican people, it is always considered next in importance to the Capital of the Republic, either in times of peace, or of war. Indeed, there has long been a saying among the Mexicans, that "as Guadalajara goes, so goes the Republic."

How the Author Happened to be in Charge of the Guadalajara Consulate, and why he served peoples of Other Nationalties, as well as Americans.

I had been living, and practicing my profession, (that of Medicine,) several years at Guadalajara when, in 1908, that post having been promoted from a Consular Agency to a Consulate, Mr. Samuel E. Magill was sent there as Consul, and I appointed Vice-Consul.

The Vice-Consul did not exercise any official duties at all, except when the regular Consul was absent from the District, when the Vice enjoyed full Consular powers.

Consul Magill left Guadalajara on the 10th of October, 1912, for Hot Springs, Arkansas, and died there January 28, 1913.

Mr. Taft was President at the time, and sent in a nomination for the Guadalajara post to succeed Consul Magill, deceased; but the Democratic members of the Senate had already caucused, and agreed not to confirm any further such nominations made by Mr. Taft, but to hold them over until Mr. Wilson should assume the Presidency, which was to be in March, following.

Early after Mr. Wilson's inauguration, he declined to recognize the Huerta Government, then in power in Mexico.

As the Vice-Consul, under these circumstances exercised all the functions of a Consul, and as I was the only American holding an exequater from a Mexican Government to act in such capacity, in the Guadalajara District, I decided to remain with the Consulate, (giving up my profession,) and to serve, as best I could, my Government, and the fifteen hundred or more Americans in that District through those trying times, or at least until some more satisfactory provisions could be made.

Soon after assuming full charge of the Consulate, I received instructions from the State Department to extend protection to all foreigners in my Consular District whose Governments did not have ofihcial representatives there. This will explain why accounts of some of my interventions in behalf of others than Americans, are included in these chronicles. Thus, without the advantages of special traming, and for months at a time entirely cut off from either mail or telegraphic communication with the outside world, I found myself in charge of the American Consulate at Guadalajara, Mexico, with its added responsibilities, during the most turbulent, and trying times of the late revolutions down in that country, first-hand accounts of which it is the purpose of these chronicles to place within the reach of whomsoever may care to read them.

Pre-Revolutionary Anti-American Sentiments Manifested in Mexico.

Up to a year or so before the Madero revolution was launched, nearly all the railroads in Mexico were owned and operated by Americans. All positions requiring mechanical skill or technical knowledge were filled exclusively by Americans. Shortly after the Mexican Government took over the control of the railroads, Sefior Yves Limentour, the then Secretary of State of Mexico, inaugurated a campaign to Mexicanize the railroad service. This was undoubtedly done in response to the ever-increasing popular cry of "Mexico for Mexicans."

The Clergy of Mexico had for a long time been preaching to their parishioners that the investment of so much American capital and the influx of so many Yankees into their country was a masked attempt on the part of the Gringos to Americanize Mexico.

Senor Limentour, with the instinct of a demagogue, decided to use the popular sentiment as a means to strengthen both himself and the Diaz regime with the Mexican people. The first step he took to attain his object was to issue a peremptory order to the American employees that each American should train a Mexican apprentice to fill his place. The Americans, rightly interpreting the writing on the wall, did not wait to be discharged one at a time, but quit in a body and returned to the States, where, assisted by their respective brotherhoods, they soon found positions on American lines. The sudden exodus of the American employees, left the Mexican management in a bad plight. There were as yet few Mexicans competent to fill the places left vacant by the Americans. Derailments, collisions and locomotive explosions were a daily occurrence. I was informed that within six weeks after the Americans had quit, no less than twenty-three locomotives were disabled by explosions alone.

The Public became distrustful, and the more timid ones refused to risk their lives on the Mexicanized roads. After the rolling stock was reduced by destruction to the capacity of the few skilled Mexican employees, train service was kept up in a more or less indifferent manner.

The popular slogan, "Mexico for Mexicans," had reached a high pitch long before the beginning of the Madero revolution ; and although the anti-American demonstrations at Guadalajara on the 10th and Uth of November, 1910, occurred soon after the first Madera outbreak, they had no relationship to each other whatever.

The anti-American demonstrations at Guadalajara were preceded a week or so before by demonstrations of a like nature in Mexico City, which were inaugurated by the studentry of the capital as a protest on their part against the lynching in the State of Texas of an assassin by the name of Dominguez, which had been done a short time previous.

There is a common saying- at Guadalajara, that when the studentry of Mexico City take snuff, the studentry of Guadalajara never fail to sneeze.

Later investigations, however, clearly established the fact that the lynched Dominguez was not a Mexican citizen at all, but a native of New Mexico, U. S. A. Said Dominguez had ridden up to an out-of-the-way ranch ; found a defenseless American woman; murdered her; was pursued by a mob; captured; and — burned at stake. His captors would have done the same thing, had the culprit been a Mexican, an American, or a citizen of any other country under the sun ; but the fact of his having borne a Mexican name, was sufficient for the Mexicans, in their then state of feeling-, and this Texas incident only served to fan into flame the embers of hatred that had been smoldering- among them for some time before. During the anti-American demonstrations at Guadalajara, Mexico, on the nights of 10th and 11th of November, 1910, there was no effort made by either city, State, or National authorities to prevent, or even modify them, until after blood was shed, by the killing of a Mexican boy, by American citizen, Charles B. Corrothers, except that given the American Consulate, which was done by maintaining a body of gendarmes there day and night, and posting — on the occasion of riots — bodies of troops at the street crossings on either side, to prevent the mobs from reaching the Consulate. But notwithstanding, in sight of the Consulate, a contingent of the mobs, headed by the son of a National "Diputado," (Congressman), at one of the street crossings, violated an American flag, by spitting on it, trampling it under foot, and finally burning it, accompanying these acts with anti-American exclamations of the most insulting nature.

Indeed, everything pointed to the contrary— (referring to protection of Americans), — although, at the time, aside from the 200 city policemen, and a reserve of State gendarmes of about an equal number, there were stationed within the' city limits of Guadalajara some 2,500 Federal troops. These ^ demonstrations, first started by the local students, and afterwards joined in by all classes of Mexicans, were, if not actually encouraged by the city. State, and National authorities, at least connived at— by them, the said authorities, severally, and, collectively.

The mounted police following after — (accompanying) — the rioters, and some of the infantry police while on their respective beats, instead of trying to repress the mob's outrages, actually pointed out to them, from time to time, residences of American citizens, in cases where the rioters, through want of knowledge, were about to pass them without doing them violence. Moreover, to my personal knowledge, some of the wealthier classes, from their respective balconies, urged the mobs on by heartily cheering them.

During these demonstrations, there was scarcely an American residence, or business house, which did not suffer damage, from stonings, and smashing doors and windows, and in a few instances, actually shooting into homes occupied by Americans. Aside from the case of Mr. Corrothers— referring to shooting into houses— was that of Mr. Michael J. Slattery, who under date of December, 1919, in answer to an inquiry,' wrote to me as follows: "It is true that on the night of November 11th, 1910, our home, which was then located at 442 Lopez Cotillo St., Guadalajara— about five blocks from the central plaza — had several shots fired into it, and nearly every pane of glass in that part of the house fronting the street was demolished by rocks and other missiles thrown by the mobs." Mr. S. is now living in Philadelphia, 830 N. 63rd St.

On the night of the 11th, the second attack was made on the home of Mr. Corrothers. On the night of the 10th, the mobs contented themselves with throwing stones, to which no resistance was being made by any of the Americans

(They were only trying to keep out of the way of flying missiles)— but on the night of the 11th, after the mobs had fired several shots at his house, Mr. C. returned the fire, instantly killing a Mexican boy fifteen years of age and wounding several of the older of the rioters. The news of this occurrence flew by telephone and otherwise througTiout the city. Soon a large crowd of Mexicans had gathered in San Francisco Plaza, and were planning to storm the home of Mr. Corrothers, and lynch him.

The Municipal Jefe Politico, Col. Nicolas Esparia, hearing of these threats, took a coach and hastened to the residence of Mr. Corrothers, and conducted him to the penitentiary; and immediately thereafter, through the city police under his command, dispersed all the mobs, thus putting an end to further outrages. This, in itself, furnished sufficient proof of the fact that such could have been done at any time the authorities might have wished.

Mr. Corrothers was carried to the penitentiary as a precautionary measure, and not as a prisoner. After all excitement over the occurrence had subsided, he was put at liberty, and did not suffer further molestation on account of having tried to defend his family and home.

The authorities knew beforehand of these pending der onstrations, and could have forestalled them, but there w.' not any effort made to do so. On the contrary ; the morni ^ before the demonstrations were scheduled to take place. Go tremor Miguel Ahumada went to Guanajuatlan, 30 kilometers distant, pretending to spend a few days by way of diversion, thinking perhaps, by this means, to escape direct responsibility ; but in the opinion of the writer— and many others— it was a deliberate act of connivance on his part — rather, of licensing

the prearranged performances, and it was so construed, and

acted upon, by the studentry and populace of Guadalajara. And these outrages against Americans, were perpetrated during the much lauded regime of Don Porfirio Diaz !

EXEMPLIFYING POPULAR FREE GOVERNMENT

Chapter Two How Popular Free Government Is Exempli- Fied In The Republic Of Mexico

NOTE : — The Madero revolution ; the abdication and flight of President Diaz; the assumption of the Presidency by Francisco Madero; the Assassination of President Madero and Vice President Pino Swarez, (in February, 1913;) the immediate succession of General Huerta to the Provisional Presidency, and his so-called election to succeed himself in the fall of 1913; the refusal of the Washington Government to recognize the Huerta Government at any time ; the Carranza counter revolutions; the abdication and flight of Ruerta; the succession of General Carranza to the Presidency; already matters of history, will not be the purpose of these chronicles to refer to, except incidentally.

November 1st, 1915.~ Early after the so-called Presidential elections in 1913, when General Huerta had been declared elected to succeed himself as President of Mexico, the Charge d' Affairs of the American Embassy, Mr. Nelson O'Shaugnessy, requested me to render him a report as to how said elections had been conducted in my Consular District, to which the following was sent:

Guadalajara, Mexico, October 29th, 1913. Hon. Nelson O'Shaugnessy,

Charge d' Affairs, Mexico City, D. F.

Sir: — In answer to your inquiry of 26th, I beg to say, that the elections went off quietly here. There were reported to have been cast, in this city of 200,000 population, about three hundred votes. At about 6 o'clock P. M., the Jefe Politico had all the voting booths visited, the boxes containing the votes gathered in, and — that was the last heard of the matter.

EXEMPLIFYING POPULAR FREE GOVERNMENT 9

I understand that the same procedure was followed throughout this Consular District.

The election judges (as we call them in our country) in no precinct here seem to know any more about who might have received a majority of the few votes cast than some Hottentot, in his native lair, or an Australian boomeranger just emerging from a siesta.

That is all, except to say that the public in general are thoroughly disgusted at what they call a political farce — a travesty on justice — a mammoth stunt of hypocrasy.

I am Sir, your obedient servant,

(Signed) WILL B. DAVIS,

American Vice Consul.

The foregoing letter gave a fair account of those elections; and if I had written more at length, I do not think I could have added anything material to the subject, except to say (as Mr. O. S. must already have known) that no one but a few local officers and soldiers were seen to enter any of the voting booths during the whole time the polls were open.

November 15th, 1913.

Yesterday, the Legislature of this State refused to return the names of the two men selected by the Huerta Government to be chosen as Senators to the Federal Congress from the State of Jalisco.

Governor Rojas at once called out the soldiery and threatened the whole body of Legislators with immediate imprisonment, if they further refused to return the names submitted as duly and legally elected. The Legislators then "reconsidered" their former action, and voted unanimously in favor of returning the names of the two persons submitted as "legally" elected by the sovereign subjects of the State of Jalisco, to the National Senate of the United States of Mex-

10 EXEMPLIFYING POPULAR FREE GOVERNMENT

ico. I will add that both the present Governor, and State Legislature, owe their official positions to the Madero regime.

Could anyone imagine anything more ridiculously arbitrary?

Think of it! The Governor and Legislature of the State of Jalisco, themselves chosen during, and continued over from the Madero Government, being compelled, by force of arms, to vote for and elect (?) to the National Assembly persons selected by the chief assassin of President Madero!!

And yet they pretend to maintain a Republican form of Government down here — a Government by the people!!

But this should not impress you as being so strange, for if I remember correctly, you were present "once upon a time" when one of our best friends among the Mexican high officials while ridiculing to us the idea of such a thing as really holding elections anywhere in Mexico, frankly stated in support of his assertion that neither he, nor any of his associates, had ever pretended to do such a thing as cast a vote in all their lives! He laughed at the thought of holding elections in Mexico!!!

I think it was in 1904 — while you were yet here — that a Presidential election was being held on a Sunday. I was attending a sick child of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Kipp, a short distance above us on Placeres Street. A vacant house just opposite the Kipp home was being used as a voting booth. I asked Mrs. K. to have the place closely watched, to ascertain as nearly as she could, the number of votes that might be cast. On my last visit about 6 P. M., I asked Mrs. Kipp if a strict count had been kept of the number of voters. She said yes ; that she and her servants had kept a close watch all day long, and that not one person had been seen to enter the voting booth. And this, you will remember, was in one of the most populous sections of the city. Just as I was

EXEMPLIFYING POPULAR FREE GOVERNMENT 11

leaving- the Kipp home, I saw the "election judge" (there was only one, and he wore a soldier's uniform) take up his chair, the supposed ballot box and a tripod table and walk away. In all of the papers of the next day there appeared flaming- accounts of the elections, telling that Don Porfirio Diaz had been unanimously elected to succeed himself as President ! ! !

12 EFFORTS TO FORCE AMERICANS' SUPPORT

Chapter Three

DEVOTED PRINCIPALLY TO TELLING HOW MEX- ICAN AUTHORITIES TRIED TO COMPEL AMERICAN CITIZENS TO SUP- PORT ARMED FORCES

January 19th, 1914.

I am hereinbelow transmitting- a translation, from Spanish, of my correspondence with the Governor of the State of Michoican on the subject of "Protest Against American Citizens Paying Forced Loans to Maintain Federal Troops in the State of Michoican."

Guadalajara, Mexico, January 18th, 1914. General Jesus Garza Gonzales,

Governor of the State of Michoican.

Highly Esteemed Sir: I have the honor to say to your Excellency, that day before yesterday, I sent a telegram addressed to "The Governor of the State of Michoican," as follows: "Following the instructions of my Government, I formally protest against the forced loan for maintaining a Federal Army — or any other armed force — in the State of Michoican by American property owners." To which telegram your answer was as follows : "By the terms of your message of this date, I suppose that you address this Government in an official character, which you claim, but as your official standing is unknown to me, please address yourself through the proper channels." To this I have to rejoin that, although your Excellency is correct in intimating that I am not officially accredited to the Government of the State of Michoican, the fact remains nevertheless, that no Government has the right to force foreigners to take part, directly,

EFFORTS TO FORCE AMERICANS' SUPPORT 13

or indirectly, in armed conflicts, whatever their character. The loan to which I referred in my telegram does not differ in principle from another measure proposed in your State some time since, requiring hacendados to maintain at their own expense, each hacendado, ten armed men, except in its modus operandi. In your proclamation promulgating the act of the Legislature of the State of Michoican as to the forced loan, your Excellency does not only state that it is to be a "forced loan," but also "that said loan is for the purpose of maintaining Federal troops in the State of Michoican," thus leaving no doubt as to the purpose of the loan.

While in principle, the two propositions do not differ, there might be a difference in their ultimate effects in this: That the American property owners might not expose themselves so openly to the vengeance of your enemies in the forced loan proposition, as they would do if caught in the act of maintaining, at their own expense, ten armed men against

them.

As for regular taxes levied, although they might be doubled, we might not have the right to make this protest, but in the case of a forced loan, making known beforehand that it is for the purpose of maintaining armed troops in the State of Michoican— yes, your Excellency, we have the right to protest energetically, as foreigners, at such violations of international obligations, and consequently, if the American property owners in the State of Michoican should refuse to comply with your decree in this matter, they will do it advisedly; and if they should be compelled to pay, by force, they will do it under positive protests, reserving not only the right to file claims for specific amounts so contributed, but for constructive damages also.

In addressing myself directly to your Excellency, I followed the instructions of my Government, the same as I had heretofore done with your predecessors in the State of Mich-

14 EFFORTS TO FORCE AMERICANS' SUPPORT

oican, regarding other subjects, in thorough friendship and courtesy, and I profess to your Excellency assurances of my highest estimation and respect for yourself.

I hope that it will not prove necessary to press the subject of this correspondence further, either through channels already followed, or others, as from now on, the determination of the matter will remain with the Government of the State of Michoican and the American property owners of that entity; until my Government might take it up with the Federal Government of Mexico ; and it was for the purpose of avoiding these molestations that this letter is written — as well as that which causes me to write so fully to your Excellency — notwithstanding your telegram of protest of last Friday.

I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) WILL B. DAVIS,

American Vice Consul.

I did not hear further from Governor Gonzales on the subject, but the proposed tax was not enforced against the American property owners in the State of Michoican.

I have been informed that this General Gonzales was a graduate of Chapultepec (the so-called West Point of Mexico), which would have caused one to suppose that he must have known he was attempting to violate the rights of foreigners in his State. His telegram to me was of an evasive nature (a la Mexicana), but did not have the effect that I felt sure he expected it would. Other proofs of this Mexican penchant to force foreigners to support their military operations will be given further on ; but following our chronological plan, we will now return to the subject of the anti- Americanisms of the Mexicans by episodically introducing some interesting happenings, which will be related in the next chapter.

PORTRAYING ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENTS 15

Chapter Four

BEING AN ACCOUNT OF OTHER MEXICAN WAYS OF EXPRESSING THEIR ANTI-AMERICAN

SENTIMENTS

February 13th, 1914.

I am herewith enclosing a cartoon and comments from a local paper which as nearly illustrates the feeling existing here as could well be expressed.

Admiral Cowls, with several officers from the U. S. S. Pittsburg, spent a few days here (1st to 5th) this month. On the 2d, 106 "bluejackets" also came, and were here two or three days. Some Japanese naval officers, on their return trip from Mexico City to Manzanillo, were here at the same time. The Japanese were profusely entertained — made guests of the city while here. The presence of Admiral Cowls and stafif was ignord by everybody except the Americans.

The reference, in the local sheet, under the heading, "El Evangelio del Dia," on the behavior of the American sailors, is a slander. The boys had a good time — were royally entertained by the members of the American colony — went away rejoicing, after two days' rounds of continued feastings, etc., etc., without there having occurred a disturbance. They were a fine lot of young fellows — on their very best behavior — and created a favorable impression among all classes, notwithstanding the deep-rooted prejudice among the natives here against them — expressed in the cartoon and editorial under the Scripturally couched heading, "El Evangelio del Dia."

On another occasion (there had not been any abatement of anti-American sentiment on the part of the Mexican popu-

16 PORTRAYING ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENTS

lation) Japanese Minister to Mexico, Sefior Agatchi, and staff, passed through Guadalajara on his way to the Capitol, after having landed at Manzanillo.

The Ayuntamiento (City Council) of Guadalajara prevailed upon Sefior Agatchi to delay his journey and spend a day at Guadalajara as the city's guest, when they, the members of the Ayuntamiento, surely did "put the big pot in the little one" in their efforts at entertainment. These and simliar pro-Japanese manifestations were not anything else than so many masqued anti-Artierican demonstrations ; for the Mexicans were under the impression that very highly strained relations existed between the United States and Japan in those days.

An amusing incident took place in the dining room of a hotel on the occasion of Admiral Cowl's visit as follows : The Japanese crowd, in charge of their Mexican entertainers, were being conducted to a specially arranged banquet board in the dining room of the Hotel Fenix, when, spying some of the members of Admiral Cowls' staff at tables in a different quarter of the hall, they suddenly broke away from their Mexican guides and went over to greet the American officers. Very warm expressions of pleasure at so unexpectedly meeting each other again, were mutually indulged in. This exhibition of cordiality on the part of the ofificers of both nationalities was so completely foreign to (beyond the mental horizon of) Mexican expectations that a very visible sense of confusion supervened among them and embarrassed them so that the remainder of their programme of festivities was only mechanically — sans enthusiasm — eked out.

NOTE: During these times (and until its final fall) the Huerta Government found itself in rather a bad way, trying to maintain itself.

The Carrancista forces in the North were making considerable headway, while the Zapatistas in the States of

PORTRAYING ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENTS 17

Guerrero and Michoican were becoming monotonously irritating to the Huerta Government.

The Guadalajara district was yet (and until the following July) under the control of the Huerta Government, with General Mier in charge of the Western Division, with headquarters at Guadalajara.

The continued non-recognition by President Wilson of the Huerta Government; the permitting by the Washington Government of exportation of arms and munitions to the Carrancistas ; the Tampico incident, and Huerta's continued refusal to comply with Admiral Mayo's demands, etc., etc., added to the already highly pitched anti-American sentiment, made the life of an American citizen at Guadalajara anything but pleasant. Nevertheless, our personal friends among the Mexicans (and I think such was the case with nearly all my countrymen) continued to treat us with as much courtesy as formerly, though at times with visible effort. There were a few would-be bullies among the Americans, but they were kept curbed by the more sane — and truly brave — members of our colony. The conduct of the Americans throughout all our sequential trials was very commendable.