Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1915 — AMERICAN FACED MEXICAN FIRING SQUAD [ARTICLE]

AMERICAN FACED MEXICAN FIRING SQUAD

Consular Agent Jenkins Rescued in Nick of Time—U. S. Demands Punishment of Guilty. Washington, Feb. 18.— How W. O. Jenkins, consular agent of the United States at Puebla, Mexico, was confronted by a firing squad of Carranza supporters to execute him, when he was saved by the timely arrival of an officer, is revealed in a long report just received by the state department. (Details of the affair became known today together with the fact that strong representations on the subject as yet unanswered, t were promptly made to .Gen. Carranza. The United States government not only protested against the discourteous treatment to the American consular agent, but demanded the punishment of those who had threatened him. Mr. Jenkins, who has extensive property interests in Mexico, was first arrested when the Zapatistas were in control of the city and when the Carranza forces subsequently entered, a sergeant and several Carranza soldiers claimed that there had been firing from his house. Later he was released only to be rearrested, the report said, clubbed with pistols and taken to barracks, where he was stood up for execution. Just in time a Carranza officer rode by, and when Jenkins protested that he was an American consular agent the officer ordered that he be taken before General Obregon. While the latter released Jenkins and apologized for the conduct of his subordinates, the state department pursued the matter with a request for the punishment of the guilty.