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Show ATTEMPT TO KILL AMERICAN OFFICER VERA CRUZ. Feb. 12An attempt was mudo late last night to assassinate Lieutenant Arthur B. Cook, flag lieutenant lieuten-ant to Rear Admiral Mayo, of the United States battleship Connecticut Lieutenant Cook, although struck bv a bullet, was only slightly hurt. His 'assailant 'as-sailant was not seen. Tho lieutenant, accompanied bv his wifo and Mis3 Ethel McKenzIe of Philadelphia, Phila-delphia, had been dining with Admiral Mnyo aboard the flagship. The party took a carriage to drive to the steamer Morro Castle, on which Mrs. Cook and Miss McKenzio were to sail today. Lieutenant Lieu-tenant Cook, conspicuous In full dress white uniform, with gold epaulets and heavy gold cords, sat with his back to the driver. Shortly after 10 o'clock thc party, proceeding pro-ceeding down thc Avenlda de Lalndepen-da. Lalndepen-da. was passing a side street when a sharp detonation was heard, ,and Lieutenant Cook felt a sharp shock on the left hip. On alighting at tho wharf, Lieutenant Cook found a small object on the carriage car-riage seat, which proved to be a steel jacketed .25 caliber bullet, of the tvpe used In pocket automatic pistols. Investigation In-vestigation showed that the bullet had Inflicted a bruise on his hip. Beyond doubt the bullet, which was fired at a short distance, was spent, having hav-ing lost Its velocity by passing through the woodwork of the carriage. Whoever fired tho shot must havo fled Immediately, Immediate-ly, apparently without having attracted attontlon. Attack Reported. Lieutenant Cook returned aboard thc flagship and reported the attack to tho admiral, who this morning communicated with John Llnd, President Wilson's representative, rep-resentative, and the American consul, W. W. Canada. They notified General Maas. military commandant at Vora Cruz, without, with-out, however, making formal demands. Mr. Llnd will officially inform General Maas that tho nrrest of persons assaulting, assault-ing, or attempting to assault, American officers or civilians is a question of small consequence compared with thc personal responsibility of the general for such outrages. It will be made clear to General Gen-eral Maas that bo personally will be held to tho strictest accountability for failure fail-ure to prevent such attacks. It is not believed that thc attack was the result of a deliberate plot, but tho suddon act of some desperado, who, seeing Lieutenant Lieu-tenant Cook In a brilliant uniform, mistook mis-took him for an American naval officer of high rank. Recently quiet arrangements were mado to secure thc personal safety of Mr. Llnd. Until a few days ago ho was in the habit of taking long walks alone in the outlying country At the consulate no guard was maintained, but signal boys were brought from tho fleet to uct as messengers and communlcato with the ship by wigwags and night signals. Picked Men on Guard. In consequence of secret information reaching the consulate, the signal boys were replaced by eight stalwart picked bluejackets, four of whom are on duty day nnd night. They have orders to scrutinize all persons entering the consulate, con-sulate, to permit no on to approach Mr. Llnd's room uninvited und to admit no one after dark without proper identification. identifi-cation. Mr. Llnd, whenever he leaves thc consulate con-sulate now, is followed by a bine-Jacket, bine-Jacket, who, nlthough unarmed. Is within striking distance. Sir. Llnd was opposed to these precautionary measures, but was persuaded that conditions demanded them. Tho United States battleships Connecticut, Connecti-cut, Ohio nnd Minnesota were to have sailed, for Tamplco today, but the order wub rescinded, and they will await tho return of Admiral Fletcher's ship from Tamplco and tho arrival of the first division di-vision of dreadnoughts, probably February Febru-ary 1. Mrs. Cook and Miss McKenzie sailed today on tho Morro Castle. Among th other passengers were Mrs. Henderson nnd two other American women, refugees refu-gees from Zucatccns, who say they were compelled to flee because the governor of Zacatocas declared that he was unable to guurantco them further protoctlon. giving as his .reasons tho removal of the cm-burgo cm-burgo on arms. Hope Abandoned. DOUGLAS. Ariz.. Feb. 12. J. P. Hodgson, captain of tho helmet squad, cent from Blsboe to explorp thc Cumbrc tunnel of the Moxlcan Northwestern railroad, which was set on fire by the bandits of Mcximo Castillo, wired tonight to headquarters at Blsbeo that he and his men would return tomorrow, having abandoned all hopo of finding tho bodies of the victims who met death on a passenger pas-senger train which sped into the flaming bore. Hodgson said the helmet squad penetrated 1100 foot into the tunnel and found no evidence that anyone had escaped alive. Ifhnlllo Garcia, captain of a portion of i Castillo's outlaw command, who la held ia captive by thc Ninth cavalry ut Haohlta. N. M.. was said today to be an American citizen by Edward Tinker, a safety Hupcrvlsor of the El Paso & Southwestern South-western railroad. Tlnlter sald Garcia's runl name was Amos ICayser and that his father was of Germnn extraction und hfc mother a Cherokee Indian. Kayner fought through the Madoro revolution as a member of t.ho rebel foreign for-eign loglon and afterward was employed iff a laoorer on the El Paso Southwestern. Southwest-ern. Tinker said tho captive told him to make It known that many uctn credited cred-ited to tho Castillo band had not boon committed by them. Harmonious Action. I WASHINGTON. Feb. 12. A visit to ' the state department todny by Sir Cecil Snitng-RIc". the British embassador, who is known to bo dlsponud to close any harmrXus action by th United States find Great Britain in regard to Mexico, i"avo rise to a report that, greater prcs-2ure prcs-2ure will be bronchi to bear upon Gen- oral ITuerta soon in an effort to fchuke his determination to remain at the head or affairs in the Mexican capital. Officials Of-ficials did not discuss the report. Thomas B. Holder, secretary of the British legation at Mexico City, who will leave for his post shortly after spending several days in Washington, has had Impressed Im-pressed upon him the lntlexlblo purpose of thc American administration to withhold with-hold recognition from Huerta. Cabinet Rumors. MEXICO CITY. Fob. 12. Rumors of changes In the cabinet continue to circulate, circu-late, the most persistent being that Foreign For-eign Minister Mohcuo will take the ministry min-istry of finance when Adolfo dc la Lama returns from Europe and the formalities of accepting his resignation are completed, complet-ed, and Jose Loncz Portlllo y Rojas. who recently resigned the governorship of the state of Jalisco, Is Installed as foreign minister. What thc war department regards as a serious reverse to the movement by the Slorra Indians, in tho state of Puebla, was administered today at Zacatlan. ac-j cording to official reports made public tonight. These reports said that after six hours of fighting eighty-four rebels were killed and the town of Zacatlan was re-occupied re-occupied by federal forces. Tho federal loss was not given. General Mariano Ruiz, who wns designated desig-nated by the war department to moko an attompt to purify the Indians by dealing with General Juan Francisco Lucas, their leader, an old personal friend of Ruiz. Is still here. Unofficial advices are ttat thc Indians havo declared that they will hold Ruiz a prisoner If he attempts to fulfill ful-fill his mission. Visit Ordered. MEXICO CITY. Feb. 12. Sir Lionel Carden, the British minister here, will go to Washington to confer with President Wilson on his way to London, was admitted ad-mitted tonight by Sir Lionel. His call at Washington will not be voluntary, vol-untary, however, as it was suggested by tho British foreign office. Sir Lionel probably will not leave Mexico Mex-ico for two weeks. Water Supply Cut Off. SAN ANTONIO. Texas, Feb, 12. Mex-lean Mex-lean rebels havo cut off the water supply of thc city of Tamplco and have stopped the light of thc Altamira lighthouse, In order to compel thc federals to come out of Tamplco and engage them In battle, according to a dispatch received today hy the Light from Colonel Alberto Fuentes. chief of the staff for General Pablo Gonzales, Gon-zales, the rebel commander. Colonel Iconics added Hint General Vlllareal has taken possession of the government gov-ernment of tho slate of TamaullpuH and was acclaimed by thc people. Tho message mes-sage came froni Aldamar, fifty nilios northwest of Tamplco. |
