File. No. 812.00/5865.
The American Consul at Vera Cruz to the Secretary of State.
Vera Cruz, January 14, 1913.
I have received information, which I believe to be reliable, and which I am sending also to the Embassy, to the effect that Madero Government plans sham revolutionary uprising in Vera Cruz in order to kill Felix Díaz and his companions in prison and to make it appear they were killed accidentally or to be justified in shooting them immediately afterwards. As this uprising may be started at any moment my aid was solicited for the good name of the country. If our Government would promptly adopt such measures as would prevent this act it might be prevented if the Embassy should tell Madero the intended plot was known; the information might also be [Page 694] given to the press by the Department. The presence of a cruiser might also have a beneficial effect. I have sent a duplicate of this telegram to the Embassy.