411.12 Gomez and Rubio/7: Telegram The Governor of Oklahoma (Murray) to the Secretary of State OKLAHOMA CITY, June 9, 1931. [Received 1:30 p. m.] Further referring to the killing of the two Mexican citizens, I have to report that the State's Criminal Investigator and Attorney General are at Ardmore aiding the investigation. I have also sent my secretary who is a lawyer for the same purpose. In addition I have also commissioned Colonel Charles Clowe to accompany the bodies to Mexico City together with Messena Bancroft Murray to accompany Colonel Clowe to the Mexican boundary. I especially request that you notify the American Minister of [Ambassador to] Mexico of the coming of Colonel Clowe as he has no passport and might require same for return. WILLIAM H. MURRAY 411.12 Gomez and Rubio/8: Telegram The Ambassador in Mexico (Clark) to the Secretary of State MEXICO, June 9, 1931-5 p. m. [Received 7:07 p. m.] 186. My 185, June 8, 7 p. m.12 Note just received from Foreign Office requests me to transmit message from President Ortiz Rubio to President Hoover in reply to latter's message. Translation of reply reads as follows: "I receive with much gratitude the message in which Your Excellency is good enough to express your sorrow for the incident resulting in the death yesterday in Oklahoma of two Mexican students, one of them a relative of mine, and I thank you very much for your kindness in informing me that you have ordered that a minute investigation of this distressing occurrence be made." CLARK 411.12 Gomez and Rubio/9 The Secretary of State to the Mexican Chargé (Herrera de Huerta) WASHINGTON, June 9, 1931. SIR: I have received your note No. 02373 of June 8, 1931, relative to the shooting at Ardmore, Oklahoma, of two Mexican youths, Manuel García Gómez and Emilio Cortéz Rubio, the latter, you state, being a nephew of His Excellency, the President of Mexico. This information came to the Department yesterday and the appropriate authorities were immediately requested to direct a minute in "Not printed. vestigation, with a view to determining the circumstances of the shooting and establishing the responsibilities which may be involved. I take this occasion to express to you my profound regret at this deplorable incident and to say that I shall not fail to communicate to you the result of the investigation as soon as it shall have been completed. Accept [etc.] 411.12 Gomez and Rubio/13: Telegram HENRY L. STIMSON The Ambassador in Mexico (Clark) to the Secretary of State MEXICO, June 10, 1931-1 p. m. [Received 4:05 p. m.] 188. On receipt of Department's 166, June 9, 4 p. m.,13 and of telegram from Governor of Oklahoma to the effect that his representative, Colonel Charles E. Clowe, accompanying remains of Gómez and Cortés Rubio would arrive Laredo 2 p. m. Thursday, June 11, I addressed note to Foreign Office. Embassy also orally inquired whether it would be agreeable to the Mexican Government for Colonel Clowe to accompany remains in Mexico or whether it would be prudent for him to do so in view of reports in the press that hostile demonstrations against United States would take place in Morelia on arrival of bodies there. Embassy has just been orally advised by Foreign Office that Mexican Government deeply appreciates courtesy of Governor of Oklahoma, but is of the opinion that due to lack of good accommodations to Morelia it would be advisable for Colonel Clowe to accompany remains only to the border. On our again suggesting possibility of demonstrations in Morelia Foreign Office representative said that this was another reason why it would be inadvisable for Colonel Clowe to accompany the remains beyond the border. If Department sees no objection please communicate foregoing confidentially to Governor. Am advising Consul at Nuevo Laredo. CLARK 411.12 Gomez and Rubio/14: Telegram The Governor of Oklahoma (Murray) to the Secretary of State OKLAHOMA CITY, June 10, 1931. [Received 4: 55 p. m.] In addition to matters and things reported yesterday in re the killing of the two Mexican citizens I have directed the payment of the transportation of the bodies to Mexico City. Have advised the people "Not printed. of Ardmore to pass appropriate resolutions of regret by the City Council, the County Government and Chamber of Commerce and that a large concourse of citizens follow the remains to the train when shipment is made this afternoon. Have done all the things that I could think of to alleviate the strained relations that exist between our [country] and our neighboring Republic. I await your orders if other matters are needed. Have wired the American Minister [Ambassador] Mexico City place and time of crossing the international border. WM. H. MURRAY 411.12 Gomez and Rubio/19: Telegram The Ambassador in Mexico (Clark) to the Secretary of State [Paraphrase] MEXICO, June 11, 1931-4 p. m. [Received 8:08 p. m.] 188. Except for the use of such words as "vilely", and "barbarous", and of an unfriendly editorial in yesterday's La Prensa (which paper is almost always anti-American in its point of view), the press has treated the killings at Ardmore, Oklahoma, with forbearance and moderation. I was told that the occurrence has given rise to considerable ill-feeling against the United States especially among those persons who are generally characterized as anti-American. From two different sources close to President Ortiz Rubio we have been informed that local students and others tried to influence the families of the deceased to send the remains to Morelia, via Mexico City, in order that a demonstration might be organized in Mexico City, but that the families of the deceased decided otherwise. Also, from the same sources, we have been advised that persons in Mexico City of Michoacan origin requested the assent of the President to hold a demonstration in Mexico City without the remains of the deceased and that the President gave his permission with the understanding that they would guarantee that no statements would be made attacking either the Government of Mexico or the United States. CLARK 411.12 Gomez and Rubio/33 The Consul at Nuevo Laredo (Wormuth) to the Secretary of State No. 12 NUEVO LAREDO, June 13, 1931. [Received June 18.] SIR: I have the honor to report that the remains of Manuel Gómez and Emilio Cortés Rubio who allegedly were shot and killed by one Deputy Sheriff Guess at Ardmore, Oklahoma, were taken across the border from Laredo, Texas, to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, on June 11, 1931, having arrived at Laredo at 2:00 P. M., accompanied by Colonel Charles E. Clowe as personal representative of the Governor of Oklahoma and also by the son of the Governor, Messena Murray, and by Salvador Cortés Rubio, brother [cousin] of Emilio Cortés Rubio. At the request of our Ambassador at Mexico City and of the Governor of Oklahoma, and accompanied by Vice Consul Williams, I met the train upon its arrival at Laredo, Texas, and communicated the contents of the telegrams received from our Embassy and from the Governor of Oklahoma to Colonel Clowe and the Governor's son, who thereupon, without crossing the border to Nuevo Laredo, returned one to Oklahoma City and the other to Houston. There was no demonstration either at Laredo, Texas, or Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and the number of persons meeting the train at Laredo, Texas, did not exceed twenty five. Most of these were Mexican officials including the Consul of Mexico in Laredo, Alejandro V. Martinez and members of his staff. The transfer of the necessary documents accompanying the bodies of the two deceased boys was made with the assistance of Consul Martinez and it is believed that he deserves the commendation of his government for the tact and diplomacy exercised by him throughout this incident. The courtesy and consideration of the Governor of Oklahoma in sending a personal representative and his own son to accompany the bodies of the deceased made a deep impression upon the public both of Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo and undoubtedly exercised an influence in preventing any exhibition of anti-American feeling on the part of the Mexican population of the two cities. It may be of interest to the Department that Salvador Cortés Rubio, brother [cousin] of Emilio Cortés Rubio, expressed the most friendly feeling toward the United States and stated that he did not hold the people of the United States to blame for the regrettable fate of his brother [cousin] and that he expected to return to school in the United States. It is deemed necessary to correct two newspaper notices that have come to the attention of this office. One of these appeared in the San Antonio Express of July 12 stating that Colonel Clowe and Messena Murray, the son of Governor Murray, visited Nuevo Laredo before returning as heretofore stated. This statement is, to the personal knowledge of myself and Mr. Williams, absolutely incorrect, inasmuch as we were personally present with Colonel Clowe and Mr. Murray from the time of their arrival at 2:00 P. M., until their departure at 3:30 P. M., on the same day, in the meantime making an official call upon the Mayor of the city of Laredo. It is deemed necessary also MEXICO 717 cretary of State: S GRAFTON ROGERS to correct a statement appearing in La Prensa, the lehorities of the in Mexico (Clark) June 25, 1931-2 p. m. artment was informed of Oklahoma that the fully taken care of. STIMSON 411.12 Gomez and Rubio/31 The Secretary of State to the Go SIR: Your letter of June 8, 19 preciation, together with its enc. you to the Consul of Mexico &: shooting of two Mexican stude" I take the occasion to exTMTM prompt action which you i the deplorable incident and occurrence. I have [etc.] 411.12 Gomez and Rubio/36 The Mexican Chargé No. 02502 MR. SECRETAR ment, and I sincere gratitud and García G Hoover, the of State ren bodies to M murderer of the Mexican ished will provoke rightn people and that, in view United States itself concountry also supports this n assured that the American investigation be made of the Occurrence, we are awaiting Federal authorities. co could not say that this incident ference to an "investigation by the od a severance in the cases and Mr. Guess was |