Page:Mexico and its reconstruction.djvu/307

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THE TROUBLESOME BORDER
289

and began to fight. An American officer ran toward them and arrested them on the American side of the boundary. García resisted. The officer called for assistance and another American ran from the Mexican side of the line and collided with García, who fell with his head and a small part of his body on Mexican territory. No blow was struck. García was then marched toward the jail and on again resisting was struck with a leather walking cane to quiet him. No blood was drawn.

As reported to the Mexican government and made the basis of diplomatic protest, this case had a decidedly different character. Two Americans, one an officer, crossed into Mexican territory to arrest García. The civilian knocked him down and the officer beat him while prostrate. They then dragged him across the line into Arizona, assisted by another American civilian. On the way to the prison the Mexican was again subjected to a cruel beating.

That such an affair should be raised to the dignity of an international incident would seem ridiculous and impossible if the high state of feeling and the willingness to twist evidence resulting therefrom were not realized.[1] The affair was finally patched up through acceptance by the Mexican authorities of the statement that no invasion of Mexican territory was contemplated and the declaration that in the opinion of the United States none had occurred.[2]


  1. Ibid., 1893, vol. 1, p. 457, also ibid., 1896, pp. 439, 448, 449, 454.
  2. A review of the various incidents which kept feeling aroused along the border is obtainable in Papers Relating to the Foreign