Header image
Top 100  •  doc 13
 
T O P     1 0 0     D O C S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

Máximo Hernández, EDSN prisoner interrogated, Ocotal district

     Offering another angle on events described in the previous page, this document reports on information obtained from the interrogation of a member of the group that seized Camilo Castellón and received the $1,000 he paid in ransom.  Such actions on the part of the Sandinistas fed accusations that they were engaged in "organized banditry," and in an important sense they were if "organized banditry" in this context is interpreted as plundering the wealthy in order to pay for material necessities of war.  Propertied Segovianos would see more than four more years of the same, only expanded, intensified, and radicalized.  (Photo:  "Rebel bandit group formed in back country of Nicaragua, from personal photos of COl. H. C. Reisinger, USMC," US National Archives)

 

50th Company, Second Battalion

11th Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps

Somoto, Nicaragua

2 September, 1928

From:       Commanding Officer

To:         Area Commander, Northern Area, Ocotal,

             Nicaragua

 

Subject:    Enemy information furnished by prisoner.

 

  1.        Interviewed late yesterday, prisoner Maximo Hernandez Calis who was captured by McHenry's patrol on August 25, 1928 in the vicinity just south of San Lucas, furnished the following information.  Mr. T. H. Bracken acted as interpreter.

 

  (a)      "I want to tell the truth for my father is honest and I want you to send and get him so he will know I am well and not dead.  I have been connected with Modesto Escalante for the past month.  About three weeks ago Escalante had decided to surrender when he received a letter from Ferrera to meet him at a certain time between Sonis and Mal Paso.  Escalante detailed, in addition, to myself, the following men to accompany him to appointed place:

Rafael Perez

Juan Perez

Cuiatano Picado

Ciriaco Picado

We arrived [at the] house of Apoliario Perez and met Ferrera.  Escalante and Ferrera argued for some time.  Ferrera then gave Escalante a letter and some money.  We left Ferrera and went to [the] house of Ciriaco Picado (between San Lucas and Sabana Grande).  Escalante talked with Rafael Perez for some time then left.  Rafael Perez then assembled us (Juan Perez, Cuitano Picado, Ciriaco Picado and myself) and told us Escalante had given him $280.00 and a letter for the Jefe of San Marcos, name, Mondragon.  That we were to take two or three pack mules and leave for San Marcos the next night.  Rafael Perez and myself were armed with pistols (38 Cal) and eight rounds of ammunition each.  The next day I was fairly drunk and feeling bad so that night Rafael Perez told me to rest up and then proceed to [the] house of Juan Perez (between Sonis and Espino) and wait for him.  Two days later Rafael Perez and [his] detail returned and unloaded 25 rifles (used) and 2500 rounds of ammunition for same.  Ammunition was in packages of 100 rounds each.  At this time, Ferrera, Escalante, Pascual Hernandez (lives near Pataste) and a mozo [resident worker] employed by Don Camilo Castellon were in hiding near Pataste awaiting opportunity to capture Don Camilo, as he had previously refused to give a donation to Ferrera's cause.  During the period of waiting (at [the] house of Juan Perez) Rafael Perez told me the following.

 

  (b)     "That he and [his] detail went to San Marcos with the letter and money ($280.00).  Upon presenting the letter to Mondragon, he gave me [a] note to Francisco Siercke (this about 1:00 a.m.).  I went to Siercke's turned over note and $280.00 and received cargo, leaving San Marcos at about 2:00 a.m."   /  p. 2  /  

 

  (c)  "Escalante returned to where we were with about twenty men, issued them rifles and one hundred rounds [of] ammunition each.  We then separated and assembled the next night (about August 20) in the vicinity of Sabana Grande.  The total bandit forces were now about forty men.  Ferrera with about fifteen left first, then Maldonado with about twenty leaving Escalante, myself, Rafael Perez, Juan Perez, Ciriaco Picado and Cuaitano Picado behind.  Rafael Perez was made lieutenant by Ferrera before he (Ferrera) left.  The group left behind was all armed with rifles except myself, who had [a] pistol, the same as when I was captured.  In addition Escalante and Rafael Perez had pistols.  We separated and drifted back to the vicinity of our homes.  Escalante told me a few days later that Don Camilo Castellon paid to Ferrera, in cash, about one thousand dollars and that he (Escalante) had received his share."

 

  2.      Previous to yesterday, Calis, when interviewed had refused to admit connection with Escalante and Ferrera.  He is about twenty one years of age and his father is reported honest and law abiding.  His home is about two leagues south of San Lucas.

-----  /s/  ----- 

Geo. F. Stockes

Captain, U.S.M.C.

M28.09.02, RG127/220/2

 

T O P     1 0 0     D O C S      •      H O M E P A G E     L I S T 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

top of page