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Enrique Trewin, Matagalpa coffee planter, describes sacking by 'Pedrón's crowd'

     This report of a sacking of a coffee farm by Pedrón's army in early June 1929, in a letter written by prominent British coffee grower Enrique Trewin, offers a fine-grained portrait of a particular instance of Sandinista plunder.  The author describes the episode in considerable detail.  Read against the grain of its dismissive tone, the letter can offer valuable insights into the moral code that informed the rebels' actions. 

     Recall too that by this time rebel activity was at a low ebb.  Sandino had just departed for Mexico seeking allies, and the planting season had just commenced.  Pedrón was probably accumulating resources in anticipation of the coming drought of rebel activity.  It is a very telling narrative of events, followed by an interesting 'list of articles stolen'.  (Detail of photograph of the Club de Extranjeros de Matagalpa, 1910.  Number '14' is labeled 'A. Trewin" and is probably Enrique Trewin, photoshopped at left.  From the collection of La Selva Negra Hacienda coffee museum, Matagalpa; the full image appears after the report)

 

 

To the British Charge d'Affaires in Managua

Matagalpa

June 10, 1929

Sir,
 
I have not written you a detailed account before now of the visit of "Pedron's" crowd, on the 2nd of this month, as the details I received were very vague, and now that my sons have returned from the place I am able to write fully.
 
It seems that the bandits were divided into two parties and one party of them, about 120 armed with rifles and one 'Thompson' gun, rushed the house, at about 8:30 a.m. of the 2nd. They were yelling, 'Where is the gringo,' 'hands up' &tc., all in Spanish.  The only people in and around the house were my housekeeper, my little girl of four years, two native cooks and a few mozos buying milk from us. (I was at the time in Matagalpa, and my two sons were at the other finca, La Cornubia, so the women were alone.) The bandits immediately commenced to hustle the housekeeper, who had the little girl in her arms, and by prodding her with rifles made her turn over the money she had saved up. Then they swarmed all over the house with machetes, axes, &c., and commenced breaking open everything they found locked up; they collected everything into bundles, even the kiddy's clothes and shoes and then went and started on the kitchen and food-stuffs.
 
During this time a 'fair' native, seemingly an 'officer,' stood with several of the thieves on the lower corridor of the house and as the girl commenced to scold him he said that they would take her along also if she did not 'shut up.' After a time he asked the girl if the Marines passed that way and she answered that very often they did and that she was expecting them at every moment. This seemed to scare him, so he called out to those who were 'rustling' in the upper story of the house to be quick and get away. They then 'recruited' the mozos who were on the place and made them carry all the bundles and pots with food and go with them. They camped in the clearing close to the house, and had their food, after which they commenced to divide up the spoil. Besides those that were raiding my living-house, others were raiding the small houses where the mozos live and these were also robbed; they even went through the pockets of some of the small boys who work on the place. During all this time there was a mounted man with a few bandits on a knoll close by looking on – it may have been Pedron himself. After the bandits got through their meal, they sent off and seemingly joined another party who were not far away in the forest.
 
My two sons were at the time on the Cornubia, which is about 2˝ leagues away, and we were ignorant of what was going on, but a native boy managed to advise the boys and they made all possible speed to get to La Constancia. When half-way to the place, they met the bandits and barely got away with their lives after running for about 1500 yards. An Indian boy who works for us, was following them in escaping, but was caught and hacked to pieces by the bandits.
 
I hope that I have not tired you with my long letter, but I wish to let you know exactly what happened.
 
Enclosed please find list of what I consider I have lost and the value of same. But of course there are many things not remembered for the moment and which may not be missed for some time.
 
I am,
 

/s/ E. Trewin

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

List of articles stolen from Mr. Trewin's finca, "La Constancia" on Sunday, June 2, 1929.
 
From the three bedrooms

From the three bedrooms

Dollars

  Bedclothes, 5 beds 80.00
  Boots, shoes, etc. 28.00
  3 gold rings 21.00
  3 Gillette razors 10.50
  2 trunks of wearing apparel 50.00
  Small articles, mirrors, brushes, etc. 27.00
  1 Angle lamp 7.00
  5 hats and 1 cap 27.50
     
From "Sala"  
  From wardrobe:  Woman's wearing apparel, bedlinen, towels, etc. 60.00
  Seven pounds, English money 35.00
  Jewellery 70.00
  1 kodak 12.50
  Clothes, my own 20.00
  1 field glass 40.00
     
From Office:  
  1 "Corona" typewriter 65.00
  1 rifle, Remington .22 35.00
  2 fountain pens, Parker 17.00
  1 spirit stove 8.00
  1 clock 7.00
  1 small calculating machine 10.00
  Cash                           about 47.00
  Documents, and cash and other books
     
From bedroom of Josefa Engarris:  
  From her trunk, cash 320.00
  Articles of her use and my daughter's 50.00
  2 waterproofs 12.00
     
From "Comedor":  
  1 lamp 7.00
  small articles 10.00
     
From Kitchen:  
  Pots, pans, knives and forks, plates, food, etc. 35.00
     
From Carpenter's shop:  
  Various tools to the value of 25.00
  Machetes, axes, etc. 70.00
     
From Store-room:  
  Sundry medicines 5.00
  2 natives saddles 30.00
     
Animals:  
  1 white horse 25.00
  2 oxen eaten 34.00
     
Articles Damaged:  
  1 large wardrobe - value or damage 30.00
  Office damage 15.00
  Chairs damaged 10.00
  Gramaphone 10.00
  Sewing machine damaged 20.00
     
  T o t a l $1,385.50
     
  Total one thousand, three hundred and eighty-five dollars and fifty cents.

Matagalpa, June 10th, 1929.

                  sd/  E. Trewin.

 

 

 

Enrique Trewin, Matagalpa, to British Chargé d'Affaires, Managua, 10 June 1929, encl. nos. 1 and 2, in Matthew E. Hanna, Chargé d'Affairs ad interim, Managua, to Sec. State, Washington D.C., 24 June 1929, United States Department of State, Records Relating to Internal Affairs of Nicaragua, 1910-1929, 817.00/6361. 

"Club de Extranjeros de Matagalpa, 1910." 

Gracias a la Hacienda Selva Negra de Matagalpa y su Museo de Café

Photo by the author, 2010

Club de Extranjeros de Matagalpa, 1910

 Click on the thumbnail for the full uncropped image of the framed photograph

(unfortunately flawed by unavoidable reflections on the glass): 

 

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