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PC28.04.19   esau

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28.04.19.   Esau, Patrol Report, Matagalpa

P C - D O C S :      P A T R O L   &   C O M B A T    R E P O R T S
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T  R  A  N  S  C  R  I  P  T  I  O  N

HEADQUARTERS, THIRD BATTALION, FIFTH REGIMENT, SECOND BRIGADE
MARINE CORPS, MATAGALPA, NICARAGUA. 19 April, 1928.

From: First Lieutenant George Esau, U.S. Marine Corps.
To: The District Commander, District of Matagalpa, Matagalpa, Nicaragua.
Subject: Patrol Report.

     1.   Cleared MATAGALPA for SAN ISIDRO, NICARAGUA, which an eight man patrol, via truck, at 2100, 18 April, 1928. Arrived within about one and one half miles of SAN ISIDRO at 2330: concealed truck in the brush by the side of the road, detailed one guard plus truck driver to guard the truck and proceeded on foot towards SAN ISIDRO. Arrived on the outskirts at 2400. Everything seemed quiet and after waiting about one half hour proceeded through the town finally taking up a concealed position in rear of Mr Huper's store. We waited there until 0400, 19 April 1928 and as nothing developed we returned to the truck and went to DARIO arriving there at 0630. Left all of the enlisted members of my patrol at DARIO, in accordance with verbal instructions, and returned to MATAGALPA with truck and arrived MATAGALPA at 1000 19 April, 1928.

     2.   The area patrolled seemed perfectly quiet. I interviewed a number of citizens at SAN ISIDRO, including Father Picado and Juan Rodriguez, manager of Mr. Huper's store at that place and was informed that almost daily, rumors of bandits are spread in town. They state that the Chief of Police and his soldiers leave town nearly every evening and return the next morning. The people I interviewed seemed very suspicious of the actions of the Police officials. I believe that the Chief starts these bandit rumors and then leaves town in the evening with the apparent intention of investigating these rumors. He apparently starts these rumors for the purpose of making the people believe that he is very much on the job. It seems that all bandit rumors start at his office.

     3.   Farther [Father] Picado recommended that the present Chief of Police of SAN ISIDRO, Isidoro Gutierez [Ysidoro Gutiérrez], be dismissed and that Columbine Gutierez be appointed in his place. He believes that if this change is made the daily rumors of bandits would cease and that the citizens would not be all wrought up continually by these wild rumors.

/s/ GEORGE ESAU

127/43A/20; see also PC28.04.05 Atkinson

Summary & Notes:

   Southern boundary of Las Segovias; San Isidro politics tied in with La Trinidad's.
   Eight man Marine patrol by truck, Matagalpa-San Isidro & return.  Midnight surprise occupation of the town.  Nothing happened.  Interviewed Juan Rodriguez, manager of Guillermo Huper's store in San Isidro.
   Little active popular support for EDSN from this point south.
   Chief of Police starts bandit rumors so he's busy all the time so it looks like he's on the job?  Seems unlikely.   More likely:  busy looking after his and his patrons' interests.
   "Bandit rumors" as a major problem.  But why, if there's no basis for them?  Thus "banditry," as organized gang violence, must have a history here & be present here — or else "bandit rumors" would have no purchase and be ignored and not be a problem.  Interesting phenomenon.
   Father Picado of San Isidro — suggests to Lt. Esau that one Gutiérrez replace another as chief of police; probably tied in to the town's Conservative landowning elite, part of their political circle.  Some kind of intense political struggle going on here.  One of the handful of priests in Las Segovias.

   Use of term "citizen" twice; a rarity in Marine-GN reports; suggests some deference to local notables.

P C - D O C S :      P A T R O L   &   C O M B A T    R E P O R T S
thru 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 +

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