Call Down The Hawk

by Richard Folmar

  “On the fourth time out, they finally shot old Harley.”

  “Oh yeah. Well, they didn’t shoot Turner and, in any case, this whole thing has nothing to do with our investigation of the alleged involvement of Henry Lane in the murder of Madero.”

  45

  IT WAS RAINING AGAIN THE following afternoon, when Seth left the Consulate to find his path blocked by a slim young man in a black fedora and carrying an umbrella.

  “Mr. Cane, if it is not too much imposition, I have an auto waiting at the curb to take you to the embassy.”

  “You are from the American Embassy?”

  The man looked apologetic and shook his head. “Forgive me, let me introduce myself. I am Walter Brusaw, messenger at the German Embassy.”

  “Pardon me, son, but why should I want to go there with you?”

  “An important member of our staff wishes to speak with you. He may be able to provide information of interest to you in your mission down here.”

  “Really? What could this important member of your staff possibly contribute to the matter of American claims against the Mexican government?”

  Walter Brusaw stiffened, “I was not informed of the nature of the information to be imparted to you-merely directed to escort you to our embassy as soon as possible.”

  Seth smiled, “Very well, Mr. Brusaw. I will go with you on two conditions.”

  “Conditions, sir?”

  “Yes. First, I must go back to the Consulate and have them telephone my associate to tell him where I am going. Second, that after this meeting at your embassy, you furnish my transportation back to my embassy. It doesn’t appear that this rain will be letting up and I don’t relish trying to find a taxi while I’m getting soaked, OK?”

  The young man’s face relaxed for the first time into a smile, “Of course, Mr. Cane. We intended to deliver you back to your embassy all along. I’ll be waiting in that machine parked at the curb.”

  What the devil. I don’t know what this is about but it can’t hurt to go along with it.

  The important member of the German delegation turned out to be none other than the German Ambassador, Admiral Paul von Hintze. Seth had been briefed before he left Washington on all the top members of the foreign embassies. This man in his late middle years and of distinguished bearing was none other than a naval hero of his country. Introductions and courtesies were brief, and the Admiral moved directly to the point of Seth being brought here.

  “It probably comes as a surprise, Mr. Cane, why I have asked you in for this little talk.”

  “Quite frankly, Mr. Ambassador, I am rather perplexed. Your Mr. Brusaw implied it had to do with my mission down here. Do you intend to shed some light on our American claims arising out of the recent hostilities?”

  The Ambassador smiled and gestured toward upholstered chairs in a small sitting area adjacent to a large desk. “Shall we sit down, Mr. Cane? I find my aging legs grow weary quickly with too much standing.”

  Seated, he leaned toward Seth and lowered his voice, “No, Mr. Cane, if that was the mission I have reference to, there would be little purpose of this meeting, would there? I doubt seriously that you would have accompanied Mr. Brusaw so willingly.”

  Seth shook his head, “Mr. Ambassador, I’m sure I don’t know what you have in mind?”

  The Ambassador shook his head, still smiling, “Very well, we shall not talk in terms of any mission you might or might not have here in Mexico on behalf of your government. Instead, let me just observe that it has come to our attention you have assiduously been asking of several persons here in the city a series of questions all of which have a commonality to a single subject-that of the unfortunate disposition of the late Francisco Madero and possible activities of your Ambassador Wilson connected therewith. Do I make any sense, Mr. Cane?”

  I am surprised. I just didn’t think it would come out this soon. This old bird and the German Government must have some card to play but what?

  “Naturally Mr. Ambassador, you are aware the Madero family has been making certain allegations regarding the role of our government, in the removal, imprisonment and murder of the late president and vice-president. These charges for the most part have the substance of rumors. My true mission here involves the claims of our citizens, at the same time it affords me opportunity to unofficially evaluate these allegations.” He’s not going to buy that, but it’s the best I can come up with.

  “Nicely put, Mr. Cane. Now, with that out of the way, would you be interested in what I can recall about those critical days?”

  “Well, of course, Sir, but why should you want to tell me?”

  Ambassador Hintze paused in thought before answering, “Ambassador von Bernstorff in Washington, upon learning of your assignment down here, asked me to offer my full cooperation to you with regard to known events transpiring during the overthrow and murder of President Madero. This request was additionally approved by our foreign office in Berlin. I believe you are acquainted with the Ambassador.”

  “Yes sir, I was his dinner guest on one occasion.”

  “It appears that you made a favorable impression on him.”

  That’s mighty difficult to believe—my discussion of Diamond terrapins?

  “Yes, Ambassador, I would indeed be personally interested in listening to what you have to say.”

  The Ambassador talked for forty-five minutes about those last fateful days of Madero. “Frankly, Mr. Cane, I was shocked and a little disgusted at the outrageous murder of that gentle man and his Vice President. Before it happened, upon my own initiative, I persuaded your Ambassador Wilson to go with me to General Huerta and plead for their lives.”

  “Did Ambassador Wilson take an active part in the persuasion attempt?” Seth asked.

  “Well, that is most interesting. You see that since it was my insistence to go to Huerta, I did most of the talking. Ambassador Wilson simply made a brief initial explanation of our reason for being there and then said nothing further during the meeting.”

  “Mr. Ambassador, let’s go back a few days earlier. Do you think our embassy had any connection, however minor, with any of the several coup attempts to overthrow President Madero?”

  “Not long after he took office, I regret to say your government in Washington unleashed a barrage of hostile notes of protest against President Madero, on every trivial incident that occurred in his administration. Implementing this Washington policy, the American Embassy here, sadly, took every opportunity to create an atmosphere of crisis in order to provoke American intervention down here. Candidly put, Mr. Cane, to the extent such a policy was sanctioned by the Taft Government, the American Embassy was involved.”

  “Then at the risk of my being redundant, you are saying that Ambassador Wilson was not acting upon his own initiative in pursuing actions that might have contributed to the successful coup that removed Madero.”

  “There was a hostile attitude toward Madero exhibited by your State Department but it seemed your Ambassador had a personal dislike of the man. On one occasion he referred to President Madero as a lunatic incapable of governing Mexico. There was also a rumor that Henry Lane might have known about the impending coup several hours before it happened and he did not choose to inform Madero.”

  Artimus Seyquirt was waiting for him in the foyer when he arrived back at the American Embassy. “Seth, the Ambassador wants to see you immediately on your return. He is in the study.”

  “Here it comes,” Seth said. “I knew someone at the German Embassy would be on the phone just the minute I left.”

  Artimus looked perplexed. “I do not know what you have reference to, but I don’t think this has anything to do with our German friends. The Ambassador is in there now with Major Dominguez, Mr. Comfort and Mr. O’Bannion.”

  Seth cast Artimus a questioning look and headed for the stu
dy.

  46

  “AH, HERE YOU ARE NOW,” the Ambassador announced unsmilingly. “Mr. Cane, you remember Major Domínguez, do you not?”

  Seth and the Major exchanged curt nods and then Seth noticed Maury looked flushed and excited.

  “The Major thinks they’ve caught that Zapatista Colonel Cedillo. They want the three of us to come down and identify him,” Maury explained.

  “Ah, Senor O’Bannion, we do not think, we know, we have that stinking dog who calls himself Colonel Cedillo.”

  “If you are so certain Dominguez, why do you need us to identify him?” Seth asked. He felt his distaste for this man growing by the minute.

  “To definitely place him as the leader of the train hold-up and the murders of Colonel Morales and other of our brave soldados to which you Norte Americanos were witnesses.”

  “You mean that if you are unable to identify him, he goes free?”

  Major Dominguez smiled thinly, “Do not be foolish, Senor Cane. He will not go free. He is a rebel and he will die for that.”

  “Then I consider our going down there a waste of time.”

  “Of course I cannot force you because you are diplomatico. But, Senor, if you do not, it will be considered an ungracious act by our government and may be grounds for expulsion from my country.”

  “I don’t presume to speak for my friends but as far as I am concerned this is an internal matter and I do not choose to interfere.”

  “Reckon that goes for me too, Seth,” Hand said.

  The Major’s expression was contemptuous. “As you wish, I shall be forced to make an official report to El Presidente of your unwillingness to cooperate.”

  “I don’t see that as being necessary, Major Dominguez,” Ambassador Wilson spoke up. “Mr. Cane’s and Mr. Comfort’s identification does appear unnecessary to your investigation, since you have those other occupants of the car. Surely you can understand the reluctance of diplomatic personnel to become involved in what Mr. Cane correctly described as an internal matter.”

  Major Dominguez grimaced. “Your Excellency, I do not wish to debate the interpretation of what is an internal matter that is of great importance to the security of our government. However, I will perhaps reconsider the nature of my report. You are correct in saying there were other occupants of the rail car. One of them is Senor O’Bannion and he has no protection of your supposed immunity. He must come with me now.”

  Seth looked at Maury and shook his head, but Maury spoke up. “Hell, Seth, there is nothing I can do. I’m a guest here in this country. Besides, that man Cedillo is a cold-blooded murderer. He was on the point of having me shot also but for your stopping—.”

  “OK, Maury. You go along but only for the purposes of identification.”

  “Senor Cane, is it true that you previously knew this dog Cedillo?” Major Dominguez asked.

  Seth gave a disgusted glance at Maury who protested, “Don’t look at me. Have you forgotten that young girl on the train?”

  “Well, Senor Cane?” Dominguez leaned forward with a sneer.

  “It was a long time ago. We were only boys. I did him a favor.”

  “What kind of favor?” the Ambassador asked.

  “I saved him from being hanged by my father.”

  The Ambassador’s right eyebrow went up, “Hanged?”

  “He had stolen three sorry old horses from our remuda.”

  Major Dominguez looked triumphant. “You see, your Excellency, we not only have a murderer here but a horse thief as well. I think this Cedillo will not escape justice this time.” His eyes narrowed as he looked at Seth, “Senor Cane, your reluctance to provide us with information about this Cedillo will not go unmarked. I suggest that you do not involve yourself in any part of what you call our internal matters. You should not like us to redefine your diplomatic status.”

  47

  FOUR HOURS LATER A WHITE faced Maury O’Bannion entered Seth and Hand’s room with a look of horror in his eyes. He went over and sat down on the bed not speaking, just staring at the floor.

  “You look like you just returned from the depths of Hell, little feller,” Hand said.

  “Maury, what is it?” Seth demanded.

  “A glimpse of Hell-yes, that describes it,” Maury replied with a tremble in his voice.

  “What happened after you left here? Did you see Cedillo?”

  “Yeah-I saw him.”

  “Well?”

  “That bastard Dominguez took me straight to Belem Prison.” Maury looked up in appeal to Seth. “As God is my witness, Seth, I wouldn’t have agreed to go except that they could make me. If I had known what was going to happen then I would have—”.

  “Known what, Maury?” Hand asked.

  “Take your time,” Seth said. “Relax and get control of yourself. Would you like some brandy? I think we might have a bottle around here. Hand, fetch the bottle and a glass.” “No, no brandy,” Maury said, “they brought him into the room—no dragged is a better word. He was a bloody mess. They must have been beating him with iron rods.”

  “It was—”.

  “Yeah, Cedillo or what was left of him. I could not recognize him at first.”

  “And you did your duty and identified him,” Seth said.

  Maury looked hurt. “Don’t be sarcastic, Seth, no I didn’t, at least not in so many words.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I mean,” Maury said with a spark of defiance, “that I told them I couldn’t be sure—because his face was all bloody and messed up.”

  Seth modified his tone of voice “And how did our friendly Major take that?”

  “It didn’t seem to matter. He said a military court had already condemned the prisoner so I asked him why I had been brought down here. He said he wanted me to witness the execution so I could fully describe it to you.”

  “To me—why?”

  “Yeah, you, for some devilish reason, I guess. He doesn’t seem to like you very much, does he?”

  “That’s right, Pard.” Hand said. “That hombre would surely like to get you in one of his dang prisons.”

  “I got the same feeling, Hand. Go on, Maury, what happened then?”

  “Well, poor Cedillo raised his head when he heard Dominguez mention your name and said something to me but so low I couldn’t make it out. Lord, I didn’t want to go up close to him but Dominguez grabbed me by the arm and hauled me over to where the prisoner was being held by two soldiers.”

  “What was Cedillo trying to say?”

  “He said for me to tell you thanks for saving his life in Texas. Then he started coughing up blood. It was awful, Seth. He actually tried to laugh, but only a croaking came out.

  Finally, he managed to whisper that it was too bad that you weren’t here to save him from hanging this time.”

  “He was just a scrawny Mexican kid. Those darn horses were scheduled for the glue factory-a sorry sight not worth hanging for.”

  “Go on little feller,” Hand said. “What happened then?”

  “Well, Dominguez started laughing like he was demented. It sent cold chills down my back. When he stopped laughing he said for me to tell you that it wasn’t exactly going to be a regular type hanging this time. I didn’t know what he meant until he ordered a wooden chair be brought out and the soldiers popped Cedillo in it and held on to his arms real tight. Dominguez then produced a wire with wooden handles on each end and before I knew what was going to happen, he walked behind the chair and looped the wire around Cedillo’s neck. It was horrible, horrible. He would twist and pull, then let up, and then he would twist and pull again. It must have gone on for five minutes before he finally jerked it and held on real tight almost cutting Cedillo’s head off. Then Dominguez took out a big pistol, I thought it looked familiar and I was rig
ht. It was your pistol ,Hand, the one Cedillo took from you on the train and gave to that boy. He put—put the muzzle in Cedillo’s ear and blew his brains all over.”

  Hand looked knowingly at Seth. “The Spanish garrote. Seen it used once in Nueva Rosita. Ain’t a pretty way to check out. And you say it was my pistol that he used to finish the job. Dad burn his rotten hide!”

  “I think I’m going to remember Major Dominguez for a long, long time,” Seth said grimly.

  White faced but obviously more in control, Maury stood up suddenly. “Well, this is it for me. I’ve seen enough of this country. If Doheny wants its damn oil, they can send someone else down here to negotiate with this dictator. I’ll make my apology to the Ambassador and I’m packing my bags and catching the next train to Vera Cruz.”

  For a few moments, he was the old Maury O’Bannion from Oklahoma and their partnership.

  “Look Seth, I don’t know what’s been happening to me of late but I don’t like myself very much. To tell the truth, I miss the old days when we were practicing together. I don’t suppose it will ever happen again.—Elizabeth and I never intended to hurt you, I don’t expect forgiveness—but would it be possible, me and you setting up in practice again? It wouldn’t have to be in Pawhuska. I understand things are booming in Tulsa and Oklahoma City and maybe we could get into the oil game back there. Do you think?”

  Seth just looked at his former partner and gave a slight shake of his head. He almost, but not quite, felt a twinge of the old affection he used to have for his partner but there were no words he could summon now. There was no point in trying.

  A look of pain flashed in Maury’s eyes. “No, I guess not. At least maybe you’ll shake my hand?”

  Seth took the outstretched hand and said, “Take care, Maury.”

  After the door closed behind Maury, Hand grunted, “I never was partial to the little feller, as you know. A tad too slick by half, but you know, for a second there, I kinda felt sorry for him.”

  48