DIVISION OF NUEVA SEGOVIA
OCOTAL, NICARAGUA.

23 February 1928.

    1. A patrol consisting of Lieut Wells and ten Guardias enlisted cleared Ocotal 22 February at 0800 for Telpaneca for the purpose of changing personnel between the two posts. Patrol arrived at Telpaneca at 1445. On the morning of 23 February Cadet Smith, G.N. turned over two native prisoners to me for transfer to Ocotal - Martin Gardenes [Martín Cárdenas] and Santos Hernendez [Santos Hernández]. They aere [were] two known bandits and murderers; having operated in the vicinity of Telpaneca under the leadership of Anastacio Hernandez. The patrol cleared Telpaneca at 0755 with the two prisoners. About five miles from that place they began to walk slower and apparently aere [were] not able to keep up with the patrol. The native guide said they were in their own territory and had many friends living in the vicinity. About a mile farther on they both made a dash for a ravine about 150 yards down the mountain. As the underbrush was very thick and it it was practically impossible to capture them, the Guardias fired upon them and killed one of them about 25 yards from the trail and the other about 100 yards farther down the mountain. The patrol arrived at Ocotal at 1530.

/ s / D. E. WELLS

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DIVISION HEADQUARTERS, NUEVA SEGOVIA, GUARDIA NACIONAL,
OCOTAL, NICARAGUA.

23 February 1928.

Yo Modesto Z. Morales Raso de la Guardia Nacional declaro que hoy veniamos de Telpaneca, en direccion del Ocotal, como a seis millas de Telpaneca, los prisioneros que traiamos eran dos, y que al llegar a un Ocotal, lugar algo plano y una evasion, ellos que venian delante de me como a una distancia diez varas, talvez mas, intentaron evadirse, dejandose ir en una canada montosa muy conocida de ellow, y cubierta de monte bastante alto; entonces yo que venia encargado de su custodia, tuve necessidad de disparar sobre ellow para evitar su escape, matandolos.

/s/ Modesto Z. Morales
Raso, G.N.

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