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Sixty Sixth Company, Fifth
Regiment
Second Brigade, Marine Corps
Leon, Nicaragua.
6 December 1927.
From: The Commanding Officer.
To: The Brigade Commander, Second Brigade, U.S.
Marine Corps, Managua, Nicaragua
Subject: Mr. L. J. Matteson, interview with.
Reference: Your, 8625- 1700.
1. In accordance with instructions Mr. L. J.
Matteson was interviewed on December 3, 1927, in
regards to the activities of Bandits in Nuevo
Segovia, and states as follows.
That he was at the San Albino Mine until the
latter part of August, when he was told by
Sandino that in view of the fact that the Marine
Patrols were shooting up his (Sandino's) men,
and that the rebels might and probably would
return to El Chipote by the way of the Mine, he
(Sandino) could no longer guarantee his safety.
Mr. Matteson is of the opinion that Sandino
[had] between eight and nine hundred followers
at this time. On August 13, 1927, he saw 200
unarmed men coming from Honduras, and on August
21, 1927, fifty more, and says these men
expected to be armed and mounted at El Chipote.
In June, Sandino had his men planting beans and
corn or working in fields already planted, this
is to insure a food supply for the dry season.
The water supply of El Chipote is reported to be
ample and good.
Included in $39,000 worth of supplies taken from
a store, at San Albino, belonging to a Mr.
Garcia, were 1500 bags of Coffee, which were
sold by Sandino in Honduras for $10.00 per sack.
Sandino now has his men picking Coffee from the
plantations and is sending the Coffee to
Honduras for sale.
That he has saw in the possession of Sandino's
men, two Vickers Machine Guns, five (5) Lewis
and eight (8) Thompson Sub. Machine Guns.
Sandino is building boats in the vicinity of a
place called Mauchones, for a possible get away
down the Coco River. Manchones is south and east
of San Albino.
There are three avenues of escape from El
Chipote, one via Las Cenas, one via La Puerta
and another back of Manchones.
Horses and mules are kept in pastures around
Murra.
Reported that a few men from the South joined
Sandino, but never any large numbers, and that
none of them are armed.
Has been told by Sandino that he, Sandino, has
sufficient supplies for two years even if cut
off from all communication with Honduras or the
rest of Nicaragua. Also that after the first of
December he would have no trouble getting all
the men he needed but did not say where.
------ E. S. Tuttle -----
MCRC-Personal Papers/Sandino
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