... From Captain Roger's G.N. report, 22 July:
 
The following information secured from prisoner Alejandro Medina, captured at El Chamaste, 17 July, 1929, and now confined at San Juan, is furnished.
 
A messenger Rosalio Salinas, brother of Lazaro Salinas, had arrived at Chamste 17 July with a message from Jose Leon Diaz to Feliciana v. de Salas [widow of Salas] stating that he was then on El Silencio and wanted to see her there. The woman is pregnant and Medina states the child is Diaz [Diaz's]. According to Medina, Diaz is 50 years old, short, heavy set, fairly white bearded with beard trimmed from time to time, beard is black, black eyes, nose somewhat flat, wide mouth, black thick lips, heavy hair on arms, average chin, black curly hair, neck shaved. Diaz was supposed to have come from Babilonia about fifteenth of July where he had arrived from neighborhood of Las Cruces.
 
Medina states he also knows Reyes Lopez very well as he, Medina, lived at Babilonia, on finca of Lucio Melgara where Reyes visited his woman Demetria. States Reyes Lopez is about 40 years of age, clean shaven, coffee colored, heavy set, short, has ugly straight black hair parted on side. Wears breeches, putts, etc, with big dark hat. Nose medio unato [sic], black eyes, big mouth, thick protruding lips and small ears. Carries a big Mauser pistol. States last patrol after Reyes almost caught him in his house and that a bullet passed through the front of his shirt as he ran.
 
Nicho Centeno assistant to Reyes is about 30 years of age, 69" in height, dark heavy set, mustache chele, flat nosed, eyes medio sarco, hair somewhat curly, has 45 Colt pistol. Goes everywhere Reyes goes.
 
Pedro Irias according to Medina is about 35 years old, round faced, short, delgadito [slender], several years younger than Diaz, about same height, whiter even than Diaz. Las saw him about two or three months ago. Went South from Silencio with about thirty men via Ojoche-El Arco-Achotales-West of Yali-La Mesa apparently about time of the affair at Concordia. Heard that Irias had gone over around Chontales.
 
Says order of importance of Jefes is Diaz-Irias-Reyes. Says Reyes had about thirty men six weeks ago. Has no Thompsons but one Lewis with ammunition carried in sacks. Lewis in good working order. Lewis gunner was Ladislao Palacios -- Medina insists his name is Darislago Palacio. Is about thirty years old, tall, heavy set, big mustache.
 
The gang whose headquarters was Chamaste was headed by Lazaro Salinas who has about fifteen men and is a sub-jefe of Reyes. This gang killed Lino Duarte, Juez de Mesta of Santa Rita on July 16, 1929, and then one of the gang raped Duartes wife. Known members of this gang are five Salinas brothers, Lazaro, Pedro, Anacleto, Rosalio and one other unknown. Miguel Blandon, nephew of Pedro Blandon bandit jefe of La Rica was probably wounded in rushing the house of Lazaro Salinas the night of July 17, but escaped by falling over a hill. He had a 38 S&W revolver. Fidel Rayo is supposed to have presented himself to General Plata at Yali. The woman of Rayo was in this house but escaped during the night while bringing in water. Her name is Juana Alaniz.
 
Medina knows Altamirano but has not seen him for some time. ...

IR29.07.28: 7-8. RG127/209/1