INFORMATION RELATIVE TO JOSE LEON DIAZ BY CAPT. G. F. STOCKES.
 
Jose Leon Diaz was born at Poloros in El Salvador in the year 1883. Poloros is a village situated about eight leagues from La Union. His parents were of the Mozo class [rural working class] and Jose Leon received no education.
 
From reports, the Diaz family moved from Poloros to La Alianza on the Honduran-Salvador frontier. It is said Jose Leon engaged in a drunken brawl at La Alianza in 1902, killed two or three inhabitants and then fled the country.
 
Diaz is about five feet six inches in height; a mulatto, usually clean shaven except for a flowing mustache. Weight about 145 lbs. of strong physique and habitually drunk.
 
His first appearance after the incident at La Alianza was in the Honduran Army stationed at Tegucigalpa in 1924. At this time Diaz was known as Colonel "Caites" [barefoot], apparently one of the few, if not the only Colonel on duty in Tegucigalpa who never wore shoes. At some time during his period of service in the Honduran Army, Diaz learned to write his name.
 
In April, 1924, when Tosta and Carias gained possession of Tegucigalpa, Diaz fled to Somoto, Nicaragua. Still known as Colonel "Caites" he worked as a mozo around Somoto for a month or so, then went to Yaraje (near Santa Emilia) where he remained working for Marcelino Moncada, owner of hacienda "Yaraje" for about two years.
 
About August 10, 1926 Diaz applied to General C. Lopez Irias [Camilo Lopez Irias] for a commission in the Liberal Army, then being formed to take the field against the Nicaraguan Government. He raised a company in the Yaraje-Icalupe area, obtained his arms in Honduras without expense to the Liberal party and joined the forces of Irias.
 
It must be admitted that Diaz was one of the outstanding sub-Jefes fighting for the Liberal cause in the Somoto-Rio Negro District. A master thief, cunning, craft, his organization, was always well-equipped with arms and ammunition. Being without a machine gun on the occasion he did not hesitate to steal one from a friendly organization adjacent.
 
When the Liberals laid down their arms, Diaz returned to Somoto. He now appeared prosperous, was always well attired and wore boots instead of Caites. Although seldom stooping to murder, Diaz would steal from, or rob anyone.
 
Representing Sandino, Porfirio Sanchez visited Somoto in May 1927, and invited Jose Leon to join their forces. Diaz accepted the offer but after one month found he and Sandino could not agree on the liquor question so he returned to Somoto.
 
In July of the same year, he engaged in a drunken brawl in the saloon of Teodoro Fuentes in Somoto, killed one man and then left town hiding out in the Santa Emilia area.
 
When Anastasio Hernandez took the field in August, 1927, declaring he was going to kill every Liberal in the Somoto District, it seems Diaz was selected by the Liberals to oppose Hernandez. The appearance of Marines about this time caused both groups to make themselves scarce around Somoto.
 
Diaz "Caites" (about December 15, 1927) because [became] once again affiliated with Sandino, who placed him in charge of procuring arms, etc, and distributing same to Sandinistas.
 
In June, 1928, Diaz told a close friend he had never been in action against the Marines.

IR29.07.18: 10-11.  RG127/43A/4