Lionel Carden

The unofficial nature of John Lind's unofficial mission

John Lind arrived in Mexico as an unofficial ambassador to an unrecognized regime with a letter of introduction from President Woodrow Wilson, addressed “To whom it may Concern”.  Not withstanding, Victoriano Huerta extended every courtesy to Lind, while politely overlooking Lind’s principle objective of inducing him to step down.  Thus, Lind’s official mission was somewhat of a non-starter.   It is more difficult to judge the success of Lind’s unofficial mission of navigating American interests through the rough waters of the Mexican revolution.

April 1914 U.S. Invasion of Veracruz: a cast of characters

The cast of characters engaged in and around the events leading up to the US invasion of Veracruz in April 1914 were:
 

Petroleum interests around Tampico at the time were controlled by Americans, but around Veracruz, it was British, with Weetman D. Pearson, aka Lord Cowdray, representing the British consortium. Pearson  enjoyed the ferocious support Sir Lionel Cardon of the British Consulate in Mexico City, who had represented British interests in Mexico for decades.  Pearson's secretary was J.B. Body and Cardon's secretary was Thomas Hohler.   Cardon will figure big in our story.

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