MR BENTON'S DEATH

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1994, 27 February 1914, Page 7

MR BENTON'S DEATH

INQUIRY PROCEEDING. UNITED STATES DELAYING ACTION UNTIL FACTS ESTABLISHED. By Tclezraph—Press Association—Copyright (Bee. February 26, 9.25 p.m.) ' Washington, February 26. Mr. W. J. Bryan (United States Secretary of State), in a conforenco with the Senate' Foreign Relations Committee, pointed out that the foreign nations were supporting the United States' action in Mexico, particularly since the Benton caso. ' ' Senators were of opinion that tho tjino had not arrived whon tho Constitutionalists ought te bo recognised as belligerents. '

Mr. Bryan urged the advisability of delaying action over tho Benton caso until investigations had established the facts.

Tho. American Consular authorities have been instructed to inquire into tho alleged execution of an American resident named Vergara.

It is thought to bo likely that tho United States will now rely on General Carranza, the Constitutionalis't leader, to coerce General Villa into roturning Benton's,body. u>

GROWING IMPRESSION. THAT VILLA SHOT BENTON WITH . HIS OWN HAND. "Times"—Sydney "Sun" Special Cables. (Rec, Fooruary 26, 5.15 p.m.) London, February 26. "The Times," in a leading article, impression is growing in America that General Villa, despite his denials, shot Mr. Benton with his own hand. ' His own account is that Benton was tried by court-martial. What right has Villa to constitute such a court'for the trial of foreigners? By the, liw of nations, Villa is a private individual, and neither tho United States nor any other Power has recognised him as a belligerent." ' Tho Washington correspondent of "Tho Times" ."says that whatever the result of tho investigation may bo the Administration does not intend, unless forced, to make any active movo to bring Villa to book. Ho holds that only by a miraclo can the United States avoid armed intervention if it does make such a move.

GENERAL VILLA. SKETCH OF HIS CAREER. '. Writing in the London "Times" of January 13, 1914,.a special correspondent, who had been lately in Mexico, said:— The capture of Ojinaga, the little town near tho United States border, and the dispersal of tho Federal Army which has ■been defending it, are blows not only for President Huerla, but for the chief of the-.revolution, General' Carranza. They establish" more firmly than ever the position of General Francisco Villa as by far the most prominent soldier on the rebel side. More - than ever, too, must President -HuertxT regret that whan he had Villa in his power ho did not havo the order for his execution carried out at once. .■•'■■'..

This was in 1912. "Pancho" Villa was then, for the moment; a Federal, attached with the rank' of colonel to Hu'ertaV command. This was a decided riso in the' World who'had been a bandit "all'-iiis' 'Hf 67'. 'At'! the- age ''of: 18' he' beeamo an outlaw, and lived by robbery until Madoi'o gave Mm a commission. Tho 'story "gooSi'that he ; was obliged to become a brigand because ha killed a wealthy man who had betrayed 'his sister, and that henceforth, he vowed vengeance upon society, specially upon the rich. That is probably a sentimentalism, though it is true that in Dick Turpin fashion ho has sometimes distributed (roods stolen from-well-to-do people among the poor. His record does not become clear until we find! 'him enrolled in Madero's army. He then attracted noticeby reason of the charges made against him. These were (1) insubordination; (2)burglary; (3) highway robbery; and (4) rape. Upon these grounds Huerta sentenced him to death, but Madero would not have him executed. Ho was saved to. become Huerta's most relentless and most dangerous foe. Soon after Carranza's rebellion, broke but in February,' 1913,. Villa raised'a fore© to support him. He had a stronger idea of discipline' than most-Mexicans, and he organised his troops well. He always kept in the roar a body of men whom ho could trust. If, when ordered to take a position by. storm-or to advanco under fire, tho front ranks tried to turn back, they had to face tho. determined fellows in the rear. This plan succeeded admirably. Villa wont-'on from triumph to triumph. All the autumn he harried the Federals in: Chihuahua State, cutting up small bodies and capturing their guns, rifles, and ammunition. Then by a clever strategy he took Torreon, the first of a series of crushing defeats which he has inflicted <i on the President's forces. Ho kept good order in'the city, closed the drink-shops, aiid prevented looting by shooting thieves,, but, forced the banks and' business houses to pay him a rausoin of £300,000. Next. he set about. investing .Chihuahua City. At first he was beaten off and the garrison was reinforced by troops from Juarez.' Villa" knew of this—he is ouff of the very few leaders on cither r,ido who koep up anything in the naturo of an- intelligence service—and he took, advantage of H v He captured a' coal train, filled it with soldiers,'had it announced by the railway telegraphists as a coal train, and sent it into Juarez goodsyard. There the soldiers turned out and took the town without trouble; the Fcd- , erals' fled. Soon after this he captured Chihuahua also; it is tho remnant of the army which ran away from him there that he has'completely defeated now. Villa, is a man of remarkable energy. Brutal in his language, and often in his nets, he is temperate in his habits, neither drinks nor smokes, never shrinks from fatisrue or danger. He is of burly build, and does not look strikingly intelligent. I believe his bold strokes of strategy nro mainly due to tho initiative of three Americans who are onhis staff. Ono of them, who served through, the Cuban war and also..in tho Philippines, has shown himself full of resource in military tactics. If thev have helped him fn victory, they have also mit him in.tho direct running for the Presidency. Ho now says ho mean? fo work southward to Mexico Citv. and Carranwt's repeated tributes to his perfect loyalty seem to show pretty clearly that he is .suspected in the rebel ca.niral of aiming at his chief's place. Would " the United States reco<rnisß hs President a former brirond, who makes a nraclice of shooting citizen prisoners nnd lia« snid that he would like to exterminate foreigners altogether?