The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-21
ACUTE SITUATION
FOLLOWS EXECUTION
OF BRITISH SUBJECT
Ell PASO CITIZENS
PICTURE BARBARITY
IN RESOLUTIONS,

E1 Pas0, Tex, February 20.-The
resolutions adopted tonight read,
"Whcreas, Mr. William $. Benton, n
highly respected and honorcd citizen
of the state of chihuahua and u sub
ject of Great britain, was brutaiIy
murdered and assassinated at Cfudad
Junrez, Mexico, by Francisco villa, VIC.
the citizens of Eel Paso, Tex. and ref
ugees from Mexico, at nm indignation
meeting held In Eel Paso February 20.
1914, wishing TO protest most em-
phnficnlly against the cruel and vio-
lent treatment accorded foreigners dur
Ing the past three years of revolutions
In that country, beg to submit to the
world and the American people the fol-
lowing brief statement of factsi
Assassination Heartless
"The cold-blooded and heartless assas-
sination of Mr.. William S. Benton with
out any cause whatever other than the
fact that he went to Juarez to protest
against the confiscation of his property,
Los Remedies ranch in northern Mex
leo, which had been repeatedly looted, is
but another crime TO be added to the
hundreds that have already been corn
mftted against all foreigners 4 living in
Mexico who have been driven from their
homes, their property destroyed. in mary
cases women have been outraged and
foreigners murdered in cold blood and
for no other reason than on account of
their nationality.
I'VE believe that the state department
at Washington has persistently sup
pressed facts concerning the true condi-
tions in Mexico and endeavored through
inspired newspapers and by other means
to mislead the American people and forrn
public opinion for political purposes in
support of policy that is ruinous to
all foreign interests in Mexico and to
the Mexican people themselves. In sup
port of this statement we would call
attention to a recent article in the New
York World which purported to be
semi-official interview coming from the
Secretary of States office and whick
stated that while a great many Ameri
cans had lost their lives in Mexico not
one had been murdered solely on ac-
count of his nationality.
This statement we know 10 be abse-
lutely false and we believe there are
reports on file in the state department
from our own consuls to the contrary.
We recall in the last few months such
cases as the assassination of Mr.. Burton
at Santa Rosalia, Mr. Hayes and Mr.
Thomas at MADEIRA and Mr.. Brooks in
northern Chihuahua. and in every one of
these eases they were most brutally
murdered for no other reason than that
they were American citzens
Hold Leaders Responsible
Some months ago the state depart
ment officially declared in one OF its mes
sages to Mexico that Ii would hold the
Mexican leaders personally responsible
for outrages committed against Ameri-
cans. The present moment our govern
ment is harboring Gen. Ynez Salazar,
who has an lrnbrolSen record ever since
he took the- heid. in Mexico of outrages
committed against our citizens. There are
many citizens of this city who We're
cruelty and brutally treated by this man.
many OF whom have been held for RAN
som, and at least one, Mr.. Fountain,
who was shot by his order. and thus far
he has been immune from all punish
ment by our government.
AT the present moment Maxine Castillo.
who for many months has been at the
head of an outlaw band in northern
Mexico holding our citizens for ransom
and perpetrating all kinds of outrages.
whose band recently burned alive be-
tween 30 and 60 passengers in the Cum
bre tunnel on the Northwestern railroad,
is being given asylum and protection y
our government
I'VE submit these facts as evidence that
our government is, through a weak anu
vacillating policy, encouraging these law
less leaders to commit all kinds of out
RACES against foreigners, and doing a
great injustice to our own people that Is
resulting in loss of hundreds of MIL
lions of dollars of foreign capital, TIE
murder of many of our citizens, the rap
ing of American women and ruination Of
Mexico itself.
"The career of Francisco Villa, an out
law and murderer for many years and
who is now leading an arbitrary and
despotc reign of terror over northern
Mexico, is more cruel and oarparous In
his methods than any tyrant in the
worlds history. 1t is fact that he had
treated with contempt the representa-
tives of all nations and that he does
not hesitate to put a man to death for
the slightest cause. and for IN any way
incurring his displeasure We believe it
a disgrace to our government and the
American people to tolerate such man..
much less to give him moral support;
therefore be 1t
Resolved. That this message be sent To
the President of the United States, the
British ambassador at Washington to
our United States senators, with the re-
quest that it be read into the Congress
sional Record. and we appeal to them
and to all our representatives in both
branches of Congress to adopt a reso-
lution to compel the state department TO
transmit to Congress its records pertain
ing to the outrages committed against
Americans and foreigners IN Mexico and
to take such action as will give our peo-
pie the protection guaranteed them under
their constitutional right and to main-
tain the honor and prestige OF our coun-
try in the eyes of the world. We appeal
to YOU to make known the facts to the
American people and so that our citizens
who are living in Mexico and have In
vested their money there in good faith
are given the protection that is justly
due them.