Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-07-11
STORY ACCUSING
! u. S. MARINES is
\ UPHELD AT TRIAL
United Press Reporter Heard
Ensign Tell Of Killing Un-
armed Mexicans.
CONGRESS PROBE LIKELY
IN LEY DE FUGA' CHARGE
Sensation Follows Order to De-
port BoaIt for Alleged
Untrue Dispatche.

Special to the Evening Star.
VERA CRUZ, July 11.-That he
heard naval officers tell of the applica-
-tion of ''ley de fuga" to Mexicans dur
ing the occupation of this city was
the testimony of William g. Shepherd,
staff correspondent of the United
, Press, today before the naval board
y of inquiry sitting on the battleship
Texas. Shepherd had been summoned
IN the inquiry into the charges against
( Ensign William Richardson, which
developed from story written by
Fred L. Boalt, of the Newspaper En-
terprise Association. Boalt, at first or
dered deported, has been freed and
the attention of the authorities toward
Richardson, who Boalt said, gave him
the information Of which the story
was based.
In his testimony, Shepherd told of
the killing of fleeing unarmed Mexi-
cans during the occupation, and that
these stories had been told by naval
4 officers in his presence.
~ zone story l heard" he said, was
that Mexicans had been taken pris-
~oHers and locked in house. Them
upon a signal they were released and
some were killed while fleeing.
Took Navy Officers Word.
DO you believe ley de fuga' was
pfaetised by American marines?"
asked Captain Grant, one of the three
members of the board of INJURY.
1T seemed Incredible to me, but l
took the word Of the officers for It,
considering the navy code for truth
fulness,' replied Shepherd. Il later
heard in army circles that Ensign
Richardson, about whom the story
of ley de fuga was told, had suffered
from sunstroke during the battle.
! tried to attribute the stories to
the effect of the sunstroke."
Did you hear of any one being
unlawfully killed in Vera Cruz?"
asked Captain Grant.
II don't know what unlawful kill
ing in law means" said Shepherd.
Did Ensign Richardson say in your
presence that he had killed any
body?''
Quotes Ensign Richardson.
Il heard him say We let a Mexican
get within two feet of safety behind
a wall and then fired and got him,
replied Shepherd. He said that the
Mexican was not armed and was not
in uniform.
When he said, We did it, did he
mean his own squad?" asked Captain
, Grant
HE might have been talking of his
own squad or referring to the landing
forces in general" said Shepherd.
Probe Is Likely.
Congressional investigation to de-
terrnine whether American ma
rines shot down and killed un-
armed, fleeing Mexicans under
the old Mexican law of flight
during the occupation of Vera Cruz
appeared likely today. great sensa-
tion followed quickly upon the open
ing yesterday Of a hearing upon the
appeal of Fred L. Boalt, correspond
ent of the Newspaper Enterprise AS
sociation, from an order of deporta-
tion based upon story regarding the
applica tion by marines of the ley de
fuga." 4s8...s,
Boalt asserted that he had obtained
the story directly from officers OF the
battleship Arkansas. Several other
correspondents have been summoned
to appear before board of inquiry
sitting on board the battleship Texas.
Boait's Story.
Boalt today said that Ensign Will
lam A. Richardson, of the battleshlp
Arkansas and other officers had toio
him that he and his men had fired
on unarmed and fleeing Mexicans
during the occupation of the city
after telling the Mexicans to run.
As result of the statements made
by Boalt the hearing on the Texas is
technically described as the navy ver-
sus Richardson While 1t was origi-
nally designed to pass upon the order
of deportation against Boalt. it appa-
rently has developed into an INQUIRY
into the actions of Ensign Richardson.
"I will demand a congressional. in
vestigation of the whole occupation
of Vera Cruz before I will surrender
my credentials" said Boalt today.
Among the correspondents subpoenaed
to testify are William G.. Shepherd. of
the United Press; Kirke Simpson, Of
the Associated Press: Robert III. MUIR
ray, of the New York World, and
others
The turn the matter took today
aroused the most intense interest here.
Officials of the army and navy realized
that the point at issue had developed
from the question of deporting Boalt
to the question of whether American
marines killed helpless Mexicans after
ordering them to run.
LEY De Fuga" Old Custom.
The "ley de fuga, is one of the
Oldest and most notorious customs of
the Mexican army. 1t has been con-
demned throughout the civilized
world. 1t has been used repeatedly
as means of removing undesirable
prisoners. The general method prac-
tised by Mexicans is to give a pris-
oner certain space, in which he Is
permitted to move about. He is shot
while so doing, and the official re-
ports states that he was shot while
taking fight Very frequently the
prisoner is simply told to run for his
life and is shot down as he runs.
The story that American marines
applied the s'ley de fuga" to Mexi-
cans during the occupation here has
been repeated many times in Vera
Cruz, but through the developments
of the inquiry the first definite state
ment as to responsibility was made.
Boalt's direct charge that he obtained
the story directly from Ensign hicn-
ardson, who is alleged 20 have par
ticipated ia the incident, put an en-
tirely new Tight on the whole situa-
tion.
Special to the Evening Star.
WASHINGTON, July 11.-"No re-
strictions have at any time been
placed upon the movements of cor
respondent Fred l.. Boalt, was the
,,sessa ze received at the War Depart
atfNH't,t~ = ..atr.