Norwich bulletin., 1914-02-23
The United States ConsuIs in Mexico Fail to Obtain
 Slightest Trace of Harry Crompton
VILLA DIsCLAIMs ALL KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAN
Was Never in Mexico So Far He Knows, Declares Rebel
 Chef-Letter Received From Missing Man Saying He Was Jail Chihuahua and Was Be Executed at Jua
 reg on Feb. 15th-Aged Mother Said to be Hearbroken

Fl Paso, Tex, Feb. 22.-In a tele gram received today by the American consul at Juarez, Thomas D. Edwards, General Villa suggests that the Amer jeans reported missing in Mexico may be included ip a batch of American recruits which he says he has rejected and will send back to Juarez by the first troop train
 Villas telegram says there are if teen Of the Americans who wish to join his forces but whom he found unavailable. At present search is be- ing made for Harry Compton of Oak land Cal: Roger Laurence, an Eng iishman. who came here recently to visit William $, Benton, who was kill ed by the rebels last Tuesday; 8 New Mexico ranchman named Curtis, who is said to have joined Laurence in the search for Benton, and Gustave Bauch, officiall! reported to have been taken to Chihuahua for further investigation on the charge of being a spy,
 Letter Received from Compton.
 United States consular representa- lives at Juarez and Chihuahua have been searching for a trace of Comp ton, but he is in neither JuareZ nor Cuartels, according to reports made to them by constitutionalist officers, who also say they never had him under arrest.
 
 of Garden City, Cal. asked for infor- nation concerning the missing man. It stated that letter dated Chihuahua had been received from Harry Comp ton, who appealed to them for assist ance saying that he was prisoner in the Chihuahua jail and was to be re- moved to Juarez on Feb. 15. This was also the date set for his execution, and he did not say in the letter on what charges he had been arrested.
 CemPton's Mother Broken Hearted.
 General Hugh L. Scott also received a request from citizens of Garden City, Cal, to assist in locating the man be- cause of his hearted mother, and the military authorities have talk en up the search. The message to General Scott said a direct appeal had been made to President Wilson to take steps to have the constitutionalists give information concerning Compton.
 Consul Edwards was instructed by Secretary of Stale Bryan today to To- cate Compton, if possible, and to re- port oE the alleged arrest and execu- ti1n ol the American. Similar instruc- tions were teiegraphed to ConsuF Marion Letcher at Chihuahua to con duct m investigation there. Both consuls immediately took up the mat Villa Denies All Knowledge of Comp
 ton.
 ConSul EQHdrQS called on Colonel Ffdel Avila, jefe de las armas at Juarez, but he said he had never had Compton in the Juarez jail and that no Americans had been executed in Juarez. From Chihuahua, Consul Lercher telegraphed that General Francesca Villa had denied knowledge of Compton and notified him that Compton had never been arrested or, to his knowledge, been in Mexico. These reports were forwarded to the state department by Consul Edwards.
 Richard M. Dudley telegra phed Sen ator Fall today asking him to take measures to obtain immediate removal of the body of Benton to his widow on this side of the river. MT. Dudley ex- plained that he believed a view of the body would go far to explain the man ner of the ScOtchman's death Dud- ley. like other Americans here does not accept the official explanation of a courtmartial as given out at Juarez yesterday.
 Memorial Service for Madero.
 The despatch from Chihuahua stat ing that there was possibility in cer- tain contingencies of the states of northern Mexico forming a new re- public was regarded as plausible among refugees here. It was pointed out that for the last three years the northern and southern parts of the country have been virtually under sep arate governments and that formal se- cesson of the northern states would not materially change the present status of the country.
 In Peace grove, opposite the Globe mills. where Francisco Madero estab- Hshed his provisional capital of Mex leo in 1911, when he was at the head of the insurrection forces which later overthrow the Diaz government, the memorial service of the first anniver- sary Of the assassinatiOn of President Madero and his vice president, Jose Pino Suarez. were held this afternoon. The troops of the Juarez garrison Searched to the little grove and were reviewed by Colonel Fidel Ayila, com ehander of the Juarez garrison, and members of his Ftaff
 Juarez in Mourning.
 After the review there was a pro- gTamme consisting of musical num- bers and addresses
 JuareZ was in mourning during the day in honor of the memory of the two leaders who met their death ', year ago.
 All amusements, with the exception Of the races, were closed during the day The soldiers wore buttons of &Sdero draDed with crepe and crepe the officials of the town
 A search by Captain Cootes and his troopers around Las Cruces for fill busters last night resulted in diSaP- ment. but the watch will be mSin- tained by United States deputy mar Shals and q detac{lTn ent of troops un= der Lieutenant Bowman, The filibus- tors were said to be under command of General Pascual OreZco. wno es- caped from 0jinaga when that towr was evacuated by the fedsFalS Jan. 10