The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1914-07-09
THE KILLING OF
RANCHER BENTON
As Told by a Villa Soldier Now
Employed by Milwaukee r. r.
Co. at Aberdeen
STABBED BY VILLA GUARDS
Was a BuII-Dozing Bully and Got
Only What Was Coming to
Him, Says This Man

American machine gun operators
with General Villas army in Mex
leo. has returned to this country
and now has a position with the
Milwaukee road at Aberdeen, S.
D.. as switchman.
Mr.. Powell was nearby at the
time of the killing of Benton on
February II, and states that Ben
ton was stabbed by Villas guards,
but that if he had not been that
he would have been shot on leav-
ing the palace by Powell. McDon-
aid and the other Americans. who
were on the tops of adobe houses
around the palace with their Min
chesters in case the guards did
not get the Englishman.
The Real Story Of Benton
Powell states that Benton was
a large man and a regular bull
doing bully, who got all his land
in Chihuahua by taking it away
from the poems and then turning
around and hiring them to work
for him at a mere pittance per
month. 1t is claimed that man
can start from chihuahua and
ride south on horseback for four
days without getting off the land
formerly owned by Benton.
His Last Trip
"Benton's last trip to Juarez
was his fifth visit" said Powell.
Every time he went to General
Villa he would stir up the whole
Headquarters staff so that there
was no harmony among them for
a week after. He would threaten
and try to bluff Villa to get out of
the territory, and throw everybody
into a horrible temper for the rest
of the day.
''On February II he came to the
palace again. Mcdonald and |
made up our minds that that
would be his last visit there. and
that if the guards did not get him
we would. Benton walked back and
forth in front of the palace for
nearly an hour before he was ad-
mitted. We waited on the tops of
the houses nearby until we saw
Benton's auto drive away without
him in it and then we went over
to the palace.
Where Is 1enton7
II asked one of the guards
where Benton was. and he told
me that there was no use looking
for him anymore. I later talked
with one of the generals body
guards. and he told me that Ben
ton entered the presence of the
general with his hat on his head.
an objectionable offense in that
country.
''After clustering around awhile
Benton ended with the statements:
Il own the greater part of Chihua-
hua district, and am going down
there and establish myself as gov
ernor. l want you and your ID
men to stay out of there and if
you don't do it | will have the
British army over to clean you off
the map
Price on Villas Head
"There was price on Villa 5
head of $i5O,O0O at that time. the
money laying in a bank at Ell Paso
for the man that would pull the
trick. This and the fear that a
man with Benton's wealth and
disposition could easily organize
an army of 5000 to 10000 poems
and attack us in the rear on our
march. were attendant circum-
stances which prompted his death.
Just What He Needed
Benton got Just what he de-
served. If any millionaire in the
United States who owned prac-
tically all of the land in one of the
states should go into President
Wilson, in time of war. and talk
like Benton did to Villa. he would
have been dealt with as Benton
was.
Powell Has Good Backing
Powell is thoroughly reliable
He has his official discharge from
General Villa: 1.-The bearer. Mr.
William Powell, has been en-
ployed by the constitutionalist ar
my dlh'ing the last three years as
gunner, and has. been under my
command since June 3, 1913.
highly recommend him as to his
honesty and bravery. (Signed)
General Francisco Villa. Inter
venter, April 5. 1914. The dis
charge bears the seal of the trea-
sury department. of the COnstitu-
Former u. s. Soldier
Powell was member of Com
pany L, 10th U. S. Infantry dur
ing the Philippine insurrection in
1898-99, having been detailed to
the signal corp as first class ser
geant. He was in charge of the
men who laid the telephone lines
through the Islands. and is well
known by nearly all of the Philip
pine veterans who fought in the
Islands during those two years.
He spent two years as soldier. OF
fortune in Alaska after leaving
the Philippines. and is now going
to settle down to his original call
ing as a railroad man again.
He has brought with him q
large collection of photographs
taken by himself and others in