The Washington herald., 1914-03-11
RECOVERY OF vERGARA'S
BODY Is REMOVED FROM
DIPLOMATIC CONSIDERATION

| The recovery of the body Of Clemente
vergara, the American rancher slain by
| Mexicans. was regarded as having been
removed from the realm of international
| incidents yesterday with the receipt Of
Official dispatches showing that the bring
| ing Of the corpse out Of Mexico was ac-
complished by Texans and Mexicans hav-
| ing no official status.
Consul Garrett, at Nuevo Laredo, and
Brig. Gen. Bliss. commanding the troops
| on the border, sent practically identical
accounts OF the affair showing that no
Texas Rangers had crossed the interna-
| tional border to get Vergara's corpse.
1t now is considered that. information
ally. nothing has happened. and it re-
mains only to bring about the appre-
hension and punishment Of those respon-
| sible for Vergara's death. This is the
duty of the Mexican federal government.
| and il is not now anticipated that Pres
ident Huerta will attempt to make any
issue of the manner in which the corpse
was brought to the United States
Secretary Bryan Is informing Charge
O'Shaughnessy CT the reports regarding
the recovery of 'ergara's body. together
with the evidence showing that the ranch
man was shot and hanged. This the
charge d'affaires will lay before the
Huerta government, as proof that the
man was killed on Mexican soil. and
renew his request for the apprehension
and punishment of these responsible. II
is expected Huerta will endeavor to meet
these demands.
Relative Paid $500.
The report of Consul Garrett and of
{ W.
recovered through the instrumentality of
friends and relatives of the dead man.
with the aid of Mexicans. Gen. Bliss
states that the sum OF 500 was paid by
Vergara's brother-in-law for the ex.
humation and delivery of the body on
the American side. The consurs report
shows that he did not. as at first
thought, have any advance information
Of the plan to get the body, and accounts
for his presence near the Vergara ranch
when 1t was recovered. The consul's ac-
count OF the affair is as follows:
''On the morning of the 7th (Satur-
day., in company with Capt. Sanders,
OF the Texas Rangers, and the deputy
sheriff. I went to Palofox, Tex. which
is opposite Hidalgo. Mexico. for the
purpose of making further investiga-
tions in the Vergara case.
I'VE went to the VerEara ranch and
examined the witnesses who saw the
horses taken; also those who saw him
cross the river and those who saw
him captured by the federals., The in
vestigation kept us until late in the
evening, and when We reached Cole
mans camp, two miles above Palo-
fox. We stopped and got supper and
concluded to remain over night.
Body Is Identified.
About two o'clock in the morning
a horseman rode up and informed me
that Vergara's body was on the Texas
side of the river and offered to take
me to the spot. aroused my chauffeur
and took my automobile and followed
him about five or six miles to a point
opposite the San Enrique ranch,
which, I am informed. is about three
miles below PalofoX. and found the
body with some of his relatives, who
had been notified to come and identify
the body. / am informed that small
number of Vergaras friends had gone
over about two o'clock and exhumed
the BODY and brought II over. The
Rangers did not go over, but went to
see the body after being notified. as
I did myself"
Gen. Bliss's telegram, practically to
the same effect, was as follows:
Investigation shows Vergara was
taken from the Hidalgo Cemetery
Saturday night by relatives OF Ver-
CARA. and hired Mexicans. Capt.
Sanders states positively no Texas
Rangers crossed the border. He met
the body at a landing opposite San
Enrique with Undertaken Convery
Sunday morning. Convery brought the
body to Laredo 7:30 p. m, Sunday.
He states there were no signs of burns
on the body. Found four bullet holes.
Neck chafed. but not broken. Body
decomposcd, but pants match coat
left at home by Vergara- Identifica-
ton seems reliable. Recovery of body
said to have cost s. T. Hill. brother
in-law of Vergara, 500. Body being
held at request Of Adj. Gen. Hutch
ings, (of Texas). No excitement"
Reports Read to Cabinet.
These reports were read at the Cabinet
meeting yesterday by Secretary Bryan. |
He said the State Department has no
further information in the cases of Ben |
ton, the British rancher killed; Gustav |
Bauch. the American supposed to have |
been killed in Juarez and W. ID. Snyman.
the British rancher ordered or his ranch |
in Chihuahua by the rebels. Investigations
in these cases are In progress. The de-
partment also is awaiting the result of
the investigations into the Bauch and
Benton cases ordered by Gen. Carranza.
Reports yesterday Indicated the rumors |
of fresh attack on Tampjco by the |
rebels were unfounded. There has not |