The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-02-26
AID N INSTR Alto n
MAKESOEMANOS
ON MEXICO
Consuls lnquiring Into Recent
Atrocities
ANOTHER AMt RiCAN HANGED
Latest High Handed Proceeding is
Charged Against the Huerta
Governments

Washington, Feb. 26--The Mexican
situation which has centered chiefly
for the last few days upon efforts to
determine how and why the constitu-
tionalists executed William S. Ben
ton, British subject, was broadened
yesterday when Consul Garrett at
Nuevo Laredo was instructed to in
inquire into the hanging by Mexican
federals of Clements Vergara, an
American citizen. The consul was di-
rected by the state department to de-
mand the body Of the dead American
from officers Of the Huerta govern
ment in the vicinity Of Hidalo, Mex,
where Vergara was killed. Earlier in
the day, Marion Letcher, American
consul at Chihuahua, had been in
instructed to insist that Gen. Villa
permit the delivery of the body OF
Benton to the widow for burial where
she may wish.
These with an explanation by Sec
rotary Bryan to the Senate foreign re
lations committee Of all the informa-
tion on the Benon incident and Mex
leo generally In the hands Of the state
department, constituted the principal
developments of the day. Gen. VIII
las message OF Tuesday night, offer
ing to permit the widow of Benton or
relatives and an official to see the
body when exhumed is being taken to
mean by the American government
that complete medical examination
may be performed. Secretary Bryan
told the senators that the United
States was insisting that two Aneri-
can Representatives be permitted to
sec the body and that enc Of theso
be an army surgeon. He also has
made inquiry rs to exactly where the
grave is located. Gen. Villa up to
late yesterday had not replied to the
last request Of Secretary Bryan for
the surrender Of Ben .on's body, but II
is understood that the British embas-
sador, Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, for the
present will be satisfied If there is an
opportunity for an autopsy which
would determine whether Benton was
shot by pistol bullet or by rife bull
let's from a firing squad
1t is thought that the British EN-.
bassador is anxious that Information
be secured first believing discussion
~ fAo dicnocfffc,, ~ tha hodx- oo, ha
taken up af.erward. The same army
surgeon who will be detailed by Gen.
Scott at Fort Bliss TO act with the
British consul, Charles A. S. Perceval,
when he arrives at FL Paso Will re-
pert to the American government on
the condition of Benton's body.
The British ambassador had a brief
conference with Secretary Bryan ear.
ly in the day and was kept informed
later Of messages received by the
state department. That no change CT
policy for the American government
in connection with its treatment OF
the Mexican problem. was discussed
In the Senate conference with Secre.
tary Bryan became known afterward
II is apparent, however. that white OF.
ficials are not prejudglng the Benton
affair and are awaiting for all the
facts the danger to the safety OF for
eigners in northern Mexico and what
is being construed as inability OF
part Of the constitutionalists. at least.
to prevent International complica-
tions is receiving the deep considera-
ton Of high administration officials.