The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-22
Senate Urged to Take Action
Toward Relief. by kilograms
to Senator Fall, Holds Exc
cutive Session.
'WATCHFUL WAITING"
FAILURE, SAYS ONE
Ell Paso Man Declares Almost
Certain Villa Personally Muir
dered British Subject In Cold
Blood Senators Not Dis
posed to Talk.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 21.-Thero
was lively discussion in the executive
session of the senate this afternoon
on the situation III Mexico,
Senator Fall, of New Mexico, start
ed it by having read from the desk
TWO kilograms. enc signed by George
Cuiy. former governor II New
Mexico, and later a member OF con-
gres. and another signed by r. NJ.
Dudley Of Ell Paso.
AS soon as the clerk had concluded
reading the two kilograms, Senator
Shiyely, chairman of the senate COM
mittee on foreign relations, moved an
executive session, and the discussion
went ON behind closed doors.
r. NJ. Dudley wired the following;
Cold -Biooded Murder.
iswilliam Benton was murdered like
! a dog by Villa. Almost certain VIVA
did ii personally. No evidence that
Benton was the aggressor. Every
thing showed IL to have been a cold
blooded murder Castillo a guest of
our government with safety from
punishment VILLA Boosting OF his
/ crime. Is there no protection any
where? Eel Paso full OF rebel officers.
The business affairs OF the reoelilon
openly done here. Your thousands
of friends out here want to hear your
voice in senate on our behalf. Watch
full waiting a failure"
The dispatch that came to Senator
Fall from Ex-Governor Curry. who
was a chairman of the indignation
meeting which was reported in the
morning newspapers, growing out OF
the resentment felt by citizens of Ell
Paso because of the alleged murder
of Benton. The Curry message was
as follows:
Feeling Very Bitter"
"At an indignation meeting here to-
night attended by two thousand peo-
pie, with hundreds unable to get into
the Hiding, a preamble and resoiu-
ton was unanimously and en-
Enthusiastically adopted, copy of which
has been wired to the president, and
sent out through the press to all the
world Feeling very bitter over the
brutal murder of Benton. Letter ex-
plains fully, and will be pleased to
supply any additional information
which you may want Please advise
Catron, tSenator Falls colleague)
and Ferguson. tmember of the house
from New Mexico)."
| After the senate went into execu-
tive session Senator Fall made long
speech reviewing conditions in Mexico
and criticising the policy of the adj
m.nistration for its failure to extend
protection TO lives dUu pIpPEIty
The senator declared that things
could not go on much longer as they
are Senator Clark, of Wyoming. ex-
pressed the opinion that the time had
come when the state department
should notify the senate just what
had been done to protect lives and
property. and as to the extent of the
losses inflicted on the lives and prop
erty OF american citizens in Mexico
1 Call on State DEPARTMENT,
4 Senator Clark intimated that he
would probably call up resolution
he introduced some time ago, direct
ing the state department to send this
information to the senate. but he
promised that If he did call up the
resolution Tor consideration 1t would
be in executive session.
There was a general discussion of
the Mexican situation. Senator Shive-
: ~. acting chairman of the foreign
relations committee. urged that no
action be taken for the present. He
suggested that the press reports
might not be accurate and that it
would pc wise for the senate to await
confirmation through regular official
channels before taking any action
which might turn out later to be i'll
advised.
Senators were not disposed to talk
about the debate in the executive
session, out IL was learned tHul gem
orally the discussion turned to the
question whether the senate should
pass a res. luton calling for full in
formation.
Administration senator's indicated
the attitude of the government to-
ward the situation by calling an ex-
ecutive session SO as to avoid publicity
| regarding the discussion of the case.
The explanation of the killing OF
Benton offered in administration Cir
cles to-day indicated beyond a shadow
Of doubt the desire of the adninlstra :
ton to accept General Villas account
of Benton's death. Mr.. Bryan direct
w refused to state whether e. not ne
did accept Villas explanation pf the
Benton execution.
Seem to Accept Villas Side.
At the White House there was M.
coneealment OF the relief experienced
when the consuls' reports were found
I to contain statements that Benton had
/ gone armed to Villas home in Juarez,
and he had engaged In violent quar-
rel with villa. that he was, tried by a
military court and executed in ac-
cordance with the findings of that
court
That General villa made a shrewd
move when ne departed from Juarez
as soon as 1t became known that Ben
ton had been executed Is conceded
here. 1t is believed that from now on
! his cause in the matter will be han
died by his suberdiHates, among whom
are more than one American. includ-
ing an Ell Paso lawyer said to be an
unusually capable man. The legal