The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-03-09
BODY OF vERGARA
RECOVERED BY
RANGERS
Texans Cross Mexican Border
and Visit Cemetery
AMERICAN WAS TORTURED
Fingers Were charred and Body
Showed Other Evidence of Vic
ious Treatment


rangers, who secretly crossed into
Mexico from this city Saturday night
yesterday brought to the American
side the multilated body of Clemente
vergara. Texas ranchman, and estab-
lished the fact of his execution after
he was seized by Mexican Federals.
The seizure was Invested of possibly
grave aspects in international com
plications by reason of the fact that
the rangers were virtually making
use of permission gran ed officially
by Mexican federal authorities sew
eral days ago for recovery OF the
body.
Vergara was shot twice through
the head and once through the neck,
his skull was crushed as by a blow
from a rife butt and the charred
fingers of the left hand indica ed
that he had been tortured before
being put to death Identification
was made by vergara's son and by
numerous friends, many of whom
were in the party of nine led by the
state border patrol which made the
grim journey to the Hidalgo GENE
terry during the early morning hours
yesterday.
Recovery of the body was made
by force of Texans, including
friends Of Vergara, acting with a
troop of Texas rangers, under Capt.
Saunders. who have been investigat-
ing for Gov Colquit the circumstanc-
es of Vergara's seizure by feis
A secret investigation in VIII h
Mexicans had been questioned & u
ders God to have preceded the trip
into Mexico.
Location of the grave proved an
easy task, for il has cen a center
of speculation and wonder since it
appeared after a swinging body had
been cut down from the place of exc
cution when the hue and cry over
Vergara's disappearance started an
Investigation. The body mad been
rudely buried with little effort to
protect it.
Vergara left his ranch near Pala-
fox, Friday, February 1S, and cross.
ed the river into Mexico in answer to
a message from three federal sold
iers that Cap. Apolineo Rodriguez of
the Hidalgo garrison wished to set
tie for II horses taken from Yer
garas island pasture in the Rio
Grande. Mrs. vergara pleaded with
her husband not to risk seizure by
tie Mexicans but he crossed the riv-
er with his young nephew. Mrs. Yer
CARA since has .old how she saw the
soldiers knock her husband uncon-
scious and carry him away. Yer
gara's nephew hid in the brush I'M
I'll he could recross the river.
On the following day Mrs. Vergara
went in search of her husband and
found him in the Hidalgo Jail. So
far .as known there was no charge
against him. He had been cruelty
beaten according to the wife. She
dressed the wounds on his head she
said, and remained wi h him untu
forced TO leave. That was The last
time she ever saw him alive, fer ear
iy next morning he was taken from
the jail, supposedly to be transferred
to Piedras Negras. and disappeared.
IL finally was determined to the
satisfaction OF the American investi.
gators that he had been executed.
Denial was made by Mex,
can federals. however. and prior 10
this Gen Alvarez, commander az
Piedras Negras. had promised Ameri-
can Consul Blocker that Vercara
would be released and his captcrs
called to account This allayed he
fears Of his friends until his con
tinued absence started an exhaus-
tive investigation in which the Unit
ed States government took a mart.
Consul Garrett proceeded to Hidaivo
and personally interviewed Capt. Rod
riguez. the man held responsible for
Nergara's kidnapping. but the federal
captain said that NerRara had been
sem to Piedras Negras. but had es-
capped on the way and that the fed.
erals were certain he had Joined the
constitutionaiists. Consul Garrett.
however after interviewing numerous
Mexicans and others. reported Official
ly that Nergara had been executed.
He added that be was convinced
from the federais' attitude While he
was in Hidalgo that Il would have
been dangerous for hin to demand
surrender Of the bodT.