The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-02-09
REVENGE
BY BANDIT
Americans Lie Dead in Mex
lean Tunnel, Poisoned
by Fumes
SIX AMERICANS,
FIFTY MEXICANS
Maxine Castillo Captures
Freight and Sets
1t on Fire

Juarez, Mex, Feb. 9.--The six Ameri-
cans and 40 or so Mexicans, whose fate
has been mystery since the destruc-
ton of the Cumbre tunnel in Mexico last
Wednesday, We're suffocated. This IN
formation was received here Saturday
evening at the headquarters of the Mex
lean Northwestern railroad. The trag-
edy is laid at the doors of Maxine Cas-
tillo, the bandit leader. A special train
carrying 20 Americans, led by w. j. Far
ragut of the Mexico Northwestern rail-
road, with so collins and rescue outfit
left Juarez Saturday night for the scene.
Departure of the rescue train was de-
layed by telegram from Secretary of
State Bryan to American Consul Ed
wards at Juarez demanding that train
of soldiers be dispatched ahead to pre-
vent attack by Castillo on the Ameri-
cans. The consuPs order was acceded
to at once by Gen. Benavides, and the
task of getting together another train
was begun. 1t carried 800 rebel soldiers.
The exact number of persons aboard
the Inflated passenger train, which con-
sisted of one first-class and two second
class coaches, baggage and express car,
and freight car, is not known. First
reports put the number at 35, while a
request for collins asked for IS. This
evidently was an estimate. however, as
the searching party, led by DR.. r. c. Herr
of MADEIRA, was unable to penetrate far
enough into the tunnel to count the
dead.
These, il is expected, will be found
strewn along the poisonous reaches of
the tunnel, where they fell in attempt
ing to escape. DR.. Herr reached body
within 300 feet OF the north entrance to
the tunnel. Ii was that OF Juan Fernan-
DEE, rear brakeman of the train. As
the passenger train did not stop until
within few hundred feet of the freight
train, by means of which Castillo had
set fire to the tunnel seven hours before,
Fernandez must have staggered and
crawled nearly three-quarters of mile
before he suecumbed to the fumes. In
his trail, it is believed, the Others will
be found, unless there was stampede
in the train to escape and some were
the narrow aisles and doors.
Railroad men at Juarez and in FL Paso
are furious at Castillo's act. On Tues
day, % of his men were captured and
executed by the rebels, and the next day,
apparently in revenge, he captured the
freight train, ran it into the south end
Of the tunnel, about 800 feet, and there
set fire to it. The passenger train en-
tered the death trap from the north
insuspectingly, probably travelling at its
usual rate of about Is miles an hour.
When the engineer discovered the trap
t was too late. Castillo's failure to
'end back warnings of his deed is regard
ID as the most cruel and murderous act |
IT his career of outlawry, and there is |
/ disposition at Juarez to critieise Gen. |
francisco Villa for not having crushed |
him long ago.
The missing Americans, all employees |
II the railroad, are: M. j. Gilmartin,
of the Chihuahua divi- |
ion; II. Schofield, superintendent Of ter
ninals at Juarez; Lee Williams, assist |
mt manager OF commissary; Fl. F. Mar |
Iers, express agent; Il. J. McCutcheon.
ngineer, and u. Z. Webster, condue.
or.
Two Mexican cowboys were respon-
ible for report at Juarez that all had
scaped and that the Americans were be-
ng held for ransom. There was re-
oicing at this, but the jubilation was
hort lived, for soon after the bulletins
rom DIR. Herr began to arrive.
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