The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-02-22
RY ASSOCIATED PRESS.


washington. Feb. 21.-Secretary
Bryan has ordered a far-reaching in
ves1igation of the killing or William
8. Benton. 2 British subject, at Juarez.
He announced today that untii all the
facts had been gathered from all avail
able sources, no opinion would be ex-
pressed by the state department. The
information received will be trans
nlitted tc the British government
Instructions went forth today to Am
erican Consul Letcher at Chihuahua to
get additional details from villa and
II Is understood an inquiry through
independent sources will be carried on
at Juarez, while Thomas D. Edwards
and q. c. Carrothers, American con-
sui and representative at JuareZ, will
continue their inquiries.
Advices received by the state de-
pertinent today were that Benton was
armed and according to Villas vers-
ION Of the affair, had personally quar-.
relied with Villa. had been disarnled,
tried by courtmartiaI and executed On
the charge Of attempting. the life Of
villa
Unless there are further instructions
from the foreign ONCE. the British
Iemoassy will make no further move
srrnding the outcome OF the inyestt-
ga .sen which the state department has
N assI ia ken.
nEBEis ISSUE STATEMENT.
FsO0ert Y. PesQuiera, constitutional
let agent here. made public the follow
Inc telegram from constitutiSna'ist
Headquarters at Juarez:
Fenton entered Villas apartment
very unexpectedly demanding prnt<sc
tier fer his interests and bitterly in
sulting Villa and the constitutionalist
y.
eidered him an enemy to the constItu-
tfcs.1s list cause and that in order that
be might not continue to work against
Il, he. Villa. was going to pay him the
a.nc OF his (Benton's) property in
Chihuahua
sE:tnton became very exasperatp1 az
this and drew his yevol er, insan ing
to Kill the general. but the latter I'M
Ynediately knocked him down, disarm-
ed him and sent him to Jail Benton
was afterward tried by special mill
tary tribunal sentenced TO death and
duly executed. all in accordance with
the laws and usages of war"
Announcement that Benton met
death in Juarez after a court martial,
was made today by Secretary Bryan.
Fzis information came in a despatch
froyrs Consul Edwards at Juarez wao
said bS rad read the court martial
proceedings, which were forwarded by
mail to Washington.
Secretary Bryan communicated
Consul Edwards latest message to Sir
Cecil Spring Rice, the British ambas-
sador and instructed Consul Edwards
TO demand adequate protection and a
fair hearing for Gustav Bauch. an Am
erican citizen for whose safety in Jua-
rez apprehension has been felt.
Friends Of Bauch in Ell Paso have
telegraphed TO Representative Smith
of Texas that he had been shot as a
spy.
No report had been received at the
state department today on the re-
ported disappearance OF two other
Englishmen who We're said to have
gone to Juarez TO search for Benton.
REPLY BY GEN. VILLA.
Later today villa telegraphed Pes
ouiera as follows:
s@The attention OF the commanding
general OF the division OF the North, |
having been drawn to the published
report in response to the recent ex-
cutiorl Of William 5. Benton he desires |
il known that the action OF the au.
SCo1f{rue5 IN Pa ge TwnN