Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-02-25
AMERICAN CITIZEN
| MURDERED IN MEXICO
IContinued from First Pagc1

ana the character OIL us ieduelS' ihO
Senators were particularly Interested
in Villa and the execution of Benton.
Senator Shively, acting chairman,
said he would issue a statement later.
Representative Ainey. of Pennsyl-
vaIlia. Republican. to-day introduced
resolution, directing the President,
If compatible with public interest, to
transmit to the House "all information
that may be In his possession or in
possession of the State Department
regarding the treatment of citizens OF
the United States and other countries
in respect to their safety and the Sc
curity of their property, and to inform
the House what action, If any, has
been taken for the protection of Amer
lean citizens and other persons In
Mexico
1t was referred to the foreign af-
fairs committee.
Villas Proposal Accepted
General Villas proposal for an
American examination of the body of
w. S. Benton, the English ranchman
he executed at Juarez. without permit
ting it's removal from Mexico, has been
accepted by this government without
waving, however. any further move
ment to demand its delivery on Amer
lean soil.
British Consul Perceval, at Calves
ton, was to-day ordered to proceed to
Ell Paso, where he is expected to ar
rive tomorrow to go to the grave in
Juarez with a delegation of Ameri-
cans. Major General Scott COM
manding the United States troops
there, will detail an American army
surgeon and any other officers to ac-
company the British Consul. A men,
ber of Benton's family will be taken
with the party.
The course has been dcided upon
pending the outcome of efforts to Sc
cure the surrender of the body to Ben
tons family, which will not be abated
in the least. An immediate eXamina-
ton, even under limited conditions,
has been decided upon in order that
decomposition, which Is very rapid In
the Mexican climate. may not obliter-
ate the mute evidence of the wounds.
Immediately upon the receipt of
word from Consul Letcher at Chihua-
hua that Benton's body would be ex-
humed for the benefit of Benton's
widow and relatives who could visit
the cemetery with an American rep
resentative, a second request went
forth to Villa asking that the corpse
be turned over to the widow on Amer
lean territory.
Villas refusal to accede to the re-
quest for the body has not met with
favor by officials here, who are seek
ing now to impress upon him, through
Consul Letcher, the importance the
world generally will attach to such a
refusal
General Carranza, chief of all the
Constitutionalist forces. is expected in
Juarez within a week. 1t Is under
stood here that he will take charge of
Ian investigation of the Benton case
upon his own account
Story Rests on Wounds
Upon the character OF the wounds
rests proof of Villas version of the
killing. If the body is found riddled
with rifle bullets, officials think the
story of an execution after a court
martial will be confirmed and atten-
tion then will be further directed to a
point now carefully being Investigated
as to whether Benton had committed
crimes as Villa charges, and was of a
disposition to fight with fire arms.
Indications were to-day that the in
vestigation would last for several days
with no final judgment until all the
facts had been gathered Officials re-
gard the delivery of the body as of
first importance, however.
Secretary Bryan visited the White
House before going to his office to
read over night dispatches. He made
no comment on the situation.
White House officials after Secre-
tary Bryan had left, made this ex-
planation of the status of the inquiry
for Bentons body:
Two dispatches were received yes
terday, one from Consular Agent
Carothers, saying Villa would not per-
init view of the body "at this time
but would do so later. That message
came during the afternoon.
Late last night a message was re-
ceived from Consul Letcher at Chi
huahua, who had been in personal con-
ference with Villa. He reported Villa
was willing to have the widow and
it was exhumed, and that their visit
would be permitted in the presence OF
representatives to be designated by the
American government.
The change in General illa's atti-
tude as reflected in these two mes
sages, 1t was said, was the result OF
representations by the United States
that his attitude was not satisfactory
The United States will designate an
army surgeon as one of its repre-
lsentatives and an examination of the
I body will be made, according to White
House officials.
w HliS odtioiiSd tiiht Sih
opportunity for medical examination
of the corpse has been made. the lat
| est representations to Villa request
| that after the examination, the body
be delivered to the widow for buria
wherever she may wish.
The State Department. is hopeful
| that through General Carranza, Villas
superior officer. i. can succeed in get
| ting Benton's body. No answer has
been received to-day to representa-
tions sent to Carranza yesterday a
Nogales. The mail report of the pro-
lceedings of the court martial had moi
reached Washington.
| Secretary Bryan has communicated
to the British embas~. the latest mes
sages from Consul Letcher, announc-
ing Villas willingness to permit the
widow to view Benton's body but his
refusal to allow its removal. That
however, may not meet the demands
|! of the British embassy. Secretary
Bryan declined to-day to intimate
what he would do in the event thai
Villa persisted in his refusal and Car.
rama could not be induced to inter
vene.
Discussing possibilities, some Off.
cials here said there was really nc
legal obstacle to Brigadier Genera
Bliss sending a force of American
cayalrymen from the border patro
to recover Benton's body IL II can bt
located. That such would be an acI
| of war, which must first be authorized
| by Congress was denied by officials
They pointed to President Wilson's
declaration that there Is at present nc