The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-10
The Recovery OF vcrRara's Body

The concern Of the President about
the recovery from cemetery at Hi
daleo, Mexico, Of the body OF Gle
MEyTE VERGARA, an American citizen
killed on Mexican soil by Federal sol
diers, proceeds In great part from an
apprehension that armed intervention
will be preciptated II such acts by the
people OF Texas are not summarily
prevented. There Is no doubt that the
Administration has an investigation
upon Its hands. II has asked General
CARRANZA TO learn the facts of the KILL
ina Of WILLIAM $. BENTON at Juarez,
and II must now endeavor to show that
armed Americans did not invade Mex
Eco to exhume the body of NERGARA
and bring II to the Texas side OF the
river.
A difficulty In applying the practice
Of International law TO the Nergara
case is that while the Constitutionalists
are In control OF most OF the territory
Of the northern Mexican States, 1t was
a Federal patrol that seized the stock
man on an island belonging To the
United States In the Rio Grande, 1t Is
said, and afterward executed him. The
Constituencies accept no RESPONSE.
bility for his fate. and a. General
HUERTA has not been recognized as
President of the Mexican Republic,
he can hardly be called to account ;
moreover. the outrage was committed
BY a command cut Off from his army
in the field. II the Mexican people
were not engaged in Il civil conflict it
would be plain sailing enough.
II the fact can he established that
VERGARA was seized on an island in the
jurisdiction of Texas, the illegality,
followed by the stockman's execution
as prisoner, will completely over
shadow the 'iuvasion" To recover his
body. Indeed, II would become Of very
small Importance Internationally. The
Vergara murder bears good deal of
resemblance to the killing of FRAN-
CISCO ARREsUREs In July, lN>6. although
Mexico was then In "A state of peace.
ARlEsUREs, who lived in Eagle Pass,
had taken out his first naturalization
papers when on July ri, according
to his own statement made to Mr.
LINN, the United States Consul AT Pie
dras Negras, he was seized while AZ his
work by armed men and delivered on
the Mexican side of the river to Mos
DRAGON. a captain Of rangers, AIRY
sUREs was killed 10y members Of Mon
DRAGONS force after Consul LINN in
terceded for him and demanded his re-
lease The body was hurriedly buried
and exhumation through legal process
not in that case by American invaders
showed that ARREsUREs had been shot
like a dog IN the most brutal fashion
The United States thereupon called
upon the Mexican Government to make
pecuniary reparation to the family Of
the murdered man
The numerous diplomatic exchange,
in the Arresures case proved how ten
der both countries We're with regard
10 invasion and to the protection OF
citizens in a time of profound peace
Technically there is the same tension
to-day, when civil war prevails in Mex
tco, but abnormal conditions resulting
from the recognition of President
HUFRTA and the Illustrations actual
though unavowed, sympathy with tn,
Constituencies Compicate the sit
walton deplorably. In one way the in
vaslon of Mexico by Americans to
recover the body of one of their own
citizens captured upon American sol
snd murdered by Mexican IcdcralS i,
minor incident iplomatically, but II
will be Il very serious incident If II /,
to lead to raids ana rcprisals aud prnc
tically 10 the breaking down of tn,
international barrier. That way lie,
armed Intervention and bloody ant
costly war