Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-02-21
Wealthy Ranch Owner Shot
on Charge Of Having
Engaged in Plot
EXECUTED AFTER A
MILITARY TRIAL
Action By Rebel May Cause
Complication Between
u. S. and England

Secretary Bryan after cabinet
conference ordered an immediate
Investigation Of the killing Of w.
8. Benton, the English ranch
owner at Juarez.
Ell Paso. Tex, Feb 20.-William ;.
Benton of Ell Paso, Scotchman, SUB
ject of Great Britain, is dead. Inc
death of the man is confirmed by
Pancho Villa and was officially con
veyed to the widow at S16 North
Oregon street. by United States Con
sui T. D. Edwards Of Juarez.
Mystery surrounds the report of the
death. William Benton. a cousin OF
the dead man, confirmed the report
Consul Edwards told Mrs, Benton, '
he SAID, that her husband was dead
in Juarez. The consul said that
Pancho Villa has confirmed this but
said that Villa had asked not to make
public the details except in official
dispatches to his government
Benton was executed Tuesday, ighf
after 4 trial by a military court in
Jnarez of which Federico Gonzales
Cara was the head. according to what
appears to be correct version OF the
affair. The charge against Benton
was that he was implicated in plot
to take Villas life.
Villa left for the south this morn
Ing on special train Benton was
last seen alive in Juarez. Tuesday
morning. He was making his way to
Villas homo and said he was going
to "tell Villa what he thought of him
for the manner in which his ranch.
the ,"Los Remedies" in western Chi
huahua had been looted and raided by
rebel soldiers
Instructions had been sent by the
state department yesterday to Consul
Edwards, it is reported. to see that no
harm should come to Benton the in
structions being sent upon the request
of the British ambassador at Wash
ingtop The warning, it now apDenrs
came too late. 1t is supposed Villas
defense will be that the man was shot
because he entered Villas office and
started to draw a gun. although the
cousin says Benton did not 60 to
.JuareZ armed. He was about As years
of age.
Benton and Villa have been acauaint.
ances for many years. Benton knew
him when. as an outlaw. more or less.
accepted as a part Of the Mexican
social fabric, the then bandit crossed
the Benton ranch west Of the city Of
Chihuahua The ranch of 100000 acres
Is known as LOS Remedies and is
considered one of the best in Mexico
It was we'll watered contained fine
pastures. crops grew abundantly and
the owner was particularly proud of
his orchard. which succeeding bands
of revolutionists cut up into fire wood.
Benton paid $125.O0O for it, but i'm
provements are said to have brought
the value close to $10On000. It was
with the assurance of this acGuaint-
ance behind him that the doughty
Scotchman. whose courage If not his
discretion. is admired, went to Villa
with COMPLAINT Of the depredaticns
committed on his property. Yesterday
Villa who has consistently denied that
he had Benton in custody. told a re-
porter that Benton was armed when
he made his visit. ....
Friends of the ranchman assert in
dignantly that Benton. while of fierv
temper and ready to use fists. was OF
sober habits and never known to car
ry gun. His great reason for going
unarmed was his own knowledge OF
his temper. 80. ....-.
In the course of the interview Ben
ton and Villa uuarreled and Benton
was losot to view of bis friends
James Hambleton. an Eng'ishma n. and
others, including reporters. exhausted
every means of ascertaining the fate
of the missing man. but every where
were met with evasions and denials.
Tells Mrs. Benton.
Consul Edwards was the first to
learn the true facts. He gave Mrs.
Benton only bare outline of the case.
Il have telegraphed all the details
at my command to Washington" said
the consul, and if made public it
must be from there. | pledged my
(ConRlrued on Page 5.)