Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-03-03
TRAIN IS BLOWN UP
FIFTY-FIvE KILLED WHEN REB-
ELS SET OFF DYNAMITE,
SCATTERING THREE CARS.
ENGLISH ENVOY ASKS PROBE
Sir Edward Grey Tells House of Com
mons of Crisis Due to Villa Exc
cution-caIIs Situation as Exerem-
Iy Serious.

Vera Cruz, Feb. ga federal troop
train carrying company of infantry
from Mexico City, destined for Jalapa,
was blown up by rebels near the Lima
station Of the Interoceanic railway, 140
miles from Vera Cruz. The entire
train was demolished. All on board.
including SO officers and men and the
English engineer, were killed. A pas
senger train, which was following In
the wake of the troop train, was fired
on by the rebels, but escaped by back
ing rapidly
London, England, Feb. 25.-The his
tory Of the Benton affair as contained
IN the information furnished to Sir
Cecil Spring-Rice, British ambassador
to the United States by the state de-
partment at Washington, was COM
municated in official form to the house
of commons by Sir Edward Grey.
When the British foreign secretary
said that Sir Cecil Spring-Rice had
told Secretary of State Bryan that
the public opinion of Europe was like
ly to be seriously affected by Villas
attitude, an encouraging cheer rolled
through the house
full house listened with intense
interest to the explanation given by
Sir Edward Grey and by Francis
Dyke Acland, parliamentary under
secretary for foreign affairs. They
both spoke Of the British govern
ment's attitude and discussed their
communications with Washington.
Sir Edward Grey explained that
Great Britain did not hold the United
States responsible for Villas acts, but
he said the British government was
powerless to take any measures in the
disturbed regions.
Juarez, Feb. 24.-William s. Ben
tons resistance to General Villas bar
ring him from Mexico brought on the
execution of the British subject and
owner of a 100,000-acre ranch in Chi
huahua, according to the record of the
court-martial that condemned Benton
to death 1t was charged that he tried
to murder Villa while resisting the
generals decree.
The official record was revealed on
Saturday. 1t opens with the statement
that an extraordinary council of war
was convened at 4:15 o'clock last
Tuesday by Col Fidel Avila. The
council convened a court-martial, of
which Maj. Jesus Rodriguez was presi-
dent. There were four other judges.
Villa" continues the report, States
that because Benton was a foreigner
his property has not been confiscated,
but he must remain out of the coun-
try because he was an element de-
structive of the peace and prosperity
of the country.
The accused answered in harsh and
violent terms and asserted that no hui
man power could keep him out of
Mexico or cause him to desert his
property to further depredations.
Then he said he was as good a
man as Villa and at the same moment
he drew a pistol from his hip pocket.
But the general was ready and jumped
for him and struck, at the same
time the persons present leaped on
him that he might not make an at
tempt on the life of General Villa"
The record gives Benton's testimony
indirectly as follows:
He said he came at 10 or IL o'clock
in the morning to see General Villa
and inform him that revolutionists OF
at times parties of bandits had done
much damage to his ranch, destroying
property and stealing cattle. He had
come to tell Villa of these things, but
the general accused him of being
friendly to the federals, and suggested
that the rebels buy the ranch, as the
witness was not wanted in Mexico.
The witness told General Villa that
he was unjust and several Other
things that annoyed the general, bu
witness had no intention of harmins
the general or anyone else. He sale
he had nothing to do with Huerta o.
the red flaggers and was Indifferent
TO the politics of the country. This
was all he had to say"