The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-03-10
400 REBEL TROOPS
KILLED IN BATTLE
Huerta Signs Warrant Charging
Villa and Carranza With the
Murder of Benton.
INQUIRY MUST SATISFY U. S.
ConstitutionaIist Leaders Investiga-
ton Into Death of Briton Must Be
Satisfactory to Government at
Washington.

Laredo, Tex, March 7.-Another
American citizen has disappeared in
Mexico, and is believed to have been
killed by General Huerta's federals
like Clemente Vergara, who was
hanged near Hidalgo. The latest vic
tim is Inocente Benovides, a stock
man of Zapata county.
Mexico City, March -Four hun
dred rebels were killed in the defeat
of Gen. Toribio Ortega's rebel army
in a battle with federals between
Conejos and Escalon, according to dis
patches received here. The rebel
army, numbering more than 5000,
have been moving toward Torreon
without interruption until General
Piano, with federal army of 700 men,
engaged them.
Rebel Leaders Charged With Murder.
Mexico City, March IA govern
ment warrant charging Gen. Francisco
Villa with murder and Gen. Venustiano
Carranza with being an accessory was
drawn up by the ministry of justice
and Immediately signed by President
Huerta- The warrant holds both the
constitutionalist leaders responsible
for the death of William S. Benton,
the wealthy British rancher executed
at Juarez.
The signing of the warrant put both
men in the position of being fugitives
from justice and either can be shot
down by government soldiers or any
government officer upon refusal to sur
render.
Both CarranZa and Villa are in the
bandit class now said President
Huerta after he had the warrant is
sued. The Mexican government in
tends to protect foreigners Benton's
execution was a coldblooded murder
and his slayers are going to be pun
ished.'
Benton Quiz Must Satisfy U. S.
Washington, March 7.-Gen. Venus
tiano Carranza, provisional president
of the Mexican constitutionalists,
must make an investigation of the
death of William S. Benton that is
satisfactory to the United States or
reparation will be demanded by the
! American government in behalf of
Great Britain.
This fact was learned on high au-
thority. DR.. Henry Allen Upper, who
is now at Ell Paso to conduct an in
vestigation. will notify Carranza that
the United States will tolerate no
''whitewash" of General Villa and his
methods. This warning will, of course,
be unofficial in the ordinary mean
ing of the word, because President
Wilson has no intention of recogniz
ing the constitutionalist government
but it will have all the backing of the
American government.
Despite the fact that Carranza
baked an investigation of Benton's
death by the international commission
made up of representatives of Great
Britain and the United States, news
from Ell Paso that Carranza is to
make his headquarters at Juarez is
regarded as hopeful sign by Presi
dent Wilson and the state department
To Curb Villas Barbarous Methods
Carranza is relied upon to curb the
barbarous methods of General Villa
If he fails to do so, there is likely tt
be drastic change in the "watchfu
waiting policy OF President Wilson
The killing of another foreigner under
conditions such as marked the "exe
cution" of Benton may be the sigma
for the advance of American troops
into Mexico to apprehend the guilty
Efforts of Gen. Felix Diaz to secure
the support Of this country in his cam
paign to become president of Mexico
will prove unavailing. The admins
tration of ex-President Madero, de
spite his recent statements that h,
knew nothing of the plans to kill tn,
deposed executive.
Diaz has been told that ne can ex
pect no support from this country
though the senate committee on for
eign relations will hear his story, be
lieving that from him facts can b,
learned that will be of assistance II
determining aggressive action In Mexi
CO, should that ultimately becom
necessary.