The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-02-27
VILLA TELLS Of benton KILLING
DECLARES SCOTCHMAN ATTEMPT
ED TO TAKE HIS LIFE.
Aliens in Mexico in Great Danger, IS
Belief in Neutrality-suspicious.
England Is Doing.

Wasbington.-Re of wheth-
er the execution of William S. Benton,
a British subject, by General Villa was
justified, Mondays developments EN-
phasized clearly that protection of for
eigners in rebelliontorn Mexico had
become commanding problem OF in
creased international Importance, ap-
preciated no less by President Wilson
than by leaders in congress.
After a conference with President
Wilson, Acting Chairman ShlVely OF
the senate foreign relations commit
tee and members of that committee
reached an agreement that the MeXl-
can situation, if taken up by the SEN
ate, should be discussed behind closed
doors.
Pending resolutions looking to bet
ter protection for foreigners soon will
be taken up by the senate.
The discussion in the British par
lament of the Benton incident was
read with much interest by officials,
who observed particularly that the
United States was not held respon-
sible by Sir Edward Grey for the
death of Benton.
Intimations were received through
semi-official channels that marines
would be landed by Japan and France
to act as legation guards in the City
of Mexico, along with those of Great
Britain and Germany.
General Villas story of the killing
of William S. Benton is as follows:
Benton gained entrance to my Of
flee in Juarez On the preteXt that he
wanted to see me on some personal
business connected with his ranch, Los
Remedies, near the city of Chihuahua.
AS soon as he entered he began to
address me in abusive language. I had
had some experience with him before
and knew Of 8his violent temper l
know also that he had mixed too free
lly in Mexican politics, but l did not
suspect that he was coming into my
office to kill me.
! HE had not talked long when he
reached for his hip pocket. 1t flashed
over me that he intended to kill me.
I grabbed his hand and at the same
time thrust my revolver into the pit
OF his stomach to stop him. | did not
wish to appear bloodthirsty, and there
fore did not shoot him myself The
guards seized him, took his pistol from
him and placed him under arrest. 1t
was decided to try him by court-mar-
tial. and this was done in. the regular
manner prescribed by law" and the
prisoner was executed eighteen hours
after he made the attempt on nay life.
That is all there is to it. We would
have treated any other offender in the
same way, whether he was American,
Spanish, German or Japanese.
! Benton not only was guilty of at
tempting to take life, but of other of
lenses, for we have proof of his enmity
to our cause and of the aid he rem.
dered our enemies. However, he was
executed for attempting to take nv
life. | have nothing to conceal about
it. | know the incident has aroused
comment in the United States and Eu-
rope, and that is why | am making
this statement.
"a man who acted as Benton did
would have received the same treat
ment in any country. l want to en-
phasize the fact that I did not kill
Benton myself; would not have soil
ed my hands with that detail of the
execution after the court had found
him guilty. After the verdict Benton
confessed. He did not appeal for
mercy, but asked that his property he
secured to his widow. l promised that
this would be done
Statements have been made that
we have executed other foreigners, but
this is untrue. Benton is the only
one"