Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-09

Laredo. Tex, March s-Texas citi- Rens, who secretly crossed into Mexico last night. today brought to the Aner1- can side the mutilated body of Gle mente Nergara, Texas ranchman, and established the fact of his execution after he was seized by Mexican teder- ais.
 Vergara was shot twice through the head and once through the neck, his skull was crushed as by a blow from a rife butt, and the charred fingers of She left hand indicated that he had been tortured before being put to death
 The Americans were not opposed ac- complaining their search without the slightest violence. taking the body from 6 grave in Hida1gO cemetery, almost within sight of the Texas border The seizure was divested of possibly grave aspects in international complications by reason of the fact that the party was virtually making use of permis- sion granted officially by Mexican fed eral authorities several days ago for recovery of the body. This permission had been given to United States Con- suI Alonzo Garrett at Neuvo Laredo, but he did not get the body because of what he reported as dangers attending search for it in the immediate vicinity of Hidalgo.
 identified k.. Son.
 Identification was made by Yer gara's son and by numerous friends, some of whom were in the party of which made the grim journey to the Hidalgo cemetery during the early morning hours today The body was not badly decomposed. despite its three weeks burial In addition to recog- nizing features, young Vergara took a bit of cloth from the trousers on the body and matched it with the coat which his father wore on the day he crossed the Rio Grande.
 Followed an investigation.
 The body was brought into the United States at a point 45 miles northwest of Laredo, opposite Hidalgo and near the Vergara ranch. American Consul Garrett of Neuvo Laredo dep uty sheriffs and other authorities were waiting to receive it, and, pending the arrival of the undertaken from Laredo, an armed force stood guard over the body. The recovery of the body was made by a force of Texans. including friends of Vergars. acting with a troop of Texas rangers under Captain Saun- ders, who have beer, investigating for Governor Co1quitt the circumstances Of Vergara's seizure by federals. A se- cret investigation. in which many Mexicans had been questioned, is un- derstood to have preceded the trip into Mexico. Leading the force was man who claimed to have been a witness to both the execution and the burial of Nergara.
 No Difficulty in Locating Grave.
 The force gathered near the Yer Eara ranch, not far from the spot where Nergara crossed the river to meet the Mexican federals who prom ised remuneration for stolen borses Moving silently, they began the over land march to Hidalso. 8 distance of about five miles They avoided the town, it is said, and met nobody 10 question their journey.
 Location of the grave proved an easy task, for 1t has been a center of specu- lation and wonder since it appeared after a swinging body had been cut the hue and cry over Nergara's disap- pearance started an investigation. The body had been rudely inferred with little effort to protect it.
 Thorough Examination Ordered.
 With their burden fixed on a stretcher. carried by six of Vergara's S &iends the procession started unehal- gagged on the return journey which wrought Clemente Vergara home again Co the United States
 It is understood that a thorough ex- animation of the body has been order ed by the state authorities.
 Nergara left his ranch near Paia- fox, Tex, Friday Feb. 13, and crossed the river into Mexico in answer to a message from three federal soldiers that Ca Dtain Apolonio Rodriguez of the Hidalgo garrison wished to settle for II horses taken from Vergaras island pasture in the Rio Grande. Mrs. Yer Eara pleaded with her husband not to risk seizure by the Mexicans, but he crossed the river with his young nephew. Mrs. Vergara since has told how she saw the soldiers knock her husband unconscious and carry him away. Nergaras nephew hid in the brush until he could recross the river
 Wife Visited Him in Jail.
 On the following day Mrs. Vergara went in search of her husband and found him in the Hidalgo jail. So far as known there was no charge against him. He had been cruelty beaten, ac- cording to the wife. She dressed the wounds on his head, she said. and re- 1nained with him until forced to leave That was the last time she ever saw him alive, for early next morning lie was taken from the jail. supposedly to be transferred to Piedras Negras and disappeared.
 Stole Horses on U. S. Soil.
 The island pasture of Vergara, where It was first reported the ranchnlan haG been assaulted, complicated the affair by the question whether it was Mexi- can or American territory. until 1t was found that Vergara had been actually seized on the Mexican mainland. This rendered those responsible safe from prosecution in Texas. AS the horses were alleged to have been taken from ords showed 1T belongs to the state O Texas, Mrs. Vergara filed an afndaFI charging Captain Rodriguez and three of his men with horse theft.
 Governor CoIquitt's Action.
 Governor Colquitt requested per1nis sion of the United States state depart ment to send Texas rangers across th'