The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-03-11
And Brought To Border
During Darkness.
WAS EXECUTED BY MEMCANS
After Being TreacherOusly
Lured From Home BY
Business Pretext.
WAS TORTURED BEFORE DEATH

Laredo, Tex, March S.-The mu-
tilated body of Clemente Vergara,
Texas ranchman, was secretly
brought to the American side of the
Rio Grande in the early hours OF
Sunday morning, establishing the
fact of his execution after he was
seized by Mexican Federals.
Departing as silently as they had
crossed the river, the men who dis
inferred the body from the Hidalgo.
Mex, cemetery, and bore it five
miles over rough trail to American
territory, left no trace of their iden-
tity. American Consul Garrett. of
Nuevo Laredo, Mex. and Capt. j. j.
sanders, of the Texas Rangers, were
rhe only persons on the American
side who were told what was to be
done. They were not informed.
they said, until after the body had
been brought across the river. They
went to the scene, forty-five miles
up the river from Laredo, found the
body as they had been told they
would, and tonight had it brought
70 Laredo pending an examination
by State authorities.
None of the officials would make
statement tonight except to set at
rest earlier reports that Texas RAN
gers and friends of Vergara had act
I'd together in crossing into Mexico
and securing the body for burial by
the family. ----.---.------- -----------
Rumors had it that former en-
ployes of the Vergara ranch We're
responsible for the recovery OF the
body.
Consul Garrett also forestalled
surmises that the Mexican author
tiles might have taken this means
to return the body by expressing the
opinion he did not believe they knew
the body had been removed. He had
never asked nor received any au-
thority from them to return the
body to Texas, he said.
Apparently the only clew to the
identity of the men tonight was
shovel left in the open grave in the
Hidalgo cemetery.
To. it was attached card
inscribed: "Recuerdos, ''v"Remem-
brances."
vergara was shot twice through
the head and once through the neck.
his skull was crushed as by blow
from rifle butt. The fingers OF the
left hand were charred, indicating
that he had been tortured before be-
ing put to death.
Identification was made by the
dead mans son and by numerous
friends. The body was not badly
decomposed, despite its three weeks
burial, and in addition TO reeogniz-
ing the features. young Vergara
took bit of cloth from the trousers
which inclosed the body and match
ed il to the coat which his father
had on the day he crossed the Rio
Grande.
The body was brought into the
United States. at point forty-five
miles northwest of Laredo, opposite
Hidalgo. and near the Vergara
ranch.
Vergara left his ranch, near Pal
aiox, Tex. Friday, February Is, and
crossed the river into Mexico on a
message from three Federal soldiers
that Capt. Apolinio Rodriguez. OF
the Hidalgo garrison, wished to set
tie for eleven horses taken from
Vergara's island pasture In the Rio
Grande.
Mrs. Vergara pleaded with her
husband not to risk seizure by the
Mexicans. Disregarding her warn
ings. he crossed the river in compa-
ny with his young nephew. Mrs.
Vergara has since told how she saw
her husband assaulted by the wait
ing soldiers, and. after being knock
cd unconscious. carried on. verga-
ra's nephew. at the time OF the at
tack on his uncle. hid in the brush
until he could recross the river.
On the following day Mrs. Yer
CARA 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-