The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-22
EUROPEAN PRESS AGAIN ASSAILS WILSON'S POLICY

IN ,ne morning he came to see Gen
villa to tell him that revolutionists. q:
times parties of bandits. had done much
damage to his ranch Los Remedies, de.
etroying property and stealing cattle. lie
said that Gen. villa made charges tina,
he had lent aid to the Federais and tn
Oro1quistas and that he desired him "a
cult the country, at the same time paying
the price. whereupon he said to tn Cen
eral that this was not Just and several
ether things that annoyed the General
that he did not use arms. but on the col.
trafy he believed that the General thought
he intended 40 do him harm. and ne pro-
tested that ne did not have and never
did have any bad Intentions toward the
General or any one else. He a'so de-
CARED ;aat he did not have anything TO
do with Huerta. being Indifferent to tn
politics OF the country. which was all that
he had to say.
THE witnesses were examined sepa-
rAtely. Major Banda said that at IL
O'Clock In the morning he was In tn, room
occupied by Gen. Francisco villa at his
home and ONCE when foreigner. the
same who Is sitting htre.' came in and
said to Cen villa that he came to make
complaint that the rebels had committed
destruction on his property, Los Rene
dios.
Accused Of AiAiag Federals.
AT this he said Gen. villa replied that
n was not advisable for him to come TO
this side Of the border, for It was too well
known that ne was an active sympathiger
with the enemy. to whom he had given
help In many ways giving them informa-
ton Of the NOV, ment Of our forces. init
mate friendships with the principal Red
Flag chiefs tSalaEar and Orozco) and
chasing or considering the Constitution
alists as rebels and bandits.
"Vila continued that on account OF the
fact that he was foreigner his property
had not been confiscattd but that he
would be forced to forbid Benton to re-
turn to Mexican territory to cause danger
TO the republic rs he was an element Of
danger to peace and order. At this Hhe
said foreigner answered in hard and vio-
lent words. saying that there was no
human power that could oblige him to live
outside OF Mexico and leave his property TO
suffer by depreda ton and robbery, as 1t had
already suffered. Then he declared that he
was coed man as Gen. villa. and In
that moment. when he said this to Gen.
Villa, he pulled the pistol that was In
back pocket Of his trousers But the
General was ready and he Jumped for
him. With one hand he struck and the
persons who were present leaped on ham
- that he might not make an attempt
against the life Of Gen villa.
inns tne
him arrested, giving him into the charge
OF the military commander. Following the
arrest, inv. stig atoms were started to see
what part he had taken in the struggle
now going on In the republic. and II was
found that the public knows he Ii a
sworn enemy OF our cause. aiding the
Federal army not only morally out ma
terially, and IN the time Just preceding
the o. oxco revolution ~e learned that he
ali ha atyet lad
says villa was IN Peril.
~ was beside Gen. villa when this
took place ana am firmly convinced that
II thtre had not been body OF o.hcla.s
and frienas near the General II would
have been possible tor the foreigner to
have Assass.nated him. / swear that this
declaration Is the truth
"Fonow.ng this Ing nesr Fartas was
Ques Toned and he replied as follows:
q" This morning at an inopportune
moment foreigner entered the apart
ments occupied Nv Gen. villa. / b.iisvs
II was the william Benton who Is now
present. He was talking about a mater
OF which l took no notice un, Ill he became
Violently excited and told the q, raj tina,
he was as much man as he. the Cen
eral, that his Villa men, had robbed
him and then. In an aggressive way,
pulled a pistol. which he had In the back
pocket OF his trousers. but Tor ,unateiy
the General Jumped upon him. giving him
at the same time bow on the head.
AT that moment the persons present
interviewed, and | am sure that had I
not been for their action Gen. villa would
have been the victim OF the said Benton.
Then Benton was arrested
THE with. ~ was asked II he knew, OF
asked to say what he knew about the
participation OF william Benton in ths
present civil war. lie answered that Ben
ton was publicly known as an enemy OF
the Consiitut.onal.st movement and hal
always b, Ell on the side OF Cen Huerid.
AZ he has lent the Federa.s very generously
all sorts OF help. giving them news OF
the movements of our forces. feeding the
hors,s OF the Federa.s and giving them
In general all sorts OF facilities to aid the
Infamous work which they are carrying
on. THIS was not only known to the
Federa.s. but to the general public. To
q . foreigner.
Death Penalty Densa nded.
Following this the president OF the
council conceded the floor to the agent
Of the public prosecutor. who reviewed
the testimony and asked that Benton
b condemned 10 suffer the penalty OF
death. After this the officer named by
the judge as defender of the accused
was allowed to speak and demanded
that the court apply the penalty OF ten
years In prison. Then the president de-
ciared the arguments OF counsel closed
and the tcorder present summed up the
points against the accused as follows:
II. Is the accused, william Benton.
guilty Of having insulted Gen. Francisco
villa. chief OF the division Of the north
Of the Constltut.onalist army
''2. Is the accused. William Benton,
guilty OF having made an attempt on the
life OF Gen. Francisco villa?
80. Is the accused, William Benton,
guilty Of having given information to
the enemies OF the government?
~ 10 the accused, William Benton.
guilty OF having lent aid In money or
other ways to the sedltionsts?
"5. IL the accused, William Benton,
guilty OF having favored the sedit lonists
70 As to realize his plans to disturb
public tranquility?
After the questions had been asked
and the court officers sworn and ques-
toned. the accused, William Benton, was
convicted on the charge made against
him OF having 'insulted and used arms to
do violence against the person OF Gen.
Francisco Villa For that crime he In
condemned to suffer the penalty of death.
We order that this decision be commu-
nicated to the military commandant of
this city so that he may comply with IT,"
The later part of the statement goes
into details OF how the court was sworn