Evening star., 1914-02-20
Facts Are Reported to Secretary
Bryan by United States Con-
sui Edwards.
DETAILS NOT MADE PUBLIC
Ambassador Spring Rice Had Re-
quested That Benton Be Given
Protection-Mystery Is Sue-
gested in Consul's Dispatch.

FL PASO. Tex, February 70.
William s Benton of Ell Past..
Scotchman. subject of Grca'
Britain, is dead. The death OF the
man Is confirmed by Gen. Panch-
Villa. and was officially conveyed
to the widow here by United
States Consul T. ID. Edwards oi
Juarez.
Mystery surrounds the report
OF the death. William Benton. q
cousin of the dead man. con-
iirmed the report.
Consul Edwards told Mrs.
Benton. he said. that her llus-
band was dead in Juarez. The
consul said Villa has confirmed
this, but said that Villa had asked
him not TO make public the de-
tails except in official dispatches
to his government.
Put to Death Following Trial.
Benton was executed Tuesday night
after a trial by military court in Juarez
| of which Federico Gonzales Cara WA
! the head, according TO what appears 10
| be a correct version of the affair The
| charge against Benton was that he WA
| implicated in a plot to take Villas life.
Villa left for the south this morning
on a special train. Benton was last seei.
alive in Juarez Tuesday morning. lie
was making his way'to Villa home and
said he was going to tell Villa what he
thought of him.. for the manner in which
his ranch the Los kemedio, in western.
Chihuahua. had been looted and raideu
by rebel soldiers.
Instructions had been semi by the
State Department yesterday TO Consui
Edwards, il Is reported, to see that NJ
harm should come to Benton. the ia
structlons being sent AZ the request
of the British ambassador at Washina
ton The warning. it now appears. cam.
tua late. 1t is supposed that Villas
defense will be that the man was shu.
because lie entered Villas office anu
started 10 draw gun. although I'll.
cousin says Benton did not go ~
Juarez armed
Well Acquainted With Villa.
Benton had been in Mexico for about
twenty-five years. He was about forty
i've years o.d. Benton and Villa hav..
been acquaintances for MANY wears
Benton knew him when as an OUTLAW
more or less accepted as a part of III.
Mexican social fabric the then bandit
crossed the Benton ranch west of the eat
of Chihuahua. Til. ranch of fs,.tsp acres
is known Los Remedies and is cousid-
cred one of the best in Mexico. 1t WAS
well watered. contained fine pasturaEe
crops grew abundantlN and the owner
was particularly proud of his orchards
which succeeding bands of revolutionsis
cut up into fireH7ood. Benton paid Sl2a.-
U,o for IT. but improvements are said io
have brought the value close TO Si.Wo,Obu
II was with the assurance of this ac-
quaintance behind him that the Scotch
man, whose courage, if not his discre
tion, is admired. went TO Villa with
complaint of the depredati tions commit
ted on his property.
Yesterday villa. who had repeatedly
denied that he had Benton in custody.
told d reporter that Benton was armed
when he made his visit.
Friends OF the ranclman assert tina
Benton. while of fiery temper and
ready to use lists. WAS Of sober habit
and never known to carry IA gun. HIS
great reason for going unarmed was
his own knowledge of his temper
In the course of the interview Benton
and Villa quarreled and Benton WAS
lost to view of his friends.
James iIamblelon. an EnghShman, and
others, including reporters. exhausted
every means OF ascertaining the fate al
the missing man, but everyW here wer.
!, Gin md 1.aJaf fsaf
Consul Learns Benton's Fate.
Consul Edwards was the first TO learn
the true fact. He gave Mrs. Benton only
bare outline OF the case.
Il have telegralhed ali details at my
command To Washington. said the con-
sui. and if made public IL must be from
there | pledged my word 10 Villa not 10
make the details public
Asked what disposal had been made of.
The body, Edwards replied: 4 do no.
think il will me this side of the
border.
villas $ sudden departure wiki MS staff
This morning is regarded hight from
saged by tho interest manifested in the
disappearance OF Benton.
AS the forenoon wore talk of
mass meeting grew, but took no des-
mite shape Excited knots of Ameri-
can. English French and German refi,-
gees who have lost their property in
Mexico or compelled to abandon il
temporarily. asserted that the time had
come for foreigners to voice their SEN
timents and protest against the trea1-
ment being dealt out to them
Since the revolutions began they
have never had such a meeting, bur
have accepted their burdens stoically
IL is understood among border news
paper men that the names OF foreign
ers who divuige news are not to be