The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1914-02-27

cations have developed out Of the
Staying Also, the anti-M Mexican spirit
hereabOutG has. risen to the boiling
point. A massmeeting of protest
against the Washington state depart
ment was held here in spite Of efforts
OF the authorities to prevent it.
A report gaining circulation in El
Paso says that two more Englishmcn
have disappeared" in Juarez. It IS
feared they met the same fate as did
Benton.
Ell PASO, TEX William 6.
Benton, a Scotchhman and a British
subject ard one of the richest ranch
men in northern Mexico, who disap-
peared in Juarez Tuesday night, is
dead. according to news brought Mrs.
Benton by Thomas d. Edwards, Amer
lean consul at Juarez. He paid with
his life the penalty for having told
General Francisco Villa, the rebel
leader, that he was a bandit.
Villa. whose act is stigmatized by
Benton's numerous friends as wantOn
murder, left suddenly for Chihuahua
Friday. No single act of any of the
recent revolutions, not excepting the
CUmbre tunnel disaster, has so stirred
Indignation. When extra editions
were placed on the streets they were
frantically seized upon and read.
Told by Eye Witness.
Mexican man who was present
with several others in Villas office
when the difficulty occurred between
the British citizen and the rebel chief
tells the story. For the same reason
that has made hundreds of others
decline to permit the use of their
names in matters Mexican, this man
only related the story on promise that
lis identity would be hidden.
He declared that Benton after being
admitted to Villas presence began
speaking rather heatedly, declaring to
Villa:
You and your men are bandits
pure and simple. You have taken my
horses, destroyed my property and
damaged me in every way, yet you
pose before the world as civilized
warriors, fighting for your country.
You are fighting for loot and power"
Villa, according to the man relating
the story. arose from behind a desk
at which he was sitting and shaking
his finger at Benton retOrted:
You are a federal sympathizer, you
have aided the assassins of Madero in
every possible way. l am going to
drive you out of the country"
Then Villa applied an epithet that
has always made men fight and slap
ped Benton in the face.
Damn you. PanchO Villa, | am as
good a man as you are" Benton re-
tOrted, according to the Mexican's re-
port of the affair, and then threw him
struck him with his revolver and fell
ed him. A woman who was present
the Mexican relating the affair says
he does not know if it was Mrs. Villa
or some other WOman-rushed at
Villa and begged him not to shoot
The Mexican says she dashed out.
with others who were in the room at
the time and knows nothing more of
the tragedy
Villa Claims Plot.
Villa. it is understood, in relating
his story to Consul Edwards, declared
that Benton drew a revolver and that
he already had evidence connecting
Benton with the conspiracy to assas-
Siuate him.
Villa alleges that Benton was tried
by a court martial and executed at
sunrise the next morning
mass meeting was held at the
Opera house, at which thousands
were turned away for want of room.
Former Governor Geo. Curry of New
Mexico presided. Resolutions were
adopted criticising the action of the
Washington government for its leni-
ency toward Castillo, Salazar and
other Mexican bandits; Genouncing
Villa as the most bloody tyrant the
world has known, and demanding in
torvention by the United States in
Mexico. Copies of the resolutions were
wired to Secretary of State Bryan,
President Wilson, the British ambas-
sador and various congressman and
senators.
Bryan Orders investigation.
WASHINGTON. Secretary of
State Bryan, after a cabinet confer
ence, ordered an investigation of the
killing of w. Benton, the English
ranch owner at Juarez.