Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-02-26
REBELS DECLARE BENTON
ATTEMPTED TO KILL VILLA


Washington. Feb. 2S.-Roberto Pes
quiera, constitutionalist agent here,
made public the following telegram
from constitutionalist headquarters at
JuareZ:
Benton entered Villas apartment
very unexpectedly, demanding protec-
ton for his interests and bitterly in
sulting Villa and the constitutionalist
army. General Villa told him that he
considered him an enemy to the con-
stitutionalist cause and that in order
that he might not continue to work
against it, he. Villa, was going to a
him the value of his (Benton'S) prop
erty in the state of Chihuahua.
Benton became very exasperated at
this and drew his revolver, intending
to kill the general, but the latter i'm
mediately knocked him down, disarmed
him and sent him to Jail. Benton was
afterward tried by a special military
tribunal, sentenced to death, and duly
executed, all in accordance with he
laws and usages of war
Announcement hat Benton met
death in Juarez after a court martial
ordered by Villa was made today by
Secretary Bryan, Who said he had no
further details. His Information came
in a dispatch from Consul Edwards at
Juarez, who said he had read the court
martial proceedings which were for
warded by mail to Washington.
Secretary Bryan communicated Eon-
sui Edwards latest message to Sir
Cecil Spring-Rice. the British ambas-
sador. and instructed Consul Edwards
to elnand adequate protection and q
fair hearing for Gustave Bauch. an
American citizen. for whose safety in
Juarez grave apprehension has been
felt. Friends of Bauch in FL Paso
have telegraphed to Representative
Smith, of Texas, that he had been shot
as a spy" No report had been re-
ceived at the stats department today on
the reported disappearance of two other
IGnglishmen. Lawrence and Curtis. who
| We're said to have goen to Juarez to
| search for Renton.
A telegram from r. n. Dudley, of
Ell Paso. Tex. to Senator Fan, de-
/! claring Benton was murdered like a
dog vas read in the Senate today at
the request of Senator Fail. He also
had read a telegram from the Fl Paso
mass meeting.
q am almost certain Villa did it in
| person. said the telegram from Dud-
ley. NO evidence that Benton was
the aggressor." added the Dudley tele-
| gram. Everything shows it cold blooded
murder. Castillo, a guest OF our gov
eminent with safety from punishment.
| Villa Boosting of his crime. Is there
no protection anywhere? FL Paso full
or rebel officers. The business affairs
Of the rebellion openly done here.
Watchful waiting a failure"
Later today Villa telegraphed
Pesquiera as follows:
THE attention of the commanding
| general of the division of the north
having been drawn to the published
reports in respect to the recent ex-
ecution of VIM, S. Benton. he desires it
known that the action of the au-
thorities in that case was entirely
| DSTiiad hv tha awe and Icoca- 81
| war.
Under article S4 of general order
100, for the government of the Uni
ted States in the field. it is provided
that armed providers who con with
in the line of the army of occupation
with hostile intent. are not entitled 10
the privileges of prisoners of war.
Article IS provides that persons
within occupied territory who employ
| violence toward the established ar-
thorities arc subject to the penalty of
death, whether they arise singly or in
number.
There is absolutely no doubt but
what Benton, Huertista sympathizer
and a murderer of Mexican citizens,
deliberately attempted an act OF
violence against the person and life of
the commanding general, and for that
reason in accordance with the laws
n usages of war he was tried by a
military lIiDuEals constituted Tor tnat
purpose and executed pursuant TO its
sentence, a proceeding sustained by
American and European presidents.
General Jackson IN 1918 hung two
British subjects. Arbuthnot and Am
brister for having given alien sym
| patty to hostile Indians in Florida.
General Butler hung Mumford at
New Orleans in 1862 for merely hauling
down an American flag from over the
custom house, and two years later
Kennedy was hung by tbs United
States militaries at New York because
of his completely in a plot to set fire tc
that city.
What was justifable under martial
law in the United States then. is GER
tainly iustifable under martial law in
Mexico now. The fact that Benton
was a British subject has no bearing
on the legal aspects of the case as
under international law the alien is as
amenable TO martial law as is a
citizen"
NO ACTION is TAKEN BY
GOVERNMENT OF BRITAIN
London. Feb, 23.-The British gov
ernment up to 400 today had not
taken any action in regard to the ex-