The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-02-21

Of one at an impromptu in
dignation meeting in the lobby Of the
Hotel Sheldon, headquarters OF for
eigners driven out Of Mexico, to inves-
tigate the killing of Benton, but his
inquiries developed nothing not previ-
ously published. Mr.. Curry first went
to Thomas d. Edwards, United States
consul at Juarez.
Mr.. Consul" he said, "the people Of
Ell Paso and foreign refugees from
Mexico are in a feverish state because
Of the murder of VIM. Benton. They
have been unable to learn details OF
the crime and have asked me to seek
Information. Any light you can shed
on the subject will be appreciated.
II have telegraphed the Secretary
of State that Bentons death has been
officially reported to me-" replied the
consul. "Other details 1 have forward
ed to Washington by mail. Gen. Villa
said he did not care to talk of the
case to the press or the public. but
gave me the information for Mrs. Ben
ton, the widow. and the State Depart.
ment. They are at liberty to talk,
but promised the General l would re.
main silent"
Asked as to his use of the phrase
Officially reported dead" and il he
personally thought the official report
by Villa might have been misleading,
the consul said that, inasmuch as the
rebels have been sending Chihuahua
prisoners to Juarez, and Juarez pris-
oners to Chihuahua, he had a faint
hope that Villa might, for his own
reasons, have misled him. Friday
morning the consul watched the train
bearing Villa and his stan and abom
twenty others. hoping to catch sight
of Benton, but had seen none but Mexi-
cans.
Fear Intervention.
Mexico City, Feb. 21.-The execu-
tion of William Benton, a British sub
ject, by the constitutionalists in Jua-
req, has revived the fear among gov
eminent supporters that the United
States will be forced by Great Britain
to take some action that easily might
become Intervention.
Although since revolutionary condi-
tons assumed serious proportions
three years ago, there have been killed
in various parts OF the country some
$50 or more Americans, there are on
record the deaths of only four British
ers, including Benton. The three 9TH
ers were killed in districts where the
chiefs of neither faction had direct au-
thority. Benton's is the first case
where it appears that culpability may
be placed definitely.
Sir Lionel Garden, the British min
lister. has received no advices concern
ing the execution Of Benton, and does
not except any. except incidentally,
since in his opinion the case does not
concern the government to which he
ia accredited. Consular advices of the
putting to death of Benton were re.
ceived Friday at the Foreign Office,
where the news aroused an attitude of
expectancy.
Gossip has been current here for sew.
eral days that certain of the European
powers again were planning to urge
the United States to assume a more
active policy in restoring peace in Mex
leo, and many persons expressed the
belief that the Benton incident might
be used as an opportunity to impress
such view on Washington. Various
diplomats intimated that they would
use the killing of Benton as the basis
of reports to show their heIplessness
when it comes to protecting their ma.
tionals in Mexico.
To commemorate the anniversary of !
his accession to the Presidency. Presi. |
lent Huerta ordered the release from
he penitentiary of fifteen more men,
'ers of the Chamber of Deputies, i'm.
'risoned last October, when he dis.
olved Congress.