The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-05-08
Truce In Effect
Huerta Is Tanned
From Fridays Daily.

partment that WITHIN FEW days
he would send the battieship
Montana TO New York with the
bodies Of the sailors and mar.
ines who were killed al Vera
Cruz. The Montana will sail,
Admiral Badger said, az soon as
II became certain that her serv-
ices were no longer needed for
refugee work.
The gravity Of the situation al
Tampico growing out Of the fast
accumulation Of oil from flowing
wells In interior, which constL
tutes the great menace to the
town itself 10 aggravated by the
vast financial loss resulting from
the overfiowlne tanks. These
things, also the interference with
neutral eommercs by the eonstitu-
tionaIists, as exhibited by the
firing on the Ward Line Steamer
Antilla at that port, prompted Sir
Cecil Spring Rice, British am
basssdor, to confer with the Of.
fcisls at the state department In
further efforts TO create q neu-
trial zone on the Tampico oil
fields.
San Antonio. Texas, May lon
the day that victoriano Huerta
meets violent death, the family
of the murdered Francisco I. Ma
dero, will pay TO General Francisco
Villa $4,000 in gold" was the dec.
laration here today of a man prom.
inent in the business life OF San An.
tonic. who because he is Villas per.
sonal friend, would not allow the
use Of his name.
This may seem q strong state
ment," the Informant went on, but
| personally know II is true. Re.
member, | do not say I know that
Villa has agreed TO kill Huerta for
$40, 900. That is not the bargain. II
is simply that on the day that Huer.
10 is killed, villa gets the gold. And
more, villa has a practical hostage.
In his camp today Is young Raoul
Madero.
"Huerta might be able to compose
his differences with other rebel
chiefs, and oppose a united Mexican
force against America. but in Villa
who personally has a long score with
lIuerta-the dictator has one foe
who will never rest"
The informant Is, or so says every.
one here, as well informed on Next
can affairs as any man in the south.
west. With one sommerfeld, a Ger.
man agent of Madero, he broke up
the incipient rebellion OF General
Reyes against Madero. He Is I'm the
confidence OF the leaders Of the pres
cnt movement headed by villa and
Carranza. Asked concerning the Ben.
ton incident, this man freely told
what he declares Is the true story
OF the Englishman's death.
Story Of Benton.
Benton" he said, got just what
was coming TO him. I know villa
well, and he is a pretty decent sort |
in a Mexican, not an American |
way.
For weeks before he was killed,
Benton had been storming around |
FL Paso, bitterly denouncing villa
because the rebel chief would not
assign 800 men to guard the proper.
ties OF which Benton, as trustee, was
in charge.
"one day Benton crossed the river
and went to villa, again demanding
a guard.
81 cannot do IT, Villa told him.
Nor would ] now, even II I could
spare the men. I have heard of your
abusing me I'm Ell Paso and I believe
you are a spy for Huerta. Take my
advice, get out Of Mexico and stay
out
That enraged Benton. I will come
into Mexico where and when II
damn please he told villa fatty.
Enough, said villa and he put
Benton under arrest. Almost at once
Benton was put on a train for Chi
huahua. guarded by a small detach-
ment under Major Rudolfo Fierro
After going q few miles, Fierros
soldiers dragged Benton out OF the
coach and Fierro shot him. They
buried the body a short way from
the track.
Now. where villa made the error
that may yet cost him dearly, came
next. He trumpet up the story OF
having tried Benton by the Drum
head court martial. That was lie.
There was no court martial. What
Villa should have done was to have
summarily shot Fierro-a black.
hearted young assassin-for murder,
and then told the straight truth.
villa Is no fool. He knows the
American and British governments
both know the truth about Benton's
death, but he Is now afraid TO exc
cute Fierro because OF the effect II
would have on his troops. But he
knows, too, that the British will de.
mand satisfaction for Benton's death.
He Is between two fires. He Is deter.
mined TO down Huerta, but he wants
to do II himself; first because he
wants the Madero money. and, second
because he fears. under American
operation of Mexico. Benton's ghost
would rise In a British demand for
iiIstIrp whtch MIGHT eudaupar his