New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-01
Evidence Reaches Wash
ington That He Was
Shot with Pistols.
VICTIM OF VILLA
CARRIED NO ARMS
Huerta Promises United States
Full Explanation OF the
Killing of Vergara.

Washington Feb 2S.-Wiliam :. ben
ton. the British subject slain at Juare"'
was unarmed and was shot TO dedtn III
General Pancho Villas Office. pistol oni-
lets through his stomach ending his NE
according TO conclusive information Which
has reached Washington officials
While no statement to this effect was
forthcoming to-day. slackening OF Official
interest in the proposed examination ca
Benton's body was evident, the belief pc
ing that the examination would be useIui
only in that it might serve to supplement
the evidence Of timd witnesses who pos
sibly would withdraw otherwise their oral
statements.
Benton carried no arms when he an
proa ched Villas Offices in Juarez. accord
ing TO information; he spent two hours
waiting for the interview that ended IN
his death. walking back and forth in
front Of the Office building; he vas shot
through the stomach after he entered the
Office. and received other wounds after
ward, although the first was mortal.
The post-mortem. II is said. may serve
to confirm the character OF Benton
wounds. although the probable state OF
the body in tropical climate eleven days
after death, may defeat even this pur-
pose.
General instructions as 70 the method
Of examination 10 be pursued were issued
to-day by the State and War depart
mems &c their representatives ut FL Paso.
1t was realized that local conditions must
determine the details. and only broad
lines were drawn in the directions.
1t was not known exactly to-day when
the commission would start for Chi
huahua, as that will depend largely on
tho availability OF the special train which
Villa has promised TO provide. Secretary
Garrison. early I'm the day, authorized
General Scott. In command al FL Paso, 10
detail two army surgeons to make the
medical examination Of the body. Act
ing Secretary Moore, of the State Depart
ment, said that II had been left 10 the
collector Of customs and the United
States Attorney at FL Paso to select two
representatives Of the State Department.
| These. II was said. probably would be
chosen outside of the consular service
Examination OF Benton's body is 10 be
conducted entirely by the United States
the responsibility rests on the State De-
partment which has undertaken TO get
! at all the facts as II would i'm the case OF
the murder OF an American citizen. Sir
Cecil Spring Rice the British Ambassa-
dor. spent an hour to-day with Acting
| Secretary John Bassett Moore going over
tho details OF the case
Rumors that tentative efforts have been
made by the Constituencies TO pacate
the British government by the offer OF
a money indemnity 10 the widow prove
to be groundless. At any rate. no such
proposition has been made to any respon-
sible persons. and it., is known that il
would not be entertained if made. There
fore 1t is believed that when the facts Of
the killing Of Benton are fully developed.
| unless the United States government feels
called upon to demand reparation, tn.
British government may simply place the
case on file TO be presented to the future
government Of Mexico for settlement
when the day OF reckoning comes.
NO answer has yet been returned TO the
latest query from Governor Colduitt of
Texas as TO whom he could address a
requisiton for the surrender OF the Fed
| erals wnc killed Clemente Vergara. the
Texas ranchman.
Charge O'Shaughnessy reported from
Mexico City to-day that he had made rep
reservations concerning Nergaras death
and that the Huerta government had
promised a full and detailed EXPLANATION
Of the killing
Oficials OF the administration say that
no representations have been received.
directly or indirectly from Huerta re-
garding his reported suggestion that the
United states reconsider its action IN
lifting the embargo on arms. II was also
asserted that there had been no hint from
iiuerta that the United States would be
granted permission" by him to invade
Northern Mexico TO avenge the death OF
Benton and suppress outlawry there. AL
though it was admitted unoffically that
such construction had been put on state
ments made by Huerta
Much interest is manifested in official
circles over the visit of Sir Lionel Car
den. British Amba ssador TO Mexico. TO
Washington next week. Sir Lionel will
confer with President Wilson and Secre-
tary Bryan. While he is not believed TO
have much information about conditions
IN Northern Mexico IL is expected that
he viii be able TO give the administration
many interesting facts about the situation
in Mexico City.